After umpteen years of ownership I decided to fit the sheet metal FT163/3 distributor cowl to my open D, but I am a bit puzzled how it exactly fits. I can make it fit my way but curious how it was meant to fit
When I bought the D there were no front engine plates, but I picked up a pair on ebay recently, they had cut off tubes welded on them , possibly from crash bars and may have been modified in other ways. I don’t remember where the cowl come from and whether it was original. The front engine plates have 7/16" holes drilled at the front top, I note none are shown on MO109 and the drillings in the sheet metal cowl are 5/16" !
The long ¼" stud FT155 is shown without a spacer but I suppose pulling up against 1/4" thick plates won’t bend them. Additionally, the spacing of the engine plates is 6.000" internally and 6.500" externally. The spacing of lugs on the cowl are 6.180" internally and 6.290" externally. So both lugs don’t sit between the plates or outside the plates. Is one meant to be in and the other out !?
Help appreciated
Bernard Jones
When I bought the D there were no front engine plates, but I picked up a pair on ebay recently, they had cut off tubes welded on them , possibly from crash bars and may have been modified in other ways. I don’t remember where the cowl come from and whether it was original. The front engine plates have 7/16" holes drilled at the front top, I note none are shown on MO109 and the drillings in the sheet metal cowl are 5/16" !
The long ¼" stud FT155 is shown without a spacer but I suppose pulling up against 1/4" thick plates won’t bend them. Additionally, the spacing of the engine plates is 6.000" internally and 6.500" externally. The spacing of lugs on the cowl are 6.180" internally and 6.290" externally. So both lugs don’t sit between the plates or outside the plates. Is one meant to be in and the other out !?
Help appreciated
Bernard Jones
