if you raise or lower the transmission it might give you more clearance to firewall while working.
seth

Is it possible that the motor mounts can just be turned 180° to move the engine forward some?  This would also require the transmission mount to move forward accordingly.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Thanks everybody, as always you guys come through.  Friend is coming by with an OEM points distributor.  I have another problem which you guys can't help me with.  Some time in the past somebody switched motor mounts.  The engine sits slightly rearward of original.  Engine was installed with distributor in place.  Distributor has never been removed with engine in place and it looks really really tight to that cowl flange, so wish me luck.  I have the proper tools to fix it if a problem, i.e. hammer, torch, grinder.

There's absolutely no play in my CRT distributor cap. 

Although my CRT distributor is still in the box, I'll check the cap fitment. 

I have a 56 Victoria with a 292 and the later model 57 and up distributer. it would do what yours does after setting out in the rain. Hard starting and would sometimes backfire after starting. I threw some money at it by changing the coil and pertronix ignitor with no change. I pulled off the distributer cap and noticed condensation inside. I also noticed the cap did not seal tightly and would turn slightly both clockwise and counterclockwise with a click before engaging both side clamps. The cap was a cheap made in Mexico, blue in color. At Oreillys I asked for the best one available and he sold me a Standard cap that was black in color and about $30.They also had a cheaper one. The new cap was identical in appearance to the blue one other than the color. I did notice, however that it fit snugly on the distributer and seemed to seal properly before engaging the clamps. Problem solved. Car starts right up , even after a rainstorm the previous night. Perhaps a good lesson to buy NOS when you can.

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If it won't start and You check Plug Wire and no Spark I would say U have a defect in Distributor. or Coil. Try another Coil when it won't start and See it that makes a difference. .Personally I have no use for the Chinese knock offs. Where do You find replacement Parts when needed. Convert a stock Distributor to Pertronix 2 and problem soved.

  

In the last 2 weeks this happened:

Started great in storage barn.  Parked outside.  Itty Bitty rain.  Car would NOT start.  Had to push it back into barn.

Last weekend.  Started car in storage barn.  Moved to driveway so could leave early to local car show.  Next morning, car was wet from dew and maybe a tiny rain in the night.  Would not start.  Took another car to show.  Returning in the evening after car set all day in driveway on nice sunny day.  Car started right up.

I might be chasing an intermittent electrical problem that I am looking for reasons, like wetness?  Come to think of it, I tried starting it in the storage barn a few times and could not get it to start.  Not a problem since I wasn't going anywhere.

It is NOT a fuel problem.    

Have ordered another distributor.  Different brand.  Probably still made in China.

You check for spark.

Is there any condensation in the DIST CAP?

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