Dauntless Distributor Hold-down Clamp - How The He** ...?

I wasted at least an hour trying to get the rocker-style clamp and bolt in and tightened the right way and never got it. It's in right now, but I'm sure it's the wrong way because the distributor turns. I could just not get the bolt in with the longer end pointed toward the shaft.

I have the two gas lines version of Dauntless and they're routed over the engine and then down in front of it. They make it almost impossible to get even one hand in there under the distributor.

What am I missing?

TIA

 

I used an aftermarket timing cover and had the same problem.
Eventually got a hold down from TA Performance, basically just a thick washer and bolt. I’ll see if I can get a pic.

 

That’s all there is but it works. Something like $15 shipped…

 

How big is that washer?

 

It would be hard to measure, bit if you want to trust my memory, I’d say about 3/4 to 1 inch, probably about 1/8” thick.

 

I have an aftermarket timing cover as well and a small block chevy distributor hold down fits perfectly when using the bolt hole closest to the engine block.

 

Reading your post, this is the clamp you have also. The round end goes toward the distributor shaft. I may be reading your post incorrectly, but sounds like you were having the clamp the other way?

 

I believe he was talking about a different clamp. It looks alot lime a rocker arm.

 

I use a stubby wrench and a lot of patience...

 

Hard to get a god picture, but this is how I mounted it.

 

Never seen a distributor clamp like that for the Dauntless v6. Seem them for the Buick v8’s. I’ve got to do some more Google images search.

 

FWIW my 67 Dauntless has the same "rocker type" lockdown clamp as shown by Ollie 2009, and it's also what's shown in parts manual Group 15 L-7 (4233). When I was digging through my basket of parts, I almost cast it aside, but alas I was not so foolish. Drawing does not show a lock washer, but it couldn't hurt, I wouldn't think.

 

I wonder if the rocker design is for the Prestolite distributors?

 

prestolite distributor

hard to get a picture , but does have rocker style hold down

 

My '71 originally had a prestolite. We switched it to the delco-remy in the late 70's. But it has always had the rocker arm type clamp since new.

 

Regardless of hold down design. I've always used a distributor wrench. Indispensable.

 

Thanks for all the replies, and sorry for not checking back in a few days. Yes, I have the rocker arm hold down. @Ollie2009, your mounting surface is different than mine. I can see you have the long "arm" of the rocker toward the left side, not toward the distributor shaft. That's also the only way I could get mine to go in, mostly because of gravity and the sloped surface as I was struggling to thread the bolt. @CJ Joe, I have a distro wrench but it wouldn't have helped. (No pic of the gas lines blocking access.) Since mine still turns with rocker arm Ollie's way, I thought maybe the long arm should be toward the shaft, but I could never get the bolt threaded and hold it that way. grrr @homersdog, which way does the long end of the hold down point on yours?

But since I'll probably have to unhook the gas lines and filter for other reasons, that'll give me a chance to try to get the distro clamped down right. Next trip up there ...

 

OP here. Yesterday I finally got the rocker-arm-type hold down to actually prevent rotation of the distro. I had to jam a screwdriver against the opposite edge to get the distro edge to actually make contact with the shaft, then tightened the bolt while holding the screwdriver there the whole time and fighting with the gas lines which run through there like in @homersdog 's pic above. I don't know what it is about the geometry of my timing cover and distro, but both the rocker type and the forked type hold downs did not want to reach far enough to prevent rotation.

That said, yesterday I got that set, and also put on a new fuel pump, coil (Pertronix [edit] was last visit), front brake switch, and reverse switch. Then I actually got it started and running again, first time in a few years. Success, for what it's worth.

Next up: lower the idle, rear brake switch, backup light housings, find out why it dieseled, etc.

 

I used a stud in the timing cover with a nut. Same rocker type. Easier to line up and don't have to find/strip the hole.