It seems that nothing is going to be easy with this restoration - the distributor too was seized. Mostly likely from a lack of use rather than anything catastrophic. I imagine that most of the electrical components will be in the same boat so I may as well start with something that I know the engine will need...
In older cars, the distributor (usually called the ignition distributor) is a device that sends electricity to the correct spark plug at exactly the right time. Car people often call them a 'Dizzy'... which is mildly funny.
A simple way to think about it is:
- High-voltage electricity enters the distributor from the ignition coil.
- A rotating arm inside the distributor spins.
- As it turns, it connects to different contacts.
- Each contact leads to a different spark plug
The distributor makes sure each cylinder gets its spark in the correct firing order and at the precise moment the piston is ready. Simples.
It was easy to dismantle the distributor and cause of it NOT rotating was simply old grease combined with dirt which had gone hard. So the refurbishment was simply a case of dismantling and cleaning all the internal parts. You can see the before and after in the images below. End result is that the Dizzy now spins freely and is ready to go once the electrical components have been replaced (just in case).
I also took the opportunity to clean and straighten the clamp that holds the Dizzy onto the engine block and to also fully clean the body of the unit itself. The Dizzy Cap will be replaced before trying to start the car - which is a long way in the future.
