Points with a CDI box works well. Back when I was in college, I had a '69 Cougar with a CDI box (from Radio Shack, believe it or not). Fortunately, it had a CDI bypass switch on it. One day I was driving along and the car died. For some reason, intuition perhaps, I bypassed the CDI unit by flipping the switch. Voila! The traditional ignition system worked OK fine!

 

My order (last winter) from summit:
MSD 35379 Super conductor Wire set BigBlock
MSD 6420 6AL
MSD 8202 Blaster 2 Coil (red)
MSD 8572 Pro Billet distributor with mech tach output
MSD 87461 rpm module kit
MSD 8841 8mm Wire separators
634$ with handling

 

Wow, this is a very entertaining post! Excellent points made on both sides of the issue.. A couple a little off base and burdened with old technology thinking, but, most of them very accurate …IMHO I was enjoying the back and forth jousting, admiring lars knowledge and logical thought process on the topic.(Me coming from the same Aerospace Engineering background might explain the appeal) I was with him until his last post anyway. The fundamental fact is that solid state switching of current is more reliable, precise and efficient than the mechanical counterpart. (for these levels of current) If that weren’t the case, we wouldn’t be having this dialogue, on a computer anyway. Lars, not sure why you thru away the electronic ignition, but it wasn’t because it incorporated solid state electronic switching. The devil is in the detailed application. Not the technology. I would love to meet up with you someday and have a fun discussion of EFI vs carburetion over a few beers.

Bullshark

 

As an alternative to those who don't want to lose their tach drive distributors, try dave's small body HEI conversions. He will put in an actual HEI module and pickup and rebuild your points distributor for under $200. That will give you hotter spark and increased reliablilty without losing your tach drive. Joe
http://www.davessmallbodyheis.com/

 

Boy, you guys got me mess-up now. When you read the ads it sounds like you get much better performance with an HEI. From what I see here the HEI just may be just more dependable. Maybe I just saved $500.00.

 

Please reference my ad in C3 parts FS HEI Tach Drive Distributors ... Brand New $185.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...52&forum_id=57

Best of both worlds ... Great GM clone HEI... WITH TACH DRIVE!

 

VESA,
Thanks for the parts list. I was out at Summut trying to figure out the exact parts I would need. Your $ amount is what I estimated it would cost. Luckily I have a motor place across from where I work that is usually 25% lower than Summit and I pay no shipping. I will have to check pricing with them. Gata love the hole in the wall shops that do it for fun vs $$.

I am interested in the CDI box that is being talked about where you keep your points... I could not find parts discribed liked this. It seemed to be either, full electronic or points replace electric module.

Can someone toss me out the correct discription or part number and from where for a 69 small block 350hp turned to a 383 stroker?

Old and New all have their advantages....

 

Mallory HyFire IV for one. From Mallory:

Product ID: MAL-697 Product Group: No Category
Hyfire IVa Ignition System
Description: The Hyfire® IVa Electronic Ignition Control is a universal capacitive discharge (CD) system developed to increase the performance of electronic or breaker point ignition systems. This unit can be triggered by single or dual breaker points, a Mallory electronic trigger distributor (all models), original electronic ignition amplifiers, magnetic pickup distributors, or a crank trigger.
An excellent choice to use with the Mallory Hyfire® Ignition accessories: High Speed Retard, RPM Window Switch, Staging Controls, Remote Timing Control, and more.
Features and Benefits include:

High Output - High RPM
Longer and more sustained burn time than competitive multiple-spark systems
Improved starting
Bypass feature
For street or competition
Smog Legal
NOTE: Use a good coil, it is best to upgrade to one of the Mallory Promaster® series ignition coils for best performance and reliability.
WARNINGS: Will NOT work with distributorless ignition systems (DIS). NOT for Marine use.

 

My future order list to Jegs:
1 pair Accel points
#110-8329
1 Accel dual window cap
#110-8134

Distributor:1962 Corvette factory dual point dsitributor with NO vacuum advance. Gotta love old school "techology"

Lars speaks...the wise listen

Dep

 

It's more reliable in theory - yes. In practice (particularly with the pertronixs POS) the truth is a big fat NO.

Signed, just another unhappy stranded-by-the-roadside former victim , (sorry, former customer).

 

Dep, Boy, Do I have a deal for you lovers of "old school technology" I picked this up a few years ago with the intent to upgrade it to electronic ignition. but, Turns out technology passed me by before I could get off my duff. I recently was able to find a very good deal on a electronic Tach out of a 76. I sent it down to Corvette Instruments and got re-screened for the 69 for only $50 bucks. I now have a neat little setup with a magnetic crank pickup, MSD multi-spark discharge ignition, and a 21st century multiport EFI. For now, I am using a distributor to distribute the spark but probably not for long.

Old school technology is great for those of us that want to keep a car pure, and believe me, I need and want both. Dual point distrbutors and carbs don't hold a candle to what I have now on the 69. Cheaper maybe, but thats it. I have been around these cars longer than most....for long enough to know that when Lars speaks, I listen ..........I am still waiting for him to come out and state "points are better than electronic ignition". some of the early jury rig adaptations maybe but thats history.
If anyone wants to make me anywhere near a fair offer for the Dual point Mallory Tach drive distributor.... its yours




Bullshark

 

Bob: It's a nice setup, but I prefer the Corvette dual point. It uses two EXTERNALLY adjustable points instead of internal adjustable points. Might sound pickyune, but when you have to reach across the engine to set point dwell with a feeler gauge, you learn to enjoy external adjustable points. That Mallory would be cool on a big block Mopar or Ford where the distributor is up front and easy to access.
The distributor I'd like to get would be a new-in-the-box Accel dual point with mechanical advance only and the roller bearing shaft. VERY heavy duty!!! I see them on E-Bay, but they jump in price pretty quickly.

I tend to be affected by "Murphy's Law" for stuff like Pertronix electronic ignitons..."If anything can go wrong, it will". Points use the KISS principle (Keep It Simple Stupid), and if there is a problem, you can change them on the side of the road. Hey...don't Pertronix users carry the points in the glove box for "just in case"?? That says a lot about the confidence level of Pertronix users in that ignition

Dep

 

Yep, I know Murphy very well. I think we grew up together

Bullshark

 

It wasn't electronic ignition it was a Pertronix set-up. It was mine and the car definitely ran better without it, BUT, we never did a side-by side comparison of the two. Meaning, we listened to the car as it ran with the Pertronix at first, then we took out the distributor and carburetor, Lars did his magic and replaced the Pertronix. After all was reassembled, it ran like a champ (minus the whole rocker arm stud incident). But to truly know how it would run we would have had to switch back to the Pertronix after the reconditioned dist. and carb. It makes for a better statement, I think.

 

Bull -
I would enjoy the beers, but the EFI vs carb conversation wouldn't last too long - I think we both realize that EFI takes it hands down. I work carbs because that's what I know. I'm too old to be trained on EFI...

Again, don't confuse HEI with electronic trigger conversions. HEI does perform much better than points - it's a very good upgrade, providing higher secondary voltage, better reliability, and overall better performance. HEI is not the same as an electronic conversion of points.

 

I don't know, the Unilite conversion I did years ago worked out real well. The car started on the first turn before the conversion and did the same after. It never left me sittin. I used the original coil and everything else except the points. Never gave me a minutes trouble. This was drivin a Big Block to and from work every day.

BigBlockk

Later.....