Considering converting my 71' from points
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,139
Likes: 109
From: B'ham Alabama
Considering converting my 71' from points
My '71 is bone stock, which includes the old original points type distributor. I'm considering upgrading to a HEI Small Cap distributor. You can get one with the tach drive and looks fairly easy to convert.
Has anyone done this conversion?
How difficult was it to convert?
Are you happy with the upgrade?
Has anyone done this conversion?
How difficult was it to convert?
Are you happy with the upgrade?
CF Community Team
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 19,357
Likes: 5,242
From: Cape Cod, Mass.
2025 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2025 C8 Z06/7/E-Ray of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2021 C8 of the Year Finalist Unmodified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C1 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2017 Corvette of the Year Finalist
2016 C2 of Year
2015 C3 of Year Finalist
I've done it on 2 of my old Vettes, a 61 and a 65. Absolutely no gain in performance whatsoever. The only benefit is not changing or adjusting points. I did not make the changeover on my 68. Besides, I like driving around with a dwell meter 
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
My '71 is bone stock, which includes the old original points type distributor. I'm considering upgrading to a HEI Small Cap distributor. You can get one with the tach drive and looks fairly easy to convert.
Has anyone done this conversion?
How difficult was it to convert?
Are you happy with the upgrade?
Has anyone done this conversion?
How difficult was it to convert?
Are you happy with the upgrade?
need take the pink BAT wire to the pink ignition swith wire, directly just tape off or cut all the points wiring......
Dr. Detroit
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 10,095
Likes: 4,025
From: New Braunfels Texas
I had a Mallory kit in my 427/400....worked like a charm.....
One thing that is awesome about a breakerless kit is you can leave the key on and not worry about smking out the contacts on the points.....
Mallory is in limbo right now though...so Pertronix is the only player I know of.....Crane use to have one...but not sure anymore.
Jebby
One thing that is awesome about a breakerless kit is you can leave the key on and not worry about smking out the contacts on the points.....
Mallory is in limbo right now though...so Pertronix is the only player I know of.....Crane use to have one...but not sure anymore.
Jebby
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 18,692
Likes: 2,572
The Accel unit looks identical to the Mallory unit.
https://www.holley.com/products/igni.../parts/2010ACC
https://www.holley.com/products/igni.../parts/2010ACC
Dr. Detroit
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 10,095
Likes: 4,025
From: New Braunfels Texas
The Accel unit looks identical to the Mallory unit.
https://www.holley.com/products/igni.../parts/2010ACC
https://www.holley.com/products/igni.../parts/2010ACC
Cheap too!
Jebby
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,066
Likes: 57
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,066
Likes: 57
My '71 is bone stock, which includes the old original points type distributor. I'm considering upgrading to a HEI Small Cap distributor. You can get one with the tach drive and looks fairly easy to convert.
Has anyone done this conversion?
How difficult was it to convert?
Are you happy with the upgrade?
Has anyone done this conversion?
How difficult was it to convert?
Are you happy with the upgrade?
Thanks
Dr. Detroit
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 10,095
Likes: 4,025
From: New Braunfels Texas
Dr. Detroit
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 10,095
Likes: 4,025
From: New Braunfels Texas
It does not have a tach drive gear though.
MSD makes a Tach Drivw distributor, but you have to run a box.
Jebby
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,456
Likes: 102
From: Piedmont Va
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13,'19-'20
I installed a Proform big head HEI w Tach Drive in my 73 years ago and it has provided trouble free service. I used to be able to get the chrome bonnet on it until I changed to a Airgap and DP carb. Now the air cleaner sits back too far. 
Then there are these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SMALL-CAP-CH...VXBHyy&vxp=mtr
Then there are these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SMALL-CAP-CH...VXBHyy&vxp=mtr
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,066
Likes: 57
How can I get true HEI, keep the stock mechanical drive tach, and have the stock chrome box look?
Thanks
Dr. Detroit
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 10,095
Likes: 4,025
From: New Braunfels Texas
My 66' was this way....and I hid the MSD box way inside the rear of the passenger wheel well....
There is no stand alone small cap HEI all in one tach drive distributors that I knew of.......
Jebby
Last edited by Jebbysan; Jun 14, 2016 at 03:40 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,139
Likes: 109
From: B'ham Alabama
http://www.ebay.com/itm/321925184912?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 4,355
Likes: 2,633
From: Draper Utah
Breakerless SE takes about 30 minutes to install and can easily be converted back to points in the same amount of time, no extra wires to run. Best of all it looks totally stock unless you pull the distributer cap.
Dr. Detroit
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 10,095
Likes: 4,025
From: New Braunfels Texas
https://m.summitracing.com/parts/msd-8442
I see the above ready to run MSD copy with a tach drive....
I wonder why MSD does not make this same unit!
Almost half of the people who own a Vette do not want to
run a box.....
Jebby
Racer
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 375
Likes: 21
From: London Ontario
I did the petronix conversion a few years back on my 72 SB
I wouldn't call it an "upgrade"
Don't believe the more powerful spark/better performance sales pitch
My car runs the same as it did before.
I'm thinking about changing back to the original points!!!!!!
I wouldn't call it an "upgrade"
Don't believe the more powerful spark/better performance sales pitch
My car runs the same as it did before.
I'm thinking about changing back to the original points!!!!!!