Distributor Question...
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,570
Likes: 1
From: Algonac Michigan
Distributor Question...
I have a 350/350 eng. in a '69 vert, 030 0ver alum.pistons Edelbrock single plane intake with a 750 cfm Holley carb. I have yet to buy a new camshaft even though the old one was worn it did have a nice lope to it. I'm doing a rebuild of the eng.since I'm currently doing a body off resto.The question I have is, should I leave the current distributor in, It's a dual point Mallory w/o vac. advance, or should I consider a upgrade? I would like to get rid of the points(less maint.) and install a electronic moduel (sp.) However I'm running a little low on funds. How much difference will a vac advance dist. make, if any,or should I just keep the dist. I have and just convert it to elect.?
Thanks in advance,(advance...dist... get it, I crack myself up
)
Sly.
Thanks in advance,(advance...dist... get it, I crack myself up
)Sly.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 3,472
Likes: 18
From: Lake Ozark, MO
From recent experience, I put in a Mallory Comp 9000 with no vac advance in my BB ..the first thing I noticed is how bad the idle was. I couldn't live with the rough idle, so I put the factory HEI back in and it really smoothed out. People responding to my posts confirmed that vacuum advance gives much better idle for street cars. You can get a decent HEI ProComp dist off of ebay for about 79.00 shipped. I assume you have a mechanical tach..so that may not be an option. I think the electronic ignition modules are about 65- 75.00 thru Summit.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,570
Likes: 1
From: Algonac Michigan
Well, after looking at a few different vendors, it looks like I'll be keeping the Original dist. w/mech. advance only. Not too many distributors w/mech tach drive out there. I guess I'll just have to live with just mech. adv. as long as I can retrofit my Mallory dual point w/mech tach drive to elect. Can anyone point me in the direction to a good quality conversion kit??? 
Later
Sly
Later
Sly
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,570
Likes: 1
From: Algonac Michigan
O.K how 'bout this... Has anyone on this forum ever attempted to install a vac. advance on a non-vac. advance dist. I kinda got the feeling that not to many have, although I seem to think it may be poss.
Lars, you out there???
Later
Sly
Lars, you out there???
Later
Sly
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,711
Likes: 43
From: San Antonio TX
With a 350/350, you should easily be able to run without vacuum advance. You didn't say what pistons you put in it so I'm assuming close to stock compression.
Once you get over 10:1, the less important vacuum advance becomes. With careful tuning, you can get down to as low as 9:1 and still have good performance without vacuum advance.
What you'll want to do is to quicken the centrifugal curve and set your base in the 15-20 degree range. You will have to do some fiddlin' to get a satisfactory balance between street performance while avoiding detonation.
As to the Mallory distributor...not possible on the old dual point to install a vacuum advance. There's nowhere to retrofit it. It is, however, possible to convert it to breakerless. Mallory has a module for those. Go to their site and plow through their catalog.
Once you get over 10:1, the less important vacuum advance becomes. With careful tuning, you can get down to as low as 9:1 and still have good performance without vacuum advance.
What you'll want to do is to quicken the centrifugal curve and set your base in the 15-20 degree range. You will have to do some fiddlin' to get a satisfactory balance between street performance while avoiding detonation.
As to the Mallory distributor...not possible on the old dual point to install a vacuum advance. There's nowhere to retrofit it. It is, however, possible to convert it to breakerless. Mallory has a module for those. Go to their site and plow through their catalog.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
I have a factory gear drive tach dist . The up grade to electronics can be bought from Advance Auto for about 75.00 . I will ship the dist to you for 125.00 . The dist is ready to run and will look stock. Let me know if you want it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,098
Likes: 378
From: Las Vegas - Just stop perpetuating myths please.
I could use a spare - how 'bout $25.
Originally Posted by Perfomer
I have a factory gear drive tach dist . The up grade to electronics can be bought from Advance Auto for about 75.00 . I will ship the dist to you for 125.00 . The dist is ready to run and will look stock. Let me know if you want it.
Sorry no flames but i'm running a great MSD now and only want a spare to toy with.
BTW sly, if u can live without a mech tach those Accel BluePrint HEI rebuilds or maybe Jeg's (or S....) has a generic HEI for less than $150 with a vac can.
1 wire hook-up and comes with a performance module - better than stock HEI. Good enough /dist ign for any street fighter. 
Well just my opinion for a great dist on a budget.IMHO i would recommend a vac adv on any street machine and most drag cars that need to cruise though the pits to staging - prevent backfire and smoothes idle.
cardo0
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Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,570
Likes: 1
From: Algonac Michigan
Something I did'nt consider, is to buy a breakerless dist.w/vac adv and retrofit a elect tach. to my o.e. tach. Is this poss on a '69 w mech. tach??? If so, how much money am I looking at??? Labor is of no consequence..
Later,
Sly
Later,
Sly
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,098
Likes: 378
From: Las Vegas - Just stop perpetuating myths please.
Not on a budget.
Sorry but those cool looking aftermarket tachs ain't cheap Dude. A nice AutoMeter is $300 easy and ur back to spending more money. BTW a non-supporting vendor S.... has cheap genric tachs and i own 1 myself though not yet installed (problems with my mech tach accuracy). I just though if u could sacrafice without an mech tach then the HEI is the ticket on a budget dist upgrade.
Now some guys hack out the dash tach hole and install an good elect tach gauge - u maybe able to find a post using the forum search. But no on the shelf retrofits availible for the C3 if thats what ur asking.
cardo0
Now some guys hack out the dash tach hole and install an good elect tach gauge - u maybe able to find a post using the forum search. But no on the shelf retrofits availible for the C3 if thats what ur asking.
cardo0
