OT - Need a distributor
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 31,497
Likes: 1,313
From: Huntsville AL
OT - Need a distributor
OK, a bit off topic. My 56 Bel Air is in the shop being painted.
The engine is a 73 350, short block was originally a 175hp, 4 bbl, automatic, in a Chevelle. The engine has 68 vintage double hump 461 heads, and a 78 vintage cast iron rochester intake used on trucks.
This intake is a big choice for guys running circle track where a stock intake is required. Engine has 2 1/2 inch ram horn exhaust manifolds, and a 1974 vintage Qjet that has just been built and tuned.
The cam is mild, but seems to be a bit more than stock. The distributor is a Corvette single point tach drive unit.
The engine came out of a 66 Corvette a while back. I am guessing that I am around 220hp gross, maybe 200 net.
Obviously, I am not going to use the tach drive distributor.
This car is going to be a crusier / daily driver, so I don't need a high end distributor. Reliability to maybe 5000 rpm is what I am after.
OK, what distributor am I looking for? I cannot fit a full size HEI in the engine compartment, and I am not sure I want to go with an HEI anyway.
The operative words here are inexpensive and reliable.
Thoughts?
The engine is a 73 350, short block was originally a 175hp, 4 bbl, automatic, in a Chevelle. The engine has 68 vintage double hump 461 heads, and a 78 vintage cast iron rochester intake used on trucks.
This intake is a big choice for guys running circle track where a stock intake is required. Engine has 2 1/2 inch ram horn exhaust manifolds, and a 1974 vintage Qjet that has just been built and tuned.
The cam is mild, but seems to be a bit more than stock. The distributor is a Corvette single point tach drive unit.
The engine came out of a 66 Corvette a while back. I am guessing that I am around 220hp gross, maybe 200 net.
Obviously, I am not going to use the tach drive distributor.
This car is going to be a crusier / daily driver, so I don't need a high end distributor. Reliability to maybe 5000 rpm is what I am after.
OK, what distributor am I looking for? I cannot fit a full size HEI in the engine compartment, and I am not sure I want to go with an HEI anyway.
The operative words here are inexpensive and reliable.
Thoughts?
Last edited by emccomas; Dec 9, 2016 at 08:14 AM.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 31,497
Likes: 1,313
From: Huntsville AL
Right now I am leaning toward something like a factory point style distributor that came on early 1970s small block mid performance muscle cars.
I am looking at something like
1111997 1970 350 300hp automatic
1112002 1970 350 250hp automatic
1112005 1971 350 245hp automatic
There are plenty of these available, and cheap.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 8,117
Likes: 104
From: charlotte north carolina
There are differences in the shape of the advance cam that change the slope of the advance curve-not just the total advance. The exact curve you need will probably depend upon the other aspects of your engine-cam, pistons and heads. Email Lars, he's the expert on distributors and carbs. He can make suggestions.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 31,497
Likes: 1,313
From: Huntsville AL
There are differences in the shape of the advance cam that change the slope of the advance curve-not just the total advance. The exact curve you need will probably depend upon the other aspects of your engine-cam, pistons and heads. Email Lars, he's the expert on distributors and carbs. He can make suggestions.
I figures starting with these distributors, and then tuning a bit will get me there.
I have 2 or 3 old distributors laying around, including a Accel dual point. I just need to check and see what I have.
The tach drive unit that was in the engine worked fine, so if I can match that in specifications without the tach drive, I should be OK.
