Points Distributor Cap

[ZLP955]

Trying to determine if the distributor cap with my 1111480 is the correct type; it has 'Delco-Remy Patent Pending R' on the top, and is black with silver (aluminum?) contacts. I believe this makes it a 308R cap, since I'm reliably informed the 309 caps are brown with copper contacts.

My understanding is that cap markings changed as follows:
Late '50's until 1969 model year: marked 'Delco-Remy Patent Pending' (no 'R')
1969 model year until ?: marked 'Delco-Remy Patent Pending R'
? onwards: marked 'Delco-Remy Patent 2769047 R'

So my questions are, when did the patent number started showing up on the distributor caps, and is it correct that a 308 cap is black and a 309 cap brown?
Thanks for any help.

[ZLP955]

Anyone? Maybe there is some guidance to this in the Corvette world.....

[68camaroz28]

Anyone? Maybe there is some guidance to this in the Corvette world.....

The cap I used on our 68Z restoration was a "patent pending" no R as that is what I found to be correct and yes Tim the NCRS gang are normally up to date on what is correct. I will do some checking with a NCRS judge friend and check my 67 & 68 NCRS judging manuals.

[ZLP955]

Thanks Chick!

[68camaroz28]

Tim, my 68/69 NCRS judging manual edition #4 states the following on caps:


And the 67 NCRS judging manual 4th edition states:

[ZLP955]

Chick, thank you once again - excellent sleuthing, and much appreciated. I'll clean up and reuse my existing cap then.
Had no idea that the 'R' cap is apparently correct for 68 (apart from very early cars as noted above) as well as 69 model years....

[jeff68]

Tim - I know you didn't ask about the rotor, and I have no idea if you already know this, but...
it's a good idea to use a rotor without the "E" stamp on the electrode, as the electrode is slightly longer.

[ZLP955]

Wasn't aware of that, so thanks for the tip Jeff!

[jeff68]

You're welcome.
If shopping for a NOS D-409 rotor, here is what I have found:  If the box has "ROTOR X" printed on it, then it is the older long electrode type.  If the box has "ROTOR 2X" on it, it is the later E-stamped type.