When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
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.
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!
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!
You can run a feed to the distributor from the yellow wiper motor wire. Most people do that.
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!
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.
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
Originally Posted by 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!
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).
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
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
Last edited by Rescue Rogers; Jun 16, 2019 at 11:26 AM.
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.
Last edited by CanadaGrant; Jun 16, 2019 at 07:17 PM.
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.
Last edited by CanadaGrant; Jun 16, 2019 at 09:30 PM.
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.
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.