250GT Distributor Caps

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John Vardanian
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250GT Distributor Caps

Post by John Vardanian »

I have never bought any. When it comes to replacement units, I am wondering how many different makes/styles there are, which ones are better, or look closer to original, etc. I would appreciate an education in this area. I am looking to buy a pair and want know what to look for. Thank you in advance.

john
PF Coupe
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tyang
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Re: 250GT Distributor Caps

Post by tyang »

Hi John,

As far as I know, original caps have a brown color to them, while many replacement caps are black in color. I don't know if anyone has addressed this issue.

Tom
'63 330 America #5053
DWR46
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Re: 250GT Distributor Caps

Post by DWR46 »

John: I am NEVER in a hurry to replace distributor caps. I have only found one bad one (on a Boxer) in all the years. Lately, some of the repro caps are not correct dimensionally, and they hit the rotor when everything is tightened down. The only way to tell this is when you take the cap off and find the inside of the distributor full of brass powder.
John Vardanian
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Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2002 12:13 am
Location: San Francisco Area

Re: 250GT Distributor Caps

Post by John Vardanian »

Do our stock distributors start life closer to black? Is the brown due to fading over time? I am waiting for Cornelis to slap a picture of an NOS cap any minute.

john
PF Coupe
250GT
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Re: 250GT Distributor Caps

Post by 250GT »

John Vardanian wrote:Do our stock distributors start life closer to black? Is the brown due to fading over time? I am waiting for Cornelis to slap a picture of an NOS cap any minute.

john
Will do, but I am a working class here ,will take about 10 year before I am retired.
comes this weekend John with all changes over the years.

C.
Edward 96GTS
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Joined: Sun Nov 16, 2003 12:21 pm

Re: 250GT Distributor Caps

Post by Edward 96GTS »

john,
if need new caps, i would recommend that you find nos ones. its worth the premium. i dont think the repros say magneti marelli. also, originals were bakealite(sp?). new ones may be just plastic.
John Vardanian
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Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2002 12:13 am
Location: San Francisco Area

Re: 250GT Distributor Caps

Post by John Vardanian »

Ed, I suspected the black ones to not be Bakelite. It's really all about appearance, the pair I have on the car is undamaged and functions fine.

john
PF Coupe
Lowell
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Location: Santa Fe, NM

Re: 250GT Distributor Caps

Post by Lowell »

John Vardanian wrote:Ed, I suspected the black ones to not be Bakelite. It's really all about appearance, the pair I have on the car is undamaged and functions fine.

john
Why don't you just polish the old ones? Use a plastic abrasive on a rotating cloth wheel,
cloth disc on a Dremel tool for between and around the ignition wire raisers.
Then use hand rubbed cleaner followed by hand polish.
Lowell Brown
1966 Gold 330 2+2 Series II
250GT
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Re: 250GT Distributor Caps

Post by 250GT »

DWR46 wrote:John: I am NEVER in a hurry to replace distributor caps. I have only found one bad one (on a Boxer) in all the years. Lately, some of the repro caps are not correct dimensionally, and they hit the rotor when everything is tightened down. The only way to tell this is when you take the cap off and find the inside of the distributor full of brass powder.
Could be Ferrari org. parts have solve the problem above ( hitting)
by giving a cork spacer to get the right lift ?
I never understood the meaning of it .
I bought at the genuine Ferrari part shop in England a new set.
for somebody who did not speak englisch.
after I faxed (2004 ) him the org bill he never replied ,I am still waiting….
Well a lot of self promoting F-people in the new stuff ( 512TR)
would not happening in the vintage sector imo.

C.
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250GT
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Re: 250GT Distributor Caps

Post by 250GT »

The replica caps on the market now often don´t wear the MMM logo
I tried them out once when testing a 128F engine on the test bench.
we did lost some HP and torque on a fresh overhauled engine.
ater changing the caps everything looks fine again
The hole in the early caps were not drilled exact parallel
can not say if this is still the case.

C.
250GT
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Re: 250GT Distributor Caps

Post by 250GT »

replica caps below.

C.
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250GT
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Re: 250GT Distributor Caps

Post by 250GT »

John, in the past I used to got the org. braun caps at Fiat dino V6
they were halve the price of the"real" Ferrari V12 caps.
you can find the right ones also at Lamborghini 350/400
but you must change the lettering
I think the rotor of those is turing the other way around.
Best
C.
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250GT
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Re: 250GT Distributor Caps

Post by 250GT »

Interesting price in the 60Th
5500 LIRE

C.
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250GT
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Re: 250GT Distributor Caps

Post by 250GT »

Last contribution for today.
For those who drives with a single distributor V12
Like used some Boano/Ellena/ early PF cars.
twin coils equipment.

C.
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John Vardanian
Posts: 1906
Joined: Wed Sep 04, 2002 12:13 am
Location: San Francisco Area

Re: 250GT Distributor Caps

Post by John Vardanian »

Cornelis, thanks as always for the reference pictures. Looking at your pictures, it seems to me that the original caps start life in a much darker shade of brown (almost black), then over time they get lighter. Agree?

Your pictures answered another question I was going to ask, and that is, is the left distributor supposed to be numbered 1-6 or 7-12. It looks like it should be numbered 7-12. Is this the original labeling in your picture?

john
PF Coupe
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