What Is This Ugly Thing?

[Natman]

I found this yesterday in an old neighborhood near a fence..I have no clue as to what it is.

At first I thought it was a nice heavy bell..the plastic bottom is broken out, revealing some kind of electrical connectors..the shaft is threaded and appears to have a gear at the end.

Any help appreciated.

Nat

 

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[Natman]

Thanks PBK..this thing looks pretty old, have these generators been around a long time?

Nat

 

[bja3908]

Had one on my bike when I was 10 or 12. 53 now so been around atless 40 years. I do not feel that old.

 

[PBK]

Hey, Nat—
Well, maybe that's not what it is after all.

In fact, thanks to Tony's post below, I'm sure it's not!

 

[TheSleeper]

Unless i miss my guess that is a engine governor. Look inside the broken top and there should be some flyweights inside attached to the main pole piece.

Some of the older rental trucks used similar ones, but i believe yours is an military one.

 

[Natman]

Yep, there's definitely weights in there..that explains why it's so heavy.

Nat

 

[Angelo]

Looks like an automotive ignition Distributor.

Tony

 

[PBK]

Good call, Tony! I believe you've got it...

I hereby withdraw my prior posts and pedal off into the sunset!

​

 

[history.hunter]

I think it's a distributor for a 1979 monte carlo.

 

[bill gent]

nope prior 79 distributer
there looks like no evidence of a dash pot on the find and there are screws to hold the cap on think in the 7os on they had a spring attacked to it and the ends were hooked with the dash pot

but it is a distributer early cars to the 40s had a magneto/distributer

 

[Natman]

So do I have any offers on an original, obsolete, vintage distributor?

Thanks all,
Nat

 

[mech]

hmmmm.. unless someone can find the odd shaped distributor cap that would fit that .. and there is nowhere for a rotor to mount.. have to agree with TheSleeper..... its a governor.

 

[ModernMiner]

Transmission for a YUGO

 

[DEMON]

looks like magneto give me shot of inside to be sure

 

[cheese]

Dang, here I thought I was going to be the first to ID something here, but demon beat me to it. I also believe it's a magneto. An old magneto was gear driven and had no rotor, but did have electrical contacts inside. This one might have gone on an old Wisconsin single cylinder engine.

 

[TheSleeper]

If you look below the bowl area u will notice flats and below that threads.

Distribs and mags cannot screw in, they must turn to be able to set the timing degree for the firing order then locked down with a clamp.

 

[DCMatt]

they must turn to be able to set the timing degree for the firing order then locked down with a clamp.

This one might have gone on an old Wisconsin single cylinder engine.

Hey Cheese,

What was the firing ordered on that old Wisconsin engine?

DCMatt

 

[gord]

they must turn to be able to set the timing degree for the firing order then locked down with a clamp.

This one might have gone on an old Wisconsin single cylinder engine.

Hey Cheese,

What was the firing ordered on that old Wisconsin engine?

DCMatt

One ....... one ....... one ...... one ...... one ..... one ..... one .... one .... one ... one .. one . oneoneoneoneoneoneoneone

Gord

 

[Monty]

Looks kinda like the business end of a steering box too? Monty

 

[gldhntr]

old windsheild wiper motor......maybe......g