Looking for an inexpensive HEI distributor that I can plug and go. The engine is stock, so I need the cap to fit under the chrome ignition cover. Also what else will I need besides new plug wires? Have never

done a swap like this before. Tell me everything I need to know!!
Thank you

 

Make sure whatever you buy has a tachometer drive.

 

Nothing in the parts world that is small enough to fit under the shielding with a tach drive.......nothing cheap anyway.
There is some China small cap tach drive stuff out there but nothing I would put in my own car.
Spend some time and learn your points system...they are super reliable and when set properly will run as well as anything else. Or convert it to electronic trigger with the many kits available.
FYI.....if using a modern suppression wire...the shielding is not needed......
On my own 72'.....I run an MSD with a 6al box and an electronic tach conversion......and I would do it again.
Mind you....whatever you do buy should be curved for optimal performance.....the MSD is easy to curve, so is the stock unit.....and an adjustable vacuum advance canister is a must.....
A properly curved distributor is much more important than whether or not it is HEI, points...whatever.....
I think if I was in your position, I would curve the stock unit and convert it the electronic for the simple fact that I am bad about leaving the key on which can burn points in a few minutes....add a Lars stop to the vacuum advance or an adjustable one and you have a solid unit......
Sticking an $89 HEI unit in there will disappoint you.....
BTW...any system you get will have to be wired in......there is no such thing as a plug and play conversion distributor for these cars.
Jebby

 

What made me think about the HEI was that I need to remove the mounting plate to put a new vacuum advance canister but can not access the two screws that hold the vacuum in place.How is that plate removed? Fix this problem and I will stick with the stock distributor.

 

I can't say for sure about this because it's been a long time since I have messed with the stock vac advance (I switched to MSD tach drive a few years ago) but by moving the breaker plate you can access both screws that hold the vac adv in and unscrew them and then you should be able to remove the vac unit. I'm pretty sure you do not need to pull the main shaft out to do this. I did this many times in the past when I used the stock dist. as said above it's hard to beat the stock unit. I switched to the MSD only because of easier adjustability of the mechanical advance in the dist. you can do the same thing with the stock unit it just requires a little more effort. I got the Crane vacuum limiter plate and spring kit for mine. I'm sure someone else offers the same kit now. I used to use various thickness of vacuum hose to make thicker/fatter stop bushings to limit the adv. in the dist. You could also weld up the slot in the dist and fine tune it with a file to adj the adv. One of the best parts of the stock dist. is if something breaks you can get parts almost anywhere. if my MSD quits on me somewhere I'll be calling AAA for a tow and if I'm way far from home it will be even more aggrivation.

 

retrofit the box from '75 -'77 C3.

https://willcoxcorvette.com/corvette...p-shield-75-77

Davis DUI has an Excellent large cap HEI with mech tach drive

https://performancedistributors.com/...reetstrip-dui/

Most any replacement part is same as OE HEI & available at your FLAPS.

JMO If ya got a good distributor and a good setup-tune on your street car's carb & ign, ya don't need any additional spark box/CD box. YMMV

 

I agree with post #5 above. You can rotate the breaker plate to access the two screws.

 

Easy fix, via one of two ways -

1. Do you have a MightyVac or other brand vacuum pump? If so, pull the vac advance hose off its vacuum supply port, leaving it attached to the vac advance unit. Then attach that open hose end to the pump and pump it up. The plate will advance and you have access to the screws.

2. No MightyVac? No prob! Put the open hose end in your mouth and apply vacuum. Seal the end with the tip of your tongue to prevent leaks. You're in business.

I've done it both ways. If you do #2, make sure no one is taking a video to post online. Could be embarrassing!!

 

The vacuum advance can easily be replaced with the distributor in the engine and without any need to remove the breaker plate:

If the vacuum advance is not ruptured, suck on the hose to make the breaker plate rotate. Once it rotates, you can easily get to the screws to remove them.

If the vacuum advance is ruptured or inoperable, just jam a screwdriver down into the irregular area of the breaker plate so you get leverage against the bottom cavity of the distributor and then pry the breaker plate to rotate it - the screws are easily accessible. Once the screws are removed, pull the vacuum advance partially out, allowing the breaker plate to rotate. Then twist the vacuum advance and release it from the hole in the breaker plate.

Either way, you can swap out the vacuum advance unit in under 5 minutes.

Lars

 

Thank you guys. Did as was suggested and its all done with new vacuum advance.

 

Good job!

Lars

 

Another satisfied "customer".....

 

You guys are FUNNY. I thought I had the upper hand on comedy.

 

(If you're not having fun, you shouldn't be doing it...)