pl2000n

I an HEI distributor which I'd like to put in my BBC '69. Can I just do a direct swap, and land the ground and existing resister ignition wire? Will the 9.5 VDC on the resistor be enough? Thanks in advance.

PL

jackson

No. Resistor Wire alone does not supply enough power.

If you rely on OE mechanical tach? ... ensure your new HEI has a tach drive.

3X2

Why an hei? Nothing wrong with a properly set up stock distributor.

7T1vette

Easier to install an aftermarket electronic ignition module into your stock distributor. But, if HEI is what you want, go for it.

pl2000n

Thanks guys. The stock points distributor is actually set up fine (Lars a few years ago) and works great. The cable for the tach drive just broke (argh!) so I thought I might move to the HEI. Running a 12V ign. wire would be a bit of a PITA so I'll stick with points for now. I appreciate the input!

BLUE1972

You can run a feed to the distributor from the yellow wiper motor wire. Most people do that.

pl2000n

Aha, excellent! Thanks for that tip.

derekderek

Sounds like what you really need is a tach cable. Converting to electronic tach is a bit of doing.

John 65

I believe you can purchase an HEI dizzy with a Corvette mechanical square tach drive in it. That should do it.

stingr69

Good call - The PITA would not be just the 12V wire... you would need new ignition wires, re-route the new ignition wires (ARGH!) plus you would need to set up the HEI with a proper performance curve. Fixing what you have is probably easier.

lars

Your stock, curved, points distributor will out-perform any out-of the-box HEI by a significant margin. Just make sure you install it in the GM Service Bulletin clocking position so the cable is not kinked (ytou received an info sheet on this with the distributor).

Lars

Rescue Rogers

You can buy the cable and reuse the old housing if it isnt kinked or frayed, Then its just a matter of disconnecting it at the tach, sliding out he old one and sliding in the new lubed one.

As for the dizzy, you can just upgrade the on Lars set up of ryou with a breakerless system and it will still be setup the way Lars had it, just without the points. I used Lectric limiteds version and it was great until the dizzy itsself broke. I had a bushing come apart that I still need to take apart and rebuild

BLUE1972

I got a low cost heli w/ cable drive and had the engine dyno tuned. The Heli was good and the curve was close enough to not mess with it.


Now have 10k miles on it with no issues...

CanadaGrant

An HEI will not fit under the stock "small cap" ignition shielding on your 69 big block. You will have to remove all of it to make it fit. If you don't want points then just convert to something like a Pertronix3. If you don't care about the stock look or shielding then go for it but it isn't going to improve anything. The resistor wire won't work either. You have a full 12V terminal on the fuse box labeled IGN that isn't being used and that will work or go to the other (engine compartment) side of the box and replace the resistor wire with something 12ga.

dmaxx3500

go on ebay,theres a billet hei copy w/tack drive,and a small cap-dist,with a coil,,complete cheap


https://www.ebay.com/itm/Small-FEMAL...53.m1438.l2649

CanadaGrant

You might not want to do the above small cap distributor thing either if you plan to use the stock shielding. Below is why.... It won't work with your shielding and is easy to see when you compare it to a stock 69 big block distributor (427/390) on the right. Sometimes fleabay is not your friend and the one above is a good example. Guess how I know? Yes, the pic below will tell you how....
Edit: Another thing I found is that the vacuum advance can had no identifying markings on it (as in dirt cheap) so when I tested it, it produced just over 20 degrees of advance at full vacuum. Not good. It looks really nice on the shelf or in the box but does not belong in a car.

pl2000n

Thanks guys. I just attended a car show in Seaside, OR and she ran beautifully with the stock points distributor. I think I'll keep it and just get a new tach cable.

PL

CanadaGrant

My 69 came from Oregon and I was told they have never used road salt there. The frame and underside still looks like it just came out of the factory.
Good looking car in your sig.

pl2000n

Thanks CanadaGrant. As for salt, Portland has now started using it but only in extreme conditions.