The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Black tag=6v Red=12v right?

Rookie question I know but u don't know for sure until u know for sure!!!! Black gen/starter tag = 6v and red = 12v right?

Yes

Hy Panhead59, the answer is yes, that is correct.

THANKS

That is correct and dont forget the Black distributor tag. All dist. tags were black and identical to the 6v str. and gen. tags regardless of 6 or 12 volt.

Do you think you could post a picture of those distributor tags Kenneth? I've got several here from 216's and 235's with no tags and I've never seen one with a tag.

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

If Chevs of the 40s is correct, the same tag was used on generator, starter, and distributor.

I also do not recall seeing a tag on a 1954 truck/car distributor, but here is a 1954 Corvette distributor with a tag on it. A few other photos (but not of a 1954 distributor) are in this thread.

Other ads for the tags:
http://www.classicchevy.com/chevy-delco-remy-generator-starter-distributor-tags-1955-1962.html
http://www.steinertractor.com/ABC51...-tag-for-6-volt-delco-remy-with-2-rivets

Ah yes, that explains it. I haven’t owned or worked on a SBC engine since 1985. The one in that article that says “date code reads as 4-M-17 (1954, DECEMBER, 17TH DAY)
” is clearly for a V8 (1955 model year was released ‘54). I’ve still not seen any of the Stovebolts, even the later ones, that had tags on the distributors, if anyone has one I’d like to see a picture of it so I can add it to the reference file as confirmed.
Chev’s of the 40’s is generalizing in their catalog listing and may give the impression that all the distributors also had tags. Although the do make note; Exceptions may apply.

I think that listing in the Steiner catalog is doing the same thing although I‘m not into Farmall tractors so I don’t know if their distributors had tags. And if anyone thinks they are getting ripped off by the old truck vendors just look at the price the poor tractor guys are getting stiffed with from Steiner. The list a single tag for $13.50! Eckler gives you a set of all three in a package for lest than that.

DG

Denny,

What about the picture of the distributor for the 1942 stovebolt in the thread linked-to above?

Also pointed-out in that thread is the fact that from 1947 onwards there might not have been a tag because the distributor codes (serial number and model ID) on the plate inside the distributor might have sufficed as an ID? Yet, images in some 47 and later Shop Manuals also showed distributors with side-tags on them. My guess is that it is possible that the distributor-images used in 47 and later Shop Manuals might be older images (GM sometimes used older, incorrect images in Shop Manuals).

Once again, I have never seen an external distributor tag on a 1954 (or later) stovebolt engine distributor.

I can try and post a picture but the tag is the same tag as used on any of the 6 volt starters and generators from the early 1940s up. The starter tags started fading out after 1955 except on Chevy trucks. Majority of the starters started getting the numbers stamped into the case. Generators all used tags up until 1962. Any 6 volt Delco Dist. that had a tag took the black tag which was the same as the 6 volt starter and gen. tag. Except for in the 1930s, they used what was called a split tag in that the serial and model number were separated instead of one solid area for the numbers. Just for kicks I went to my "original factory Delco" books and looked up two different dist. 1949 Chevy truck dist. Delco #1112353, Page 2 group 107 #s 1112351 to 1112391. Complete parts breakdown, picture clearly shows a Delco tag on the side of the dist. 1956 Chevy truck, Dist. #1112403, 6 cyl. Dist. group 107-A models 1112392 to 419. Breakdown shows Delco ID tag clearly on the side of the dist. I dont know when they stopped using tags on dist. as thats not the business I am in, but I do know that any Delco supplied starter, dist. or gen. from the 30s up through the 50s used a Delco ID tag for Identification. Delco did not send them out without an ID number on it. If it doesnt have a tag on it then it was probably knocked off by a rebuilder or its an aftermarket dist. They used them on vettes and all other GM products, agriculture etc. and didnt just supply them without an ID tag for Chevy trucks. Hope this helps someone and thats about all Im saying about that...LOL

I made fake 6v tags for my 12v starter and generator on my '54. A local trophy shop engraved the tags based on info from Paragon Corvette and from the Chevrolet Master Parts Catalog. I used model #1107108 for the starter and #1100018 for the generator. The date codes were near the block casting date. I used my wife's birthday for one of the dates ... good for a few points.

Rivet heads and J-B Weld for the starter. Rivets and J-B Weld for the generator.

Cost for engraving two tags was $11.40 setup + $0.20 per letter. Total $16.40 w/tax.

- Lonnie

Oh those little details!!!!
I hadn’t seen those links you posted Tim, just got a chance to get to the confuser this morning. Looks to me like the pre-war units had a tag, and they discontinued it shortly after the war, probably using up the war surplus. The picked it up again in model year ’55, i.e., late ’54 calendar year, when they introduced the V8 but I still don’t think they used them on the later Stovebolt like up to ’62. Anything beyond that I know nothing about and don’t really care to know it either. Cus in my mind the later six’s just weren’t Stovebolts.
As far as some of the pictures in the manuals go, I’m sure your correct in that they used older pictures when they formatted the manuals. After all, they were trying to explain a procedure not document factory authenticity. This shows up in some of the film strips that are reprinted as booklets, where the booklet text is for a ‘50 or later yet the pictures are of a ‘48 or ‘49.
As we’ve often found in those little details, there are many discrepancies because materials like paint, fasteners, etc., were substituted and old stock used up to keep the production lines moving.
I wish all of this were Black and White but there is always gonna be a bit of Gray sneak in once in a while.
So on my 50’s Stovebolt distributors, I’ll refrain from drilling holes just to add the tags because a vendor or technical writer decided I needed one. .
Although we’ve been talking about the Distributor tags mainly, I find your information on the Starter/Generators interesting Ken. Probably could generate an entire thread just to discuss them. You the man for sure when it comes to them..
And right you are Tim, spring is here and it’s time to send Keith and Peg a little help. Hope there are a few more out there that are thankful for these sites. I see the support is a little late in coming this year; everybody must be waiting for the Income Tax check to come back.
Hey LonnieC, for $16.40 you could have bought a whole set of Number/Letter stamps from Harbor Freight, then you’d be all set for the next one! And McMaster has the correct drive screws box of 100 is only about $3.00 then you would have enough for the next one, didn’t I say that already????
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Here are two I have owned with the tag.
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2758907870102454676HqzZRF
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2008308540102454676XQQtUz

Brad, nice photos.
If you can give us the model numbers and the serial numbers at the end of the tags, then I can tell you what year that dist. was produced. Delco never sent any dist. or other part out without an ID number on it. 6 cyl, 8 cyl. didnt matter. The last few numbers would have a letter in it and this was a date code for the dist. gen. etc. This was the build date for that particular dist. This date was always prior to the build date of the final application. The only time this date code method was broken was on John Deere tractors, more specifically the models A and G in the mid 1940s up.

Yep, thanks for the pics Brad. Please do post the pictures. The one I can almost make out as 111235x not sure if its an 8 or 0. The '50 235 was 1112358. Apparently Ken has Delco numbers not onlly for the Generators and Starters but for the distributors also? Do you have any idea where those came from????
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

One distributor came out of a 53 the other is out of a 51 as they have both been sold off I cannot recheck the numbers. I have a couple others I could not find the pictures right off i will look for those.

I still wonder why Chevrolet Shop Manuals from 1947 onwards (in Advance-Design trucks) showed the following information on the UNIT SERIAL NUMBER LOCATIONS pages:

"Generator serial and model number are located on a metal plate staked on the generator body just forward of armature terminal."
[metal plate is shown]

"Starter motor serial number and model number are located on starting motor body just below the starter switch."
[metal plate is shown]

"Ignition distributor serial and model number are located on the distributor breaker plate which is under the distributor cap."
[codes are shown on the breaker plate inside the distributor]

Denny -

I remember seeing your post about the HF number/letter set. Seems like I have to do everything on this truck three times to get it right. (guess I'm a dufuss!) So it was cheaper for me to let someone else do it correctly the first time. I am a HF tool junkie, so I haven't ruled out the set.

Thanks,

- Lonnie

That's how we learn Lonnie, I usually end up with two of everything I build, one that I show people and one out behind the barn in the scrap heap.

I was just pullin' your jeeber bout the stamps, but really, HF does have the sets for next to nothing and if you are a young feller and plan on working in the shop till a ripe old age, then they are a good tool to add to the tool inventory.
DG

I am a ripe old age!

All kidding aside, I really appreciate your photos and info. They have been a godsend in helping me do the detail work on my '54

- Lonnie

Tks, I hope to be adding a bunch to my '54 album as I get going on it. I learned a lot from the '50 and on this one I've been gathering up what I need to restore it the way I want to.
Got some sad news about the engine last fall and that's put a hold on things for a while.
Heck, your just a youngster, if you were a ripe old age you'd be fully-retired instead of semi-retired. I figure if I'm gonna hit my goal, I've got another 31 years to work on these old trucks, that should be enough time to justify my buying any new tools for the shop now.
This thing on the tags has really got me goin', amazing how one can get buryied in small details.
DG

Yes, I have all kinds of numbers. I have the complete set of Delco Remy Electrical catalogs from the 1930s up through the 1990s. Also included are many of the special supplement catalogs. I rarely use them for information beyond the early 60s and they list numbers and detailed parts breakdowns for generators, distributors, starters, horns, relays, regulators etc. etc...about anything that was Delco electrical. They cover any and everything that Delco produced. Lots of detailed pictures and drawings. So if anyone ever needs a Delco number for a specific year etc. let me know.

Boy Ken, would that be a dandy for Keith to post in TOCMP. That's the kind of stuff that 99.9% of us will never see and that would answer 99.9% of the questions that pop up here every other day.
Why don't you think about putting TOCMP in your will!

Thanks for the offer but if to many find out about that archive you might have a full time jub just answering questions.
Denny Graham
Sandwich,IL

Ken, two questions:
(1) Did Delco Remy add a tag to all of its distributors? I have a 1950 3800 (216 engine) with a distributor that has no tag and no holes where one might have been. The breaker plate has the number 1112353 - 9H26.
(2) Is that number correct for a 3800 that rolled off the assembly line in March of 1950 and are the generator (1102710-0C11) and starter (1107055-0C1) numbers also correct for my truck? Thanks.

Im not sure what year they did or did not use the Delco tags on the Distributors. I know looking around on the internet I did not find an original 1112353 with a Delco tag on it. Yes, that is the correct number for your truck. You also have the correct numbers for your starter and generator. Those always had a tag on them, even back before it was Delco Remy, they still had a Remy tag on them but this is getting back into the 1920s.