So, Jerry, your post made me start to wonder if the 2403 is not original to the engine. An earlier posting of the casting number on the block led me to believe that I have a 1953 235. It has the short side cover and hydralic lifters. It also has aluminum pistons and four coats of paint, all different colors. So the motor has had an eventful life and I suspect has been the victim of a number of weekend mechanics. So there is a good chance the 2403 distributer is not original. I wonder if the cam is original? The bottom end is strong and the compression is good, but I suspect the engine has had a long hard life and carries a number of mismatched parts.
Anyway, while double-checking the block casting number I was looking at the defective distributor again. I noticed that the drive gear has a bit of radial play - about 2 mm, you guys know millimeters - the drive gear is not tight on the shaft. I would expect that could play havoc with the timing. So I will be knocking out the pin to see what is happening. Jerry, I believe I would like a reserve distributer. I'll send a pm.
Karl
