I recently bought a Cardone # 30-2808 rebuilt distributor from my local O'Reilly's. The posts on this subject caused me to check the shaft length and gear placement. Guess what, they were the wrong dimensions. This Cardone box had a disclaimer pasted over the box flaps, that stated to
check the dimensions and gear placement for your application. It seems the posts on this site has caught Cardone's attention. My O'Reilly's
salesman ordered the remaining four distributors from their warehouse. I will post if at least one of these distributors is correct.
Ernie Phillips

Oldcarmark is correct - the instruction with my pertronix II said do not use the resistor with the Pertronix coil





54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

If You are using the Coil that they recommend I believe You can bypass the Ballast Resistor so the Coil gets full 12 Volts. I have had this combination on mine for Years without the Ballast Resistor. Flamethrower Coil.

  

Florida Phil...when it dies again I'll bet it's the Chinese condenser. Replaced twice on my 56 before I installed a Pertronics ll. Never a problem in 5 yrs now. I bought their correct coil also and used my existing ballast resistor. Good luck.

56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.

 
More Pictures

  

 
I contacted Cardone about a Month ago regarding these 30-2808 Distributors being assembled wrong. They denied there was a problem. I bought One last Week and sure enough the Dimensions are wrong. I took Pictures comparing the originals to the Exchange Units showing where the Dimensions are wrong. I sent a detailed Email to Tech Dept at Cardone again Today. Now they are going to have whoever is responsible tor Quality Control look into it. Hope they agree and Fix the Problem. I have searched extensively and there is no other Source for these unless You go aftermarket high $ Units. 

  

Thanks for the info. I traded in a 57 core that was locked up, but am now regretting it. Parts guy at O’Reilly’s did his best to cross numbers up and even tried to get my old core back. Someone will eventually get the right distributor (if they rebuild my core). Sucks that parts vendors are so ignorant and unprofessional to not actually do the job right. Obviously no R&D.

Kent — Round Rock, TX
'56 F-100  | '56 Crown Vic  |  '57 Fairlaine 500  |  '57 Thunderbird

You might give these guys a call: Performance Automotive, 239 671 3974 or email them, perfignition@nctc.com. They rebuild and modify distributors. They're located in southwest FL.

........The Shaft is different for Y Blocks. The correct Part # for these Cardone Distributors is 30-2808. I see a different # in previous Posts.

  

$200.00 + Core seems to be around the Average Price.There's several listed on Ebay with some even higher than $200.00. Rock Auto sells them for a little less than $200.00 + Core but they are Carcone Units too. There is a shortage of Cores because they never get the 57+ Ones turned back in. A couple of Years ago there were no rebuilts available from Carcone for awhile because they ran out of Cores.I don't know of anyone else selling rebuilt Ones except Carcone. If You go on Ebay there are new Ones from Offshore with Electronic Ignition available. Anyone tried One of these? When I contacted Carcone by email a few Weeks ago they claimed they were not aware of any Problems with these 30-2808 Units. Shortage of correct Cores right now does not bode well for the Future needs. About a Year ago there was another Supplier on Rock Auto  who claimed that they had brand new Distributors for Y Block. When I contacted them directly to verify that the Units were for Y-Block they realized they were not. The Listing is gone from Rock Auto. Only the Carcone Units are listed. The only real difference between the Y Block Distributors and most other Ford Distributors is the length of the Shaft. Gears are different but thats not a problem to get correct Gears. If You look at the ID # on the Housing of the 30-2808 Exchange Units they are from several different Years and Applications. The housings are the same for Years. The Shaft is different for Y Blocks. I have used 2 Carcone  exchange Units without a problem with shaft length or Gear Location but both were purchased more than a Year ago. The problem with Shaft Length an Gear location seems to be within last 6 Months.Maybe Carcone is now having these redone Overseas like a lot of other Automotive Suppliers and that's where the Problems are coming from??? There are a lot of Offshore Condensors that are Garbage as We are finding out. By the way the correct Part # for the Carcone Y-Block Unit is 30-2808. I see some different #;s in prior Posts which I think are incorrect for our Y-Blocks.