needforspeed150

Anybody have any thoughts on distributors on my63 . The engine is a fairly hi rpm capable 383. My old original is still ok. I was thinking of changing to a mallory or msd... they both make one that has the tach drive and that needs a ignition box. Mallory makes a Magnetic breakerless that does not need a box to run.. Does anyone know if their are really any advantages rpm wise and such going to one of these or will the stocker do just as well? Need some input.
Thanks

jim lockwood

I ran a Mallory dual point, tach drive distributor for a few thousand racing miles in my Grand Sport.... until it internally seized up and self destructed.

Subsequent to that memorable event, I went back to a stock Corvette tach drive distributor and have had no further issues.

Jim

63 Roadster

The distributor in my '63 was original. It got to the point where it didn't rev well past about 3500 RPM even with fresh points. I changed it out with an MSD tach drive distributor, digital 6AL box and MSD coil. The improvement it made was just phenomenal! Starts instantly now and pulls like a freight train! Plus, the cap on the MSD is small enough to fit under the factory shielding if you're using it. I hid the 6AL up inside the drivers side fender well, above the washer bottle (non A/C car). You can't see it unless you look for it.

jim lockwood

When you change out that many things at one time, it's hard to know what was responsible for the rev problem. My guess is that it wasn't the distributor.

In any event, there is nothing inherent about points that would limit engine speed to 3500 RPM. I spin my engine to 6500 with its points-type distributor.

Jim

larrywalk

The factory magnetic pick-up distributor works great!

Mossy66

What I did was use a stock GM distributor and install a Pertronix module in it. First the Pertronix 2, and now the Pertronix 3 because it has a rev limiter.

Funny thing about that rev limiter though, I set it at 6500 RPM, and the first time I jumped on it, it seemed like it was cutting out a bit early. If that rev limiter is accurate, and there is some lag in the tach then I must have been taking her up to about 7.5-8K regularly. Glad I filled that big block with good parts

Gerry

needforspeed150

Hey thanks for the comments guys. Good info to think about. Just have to make my mind up. I cant really complain about the stock unit so thats really why I brought up the question.

JohnZ

The Delco tach-drive distributor will work just fine if it's maintained properly, and you can choose 28-32 oz. points that will rev to 7000+ or any one of the solid-state modules if setting dwell once a year is too much work.

383's are all about street torque, not winding them to the moon like a 302; there's no reason to run a 383 over 6000 rpm if the components have been selected properly.