Newly aquired 1968 Correct Craft Project!!

So the reverse dist with collar sits higher, hard to get thru my head right. Finally

68correctcraft wrote: I don't know why the other picture I tried to upload will not show but here is another shot of the distributor. Anyone know what new distributor can be purchased to fit my RR engine? The shaft on this one is too short with the collar installed.

It looks like it's an original equipment marine distributor for a small block Chrysler.

It was built by Prestolite The IBM-4109A on the tag tells you that.

The 2444983 is a Chrysler number.

Right off hand, I couldn't tell you where to find the right distributor

And like Pete said, you need to read about piston pin offset

68correctcraft wrote: Here is a shot of the piston offset

The offset is port to starboard and not fore to aft. As mentioned, it's best to get some measurements.

68correctcraft wrote: phatsat, Is this picture I found on another thread correct??

The picture is right.

Reverse rotating engines needed the thrust bearing due to the upward thrust on the gear and because of this they had a longer shaft.

Standard normal rotation engines could also use the thrust bearing but it wasn't necessary. It used the same longer shaft distributor

Many times twin engine boats had the thrust bearing on both the normal and reverse rotating engines so the distributor was the same for both engines. .

A single engine normal rotating setup didn't need the thrust bearing and without it, you could use the shorter shaft distributor and there were marine versions of the short shaft one too.

You seem to have the thrust bearing and a short shaft distributor from your description and pictures. Not a good combination

You can't just leave the thrust bearing out though because with reverse rotation you need it to absorb the upward thrust on the gear.

One thing to keep in mind is that the distributor always rotates clockwise whether it's a normal or reverse rotation engine

You'll probably find the distributor info on that sheet metal tag that's riveted to the distributor housing in one of your pictures. You'll probably have to scrape a little paint to be able to read it from the looks of it.

phatsat,

Is this picture I found on another thread correct??

Possible someone swapped in a automotive distributor, Std and Reverse Chryslers used the same collar so they had a standardized longer distributor shaft length. It was just a spacer on standard rotation engines.

I am not aware of cast pistons that don't have an offset pin.
They will be offset .040 or .060 normally.
The factory offset cast pistons to reduce piston slap that you could hear at idle.
Forged Pistons usually run a centered piston pin.
I knew many NHRA Race teams in the stock classes that ran offset pistons reversed with the offset on the non thrust side just like yours would be. They claimed the engines would RPM better. The advantage/disadvantage is so minimal I would not worry about turning them around if it would force you to press out the piston pins to do it. If your rods would work as is with just a relocation to the opposite bank I would go ahead and do it.
Either way you will never feel a difference in a noisy boat.

Like your boat, good luck with it.
(BTW be prepared to get chastised for the trim tabs)

Love the blue!

Let's see some interior pics

Very Cool!

Here is a closer shot of the cam gear

I will have to check and see if it is right hand or left hand rotation. I should not have assumed the pistons were installed correctly since I do not know the engine builder who did the work. What are the best ways to check this?

You need to confirm they are offset, they usually are when they have a notch associated with it. You probably can have a machine shop check the piston pin offset if you can't. They use offset pins to keep the noise down on the engine. If they are installed the wrong way they will make more noise than a non offset and probably create wear issues.

It has been confirmed to be a reverse rotation engine?

PHATSAT,
I am unsure of what you mean by this. The pistons all have a small notch on the top of them and all were pointing towards the front of the block. Should they not be installed in the same orientation? I have attached a picture below where just the pistons are loose in the block with no caps installed yet showing the notch I am referring too.

Thank you in advance,

Pat

Even though the block and been worked at a speed shop in Florida (paperwork that was provided to my father in law upon purchase) it had been sitting for appx 7 years. The intake was not put back on the engine and was in rough shape as you can see. After a good soaking, scrubbing, bath in our parts cleaner at work it turned out pretty decent


After a few coats of high heat primer & paint I am pretty pleased with the results



Since the engine was sitting for such a long period we decided to remove all the pistons and Crank to remove / clean all the assembly oil that was hardened inside. Wish I had taken a before picture but here are the pistons and cam all cleaned up