Topic: C5OF-12127-E Distributor ?

[Brian Conway]

A high performance, dual point, mechanical advance distributor.  A small block only, over the counter, add on ?  Was this distributor, C5OF-E FoMoCo, ever an assembly line installed performance item ?  Thanks Brian

[jwc66k]

Did you look in the library?
Jim

[Brian Conway]

Yes.  Examples are all vacuum advance distributors and not the subject of my question.  Brian

[J_Speegle]

Picture from MustangTek?


Have found the same  (with same date and shift) on a NOS Hipo 289 that was given/loaned to a vocational school in the mid west if I recall correctly



Others




Short answer - Yes. Installed as standard equipment.

Later service replacements would have AUTOLITE and later even MOTORCRAFT. And of course dating shows the difference in some cases but not all.  Some used housings made for vacuum advance were sold in later years but they have a plate and an ID tag screwed on over the attachment point for the advance .

[Brian Conway]

Thank you Jeff.  Yes picture is from MustangTek.  Interesting part with a history that is a bit difficult to trace.  Definitely a high performance part and seems to have had its origins in 1963 with the Fairlane model line ? The ' all in' specs would be of some interest ?  Not originally a mustang item.  Was installed on the Hi-Po 271 HP 289 motor beginning in the June of 1964 K code cars ? Continued to be sold over the counter as a performance enhancement with different engineering numbers and by different suppliers up until 1971.  If looking for an original for an early K code car the date stamp is an important clue.  Brian

[J_Speegle]

The distributor was also the suggested upgrade/modification for the Boss 302 in some of Ford's brochures/manuals

[Bossbill]

Is that black mark in the last pic indicative of something? It's on my restored (by someone else) distributor too.

[Bob Gaines]

Is that black mark in the last pic indicative of something? It's on my restored (by someone else) distributor too.

It may be on some for one reason or the other but not typical IMO from engine plant based on what I have seen .

[Bossbill]

Thanks Bob.
Perhaps they saw it on another distributor and copied it!

[Dan Case]

Thank you Jeff.  Yes picture is from MustangTek.  Interesting part with a history that is a bit difficult to trace.  Definitely a high performance part and seems to have had its origins in 1963 with the Fairlane model line ? The ' all in' specs would be of some interest ?  Not originally a mustang item.  Was installed on the Hi-Po 271 HP 289 motor beginning in the June of 1964 K code cars ? Continued to be sold over the counter as a performance enhancement with different engineering numbers and by different suppliers up until 1971.  If looking for an original for an early K code car the date stamp is an important clue.  Brian

"Dual point" Ford distributors was not a new subject created for High Performance 289 engines March 1963. The family line started in the mid 1950s. The 260/289 c.i.d. engine branch of the family started with the Experimental High Performance 260 engines of early 1962. I have no idea how many lab made engines there were but 35 each experimental full mechanical advance dual point ignition distributors were made for the XHP-260 engines. The experimental assemblies were created by modifying a collection of production parts to suit. A few engines made it into new Cobras. Later in 1962 High Performance 260 engines were made (at least 137 of them but probably more) and they got a new mechanical dual point with a C2 production engineering number. These C2FF-12127-A units had main bodies made for something else and repurposed. September / October 1962 Ford had preproduction High Performance 289 engines in vehicles going through testing. The first HP289 distributors C3OF-12127-F were not much more than revised 1962 HP260 ones. Ford phased that original HP289 unit out after roughly a month and a half to two months of HP289 production that started the first working day of March 1963.  Circa mid April-start of May 1963 the second to be used HP289 design C3OF-12127-D was released with a new main body eliminating features from vacuum advance models. That design was used for most of the remainder of 1963 model year and all of the 1964. By the end of June 1964 Ford was producing a near total redesign dual point C5OF-12127-E for the upcoming 1965 model year.

Side Bar: An educated guess as to why the 1963¾-1964 C3OF-12127-D was abandoned was the rapid wear they suffered. The design of the advance mechanism pins and slots tended to wear very quickly. I have read stories of units too worn to be able to tune within 10,000 miles from new. Almost every used core I have opened up was severely worn where the pins and slots rub. The owner of our black car got tired of ignition problems and had his dealer install a C5OF-12127-E in the 1960s and the car is still using it today.

[J_Speegle]

Is that black mark in the last pic indicative of something? It's on my restored (by someone else) distributor too.

There is the possibility that that black mark is not original given the look and condition of the dist clip and their retainers. At the same time, after looking at period pictures that a mark was placed on the drivers side of the main housing on these distributors. The style of mark either differed by year or by the worker applying the mark as I have examples, Found so far, of 65's and 67. If you want to discuss this further it might be a time to start a new thread in 67 Bill if you want to follow up. Will move the to the Drivetrain area since it seems to be a non- year specific subject at this point

[Brian Conway]

Thank you Dan.  Very informative stuff.  Brian

[Dan Case]

Thank you Dan.  Very informative stuff.  Brian

You are welcome.