Transparent distributor caps for fault-finding (1950s)

[4xdog]

These Remax Klearcap transparent distributor caps were advertised in 1950s publications, as in the Earls Court Motor Show edition of The Motor in Britain. There was probably a version suitable for the Lucas DM2 distributor on my Triumph TR3.

There must be some survivors out there, but a couple of years of infrequent searching on eBay has yet to find one.

It seems like it would be nifty to watch the spark at work inside the cap. Anyone remember these, or have any experience with them?

 

[Ray-CA]

Lots of them here: https://www.google.com/search?q=cle...1.69i57j0l5.9340j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 on a Google search.

Ray

 

[Stuart in MN]

They were a thing in the 1970s, but more for novelty than for troubleshooting. They were also selling clear valve covers back then.

 

[4xdog]

Ah... I was too limiting in that UK brand from the 1950s. You're right, Ray -- there's a ton of stuff out there!

 

[Mick56]

I think I remember seeing them in the J C Whitney catalogs in the early '70s. Thought they'd be cool to watch, but never had one.

 

[malibu101]

I recently saw a clear distributor cap on a GM HEI at a car show.
I didn't see it running though.
It caught my eye as I've never seen a clear cap until this one a month ago.

How can this help in troubleshooting? I'd think the distance from the rotor end to the "contacts" on the cap should be so small that any spark should almost be invisible. ??
Would be kinda neat to see the rotor spinning around in there though. Novelty as was said above.

 

[DougMN]

They were a thing in the 1970s, but more for novelty than for troubleshooting. They were also selling clear valve covers back then.

I remember the clear valve covers, around the mid 1970's.

 

[mikeceli]

They were a thing in the 1970s, but more for novelty than for troubleshooting. They were also selling clear valve covers back then.

Me too, they (D Caps)were a novelty, not a tool.

 

[bubinga]

Too Cool.
Reminds me of those clear V-8 motor models they used to sell.

 

[bonneyman]

The only time I saw a clear distributor cap was on some website where the guy was discussing spark timing. He had this display set up with a distributor and clear cap so you could see the spark "move" relative to the contacts when you advanced/retarded the timing. helped to explain what goes on in there.

 

[txvwnut]

Some manufacturer made clear and colored caps for the aircooled veedubs back in the day. They were awful, spark jumped all over the place causing misfires the plastic was so thin you’d get zapped while trying to adjust the timing.

 

[landrover bodger]

we got them here in the early 80s made by a custom parts maker called cal custom . I had one on a 350 chevy . never did run very good with it but looked good at night . strange thing is I have only seen them for us cars never uk ones .

 

[Gummi Bear]

Never on anything like that. That’s fun.

I had a clear distributor cap on a 1974 Beetle that I owned back in college. It was neat watching the spark in there, especially at night.



I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately...

Henry David Thoreau

 

[tym]

I wonder how well that clear plastic aged...

 

[Lassen Forge]

Some manufacturer made clear and colored caps for the aircooled veedubs back in the day. They were awful, spark jumped all over the place causing misfires the plastic was so thin you’d get zapped while trying to adjust the timing.

But they LOOKED cool...

The valve covers should have been awesome except once the dirty oil hit them you couldn't see much, and the ones I had on my mopar leaked like a sieve. Couldn't get them to seal, so I went back to the originals. Think they ended up holding parts or something on a workbench until they got in the way once too often...