Thread: HEI Distributor

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You want reliable? Leave the points dizzy in it. Carry an extra set of points and a consenser in the glove box. Fix it on the road with a screwdriver. No need to fix it if it ain't broke. Waste of money.

Originally Posted by techinspector1

You want reliable? Leave the points dizzy in it. Carry an extra set of points and a consenser in the glove box. Fix it on the road with a screwdriver. No need to fix it if it ain't broke. Waste of money.

Sorry, but I run points now (few yrs now)since my HEI (aftermarket) went bad, points are not reliable, except to the fact that they are going to need fine tuning ever so often, and they'll fry for many reason's. (Why else would you carry spares?, I carry a spare dist.) Use a HEI and forget about it! Get a HEI from the parts yard! OEM's are better built and you can get parts anywhere. if it needs new bushings you can get them at Napa or almost anywhere cheap, and they are easy to install.

Pat

My first concern would be firewall clearance. I'm pretty old fashioned but points are not as good. First off they don't make them as good as they used to so the rubbing blocks wear out quickly thus the point gap closes up. And even at best a stock points distributor can't make half the voltage a stock HEI can.
I think HEI are kind of ugly though.

Well, here’s my 2 cents - I have a Mallory Unilite distributor in my 63 Nova. It is not an HEI, rather a photo-optic,LED trigger that allows the use of the stock (pre-HEI) size cap. There are no points and the timing stays rock solid. Mine has vacuum advance (however mechanical is an option) and it appears to be flawless in operation. They’re about $250 so I may be inclined to keep what you’ve got until there’s a problem and if clearance and ultimate reliability are a concern, the Unilite may be one to consider. You'll still need a coil (I used the Mallory Promaster) and a ballast resister - I was able to mount mine on the firewall. Snug, but accessible and it really shouldn't need a lot of attention.

Regards All,
Glenn