I wasn't getting any results in the 61-66 forum, and the one reply suggested posting here.

A while back I bought a reman distributor for my '62 y-block (292) from my the local Autozone. I compared it to the original when purchased and since it seemed to be the appropriate length and all that, I turned my old one in for the core deposit. Now that I've gotten around to installing it, I can't get the cap to fit on with the rotor in it. The shaft seems too tall or something. distributor - a set on Flickr

Can anyone get a measurement on a comparable unit? Hopefully, someone has an old one sitting around on the bench, so you won't have to go to too much trouble. Mine looks like it measures 15/16" above the cam. Any thoughts?

 

I can check one when I get home.

Sometimes the protrusion on the inside of the rotor that engages that notch is slightly oversized and you use a little more effort to push it on all the way.

I also think that a small block distributor will be the same in that area, so if you have one of those laying around, see how it compares. The cap and rotor are the same.

 

I measure 0.7465" without the rotor. Your mileage may vary.
Edit - oops. That was a Low Doh! Matic (pre-'57). A '57 & later distributor measures 0.9685" from top of cam to top of keyed collar whereupon the rotor doth seat. From top of cam to top (flat surface) of rotor is ~1.3".

 

Thanks everyone, but Charliemccraney nailed it. I ended up sending it back for a different one, but before that, I really forced it down hard onto the shaft and that did it. It fits better on the replacement. In all my 62 years, I've never seen one go on that hard before. Maybe I was just used to getting ill fitting parts and that skued my thinking in that direction