Unusual 383 distributor

[hazetguy]

i have an unusual 383 distributor. number on tag is VE 4 BRS 383.
the points contact plate has some kind of built in resistor or condenser? there is no wire going to it. the holder for it is secured to the points plate and riveted shut. there is also a dedicated "dimple" in the points plate, so it's not something that somebody just stuck on there randomly. i think the 6J may be the date code?
the housing is not date stamped, but has the numbers 8, 9, 10, 11 stamped in it.
everything else internally seems to be the same as my other 383 distributors. i have not checked the advance properties of this distributor.

anyone seen anything like this?

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thebucket: I invested in hoodride, now DBD won't return my call?
hazetguy: invested?
thebucket: Yeah Haze, its where people put money into a company in hopes of a return on their money

[Glenn]

Weird.
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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"

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[tasb]

I have not seen one of these Jon but I have read about them.

According to my copy of Progressive Refinements page E8:
" 26 September 1953 until 17 October 1953 engine # 647 490 to 654 500"

"Now XF condenser inside distributor housing formerly counted outside."

I have seen that notation before and always wondered about it. Nice find
_________________
Roads Scholar &
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018

1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc

1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse

[tasb]

The 6J date stamp does make some sense. J is indeed 1953 but 6 is June a few months before PR listing. That's a pretty narrow production window something like 23 days...
_________________
Roads Scholar &
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018

1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc

1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse

[tasb]

After closer inspection I see that the date stamp is on the condenser. That makes the whole thing very believable.
_________________
Roads Scholar &
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018

1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc

1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse

[hazetguy]

interesting info. so does that mean there should be a wire attached to the end of the condenser, and if so, where would it connect to? it almost looks like there could have been a tab on the end at one point that got broken off, but it's hard to tell.
_________________
thebucket: I invested in hoodride, now DBD won't return my call?
hazetguy: invested?
thebucket: Yeah Haze, its where people put money into a company in hopes of a return on their money

[Glenn]

If it's an internal condenser the wire needs to connect to the points "pass through" bolt.

Is there a hole in the body for mounting an external condenser?
_________________
Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"

Member #1009

#BlueSquare

[hazetguy]

[tasb]

Bosch probably was not ready to change the shape of their distributor housing before finding out if their "experiment" worked or not. Thus the pocket for an external condenser remains.

The only real design change that I see is to the points plate everything else is common to all 383's.

Interesting that they went back to an internal condenser during the cast iron 40 hp run from 1961-1964.
_________________
Roads Scholar &
1957 Kombi low mileage 36 hp governor equipped M 178 Slow Drag Winner 2014, 2015, 2018

1965 hardtop Deluxe Microbus owned since 1990 M 620 factory 12 v 1500cc

1961 (October)Single Cab- Road Trip Workhorse

[uberwagen]

There is one in the october 53 canadian standard sunroof I recovered last year. I was just looking at it today searching for a date stamp.

[uberwagen]

correction, the one on my 53 is a VE4 CR 407, bu also has the internal condensor.

[Glenn]

Here's another with a 10J date code.

_________________
Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"

Member #1009

#BlueSquare