Well, the blocks will do the trick. I need to massage them a little to make it more attractive but at least I can get the distributor on and moving freely.  Still looking for the right distributor, may just have to use an old 292-312 stocker. Can't find a Mallory 387A anywhere.

Going with Charlie's plan A first. Plate aluminum is at the machine shop.

The two aluminum spacers.  Move the two rear ports forward on both sides the same amount to look normal.  You are going to need space for the plug wires and boots on top of whatever cap you use, so use a cap with wires in place and see just how far you would need to slide the Webers/carbs spacer on the long spacer forward to clear, and see if it is possible to blend that amount to the heads.  I have moved ports a lot on spacers and blended them, not ideal, but it could possibly work for you.  You can remove a good deal of the carb spacer bosses, also without ruining their integrity.  Joe-JDC

JDC

I think he's talking about the aluminum blocks you made, spanning the entire intake flange on each head.  Make those again, but shift the rear carb forward, which will require that the ports be angled to meet the ports in the head.





Lawrenceville, GA

I have never seen a crab cap for this distributor. Joe: I'm not seeing your vision on this one. If I change any angle on the adapters will the carbs still be straight up?

Was there a "crab" cap available ever?

"FREE SAMPLE"

Now that you see the problem, I would start over with two new spacers, and move the intake ports over and angle them towards the heads to give you more room for the sparkplug wires to fit in that cap.  It is a bit of work, but the finished product would have more hood clearance, and might help with linkages, etc..  Joe-JDC

JDC

I'm going to try Charlie's idea first. It's the cheapest and seems to have the answer. I ordered the block of aluminum I need and getting it machined is no issue, all it takes is money, right? Changing out the distributor to a later model is also in the cards. It's hard to check hood clearance but it appears I"ll have enough room.

I see your problem.. And it is a tough one.  It's not the carb interfering it is the adapter.. The early distributor is actually shorter than the late one so using the 57 distributor probably makes the problem worse. A Mallory YL small cap MIGHT clear the adapter.. Otherwise the only solution I see it to make a spacer to put underneath the adapter..You can use that distributor you have but you will have no advance curve at all.. There are some more complicated solutions bu it gets into heavy mods on the distributor or redoing the distributor drive and moving it to the front of the motor

If I install a spacer on one then I 'll need to space all (linkage). Now I'm looking at space for the hood to come down. You might have something there though. They would have to be under the riser/plenum.