I was told by Greg Childs that you were the person to talk to. I'm looking for a distributor for a 1965 Datsun 410, with an E-1 engine. It's a Hitachi. I was wondering if you might have one for sale or if you do repairs. If so how much? I'm located in California, and need be I can send you pictures, because it's rotor is the small one and it has a Mitsubishi(?) cap.

Matzaraji21,

I have a couple of distributors but nothing complete to get you running. And I would hate to sell you a distributor that you cannot get parts for.

If you need a rotor I have an extra. These came from Thailand and ever so often are listed on eBay. KC or holelee have them listed. I've never had a single issue with any order from Thailand, regardless of the government crisis.

I do not have a new cap. Been getting the run around with Standard in Brooklyn or the Bronx, New York. They say the distributor is available and to have your parts store order it. But all of the local store I check have nothing, nothing in another store, and nothing in the warehouse on high. So they will not back order one as there is not single cap available in the whole USofA. And this is the main reason the Hitachi D406 vs the D411-53 thread has stalled as I cannot a cap. I actually order the part, received an order confirmation notice, started the thread with this information, then a few days later I get the "unavailable." I was not and still not happy about this.

A more permanent solution is a distributor from a MGA or 3 main bearing MGB and at $99 is cheaper than what I would want for an incomplete one. Give me a couple of days and I'll let you know if this is a legitimate solution. I need to check on some trunnion seals/gaskets for my Running on a Budget thread as this is the one part I need for a complete front end rebuild.

Everything from the MGA engine 1500 is the same as the E1, it just has a longer stroke. Valves, bearings, rings, cam bearings, engine gaskets, etc is all same, same chicken

v/r
Andy

I have the cap, the rotor the ignition points and the little attachment that goes along with it. I just nerd the bottom, mine doesn't charge. Do you have the base where all the items connect?

Matzaraji21,

If all the parts are presents and the points, condenser, rotor, cap, and wires are proper working order it should work.

You may not have the wires hooked up properly from the points, condenser, and the ground lead to the side terminal that goes to the coil - meaning ones is these the wires is grounding out on the distributor body or the top plate assembly. You may also have a bad insulator on the terminal to the coil and its grounding out on the body of the distributor



If you can post a picture of what you have.

Andy

how do you add a picture here?

Matzaraji21,

You will need to upload your photos to Photo Bucket or Flickr. Once uploaded you will need to right click on the photos properties and then tab back to NiCo.

Once back on NiCo click on the Img and then right click paste or CNTRL V and paste the picture property url in between the [img] (right click here and paste photo) [img]

You might have to shorten the property a little. But what you want is the http at the beginning to the end .jpg or what type of pictures you save it as. I say this as my windows xp is old and simple, no need to shorten link/photo property. While with my new windows 8.1 gives me a 4 line address for the picture that I have to shorten from flickr.

v/r
Andy

Can't I just email you some pictures for now?

No problem. I have an email for just such things -

[email protected]

Andy

So my distributor didn't respond even though I followed all your instructions. I was wondering if you charge to repair or if you know of anyone that sells a distributor

Matzaraji21,

I picked up an Electronic Ignition/Distributor for a MGA from Victoria British. Let me put in it my one truck tomorrow and see if it works. If it does, you will be able to buy a new D45 Distributor for a MGA, B, Midget, AH 100 or Sprite. Cost is around $100 for the Lucas type D45 with points.

You can also get this same distributor from Moss Motors out in California.

I'll PM you my address if you would like me to look at it.

Andy

If you are in the LA area, see my post about the 320 in Monrovia I think it may be a 410 engine that was swapped for the original E1. My mechanic took a photo of the engine, I'll see if I can get a copy Monday night.