This is for street use on a 65coupe with a 302 engine. I'm looking to lose my points distributer for a electronic version, likely with mech/vac advance.

I was considering an HEI. Is that a good choice for this application? Where does that wire with the clip lead get "clipped" into? Other elect. dist. suggestions? I need to stay in the low-budget world. Thanks all!

 

Well, most will say Mallory or MSD. I like the MSD. They have the Reday-To-Run distributors that only require you to hook up 3 wires. It is about as simple as you can get, and has both mech. and vac. advance. I prefer the MSD over the HEI due to the overly large size and diameter of the HEI.

 

Go with the FoMoCo factoy Dizzy II setup from a late 70's to early 80's Granada, truck or something similar. Dead nuts reliable and pretty straight forward to install.

HEI = GM = yuck. Don't bastardize your ride. All of the other Mustangs will laugh at it and won't let it play in any Mustang games.

 

The fomoco setup fastback is talking about is called the Duraspark system. There is alot of information on the net about this. Using this sysyem will also allow you to use your heater hose connection out of the intake manifold. The HEI will be in the way of that outlet elbow of the heater hose connection. Also the air cleaner may block there too
The HEI uses a larger ant taller dist cap.

 

Yeah, I think the duraspark uses the same 3 wire design as the MSD?, but would be a lot cheaper! I'd try this if I were you.

 

MSD's quality can be pretty crappy. Get a Crane Pro Curve, fully electronic, and the mechanical AND vacuum advance timing is pre programmed into a microprocessor, so you just turn a dial on the dizzy to select the timing curve you want. No moving parts, it's all done electronically.

http://cranecams.com/index.php?show=...=4&prt=127

 

Hmmm... Ive never heard of bad quality from MSD. I have a pro billet ready to run dizzy, a blaster 3 coil, and a 6AL box, and I have no complaints whatsoever. I guess every now and then you could get a bad one though, as that is the case with any kind of car part.

 

Consider a pertronix unit as they are much less expensive,easy as pie to put in, andyou can retain the stock dizzy, and it basically does the same thing as the MSD, Mallory, HEI, and durasparks of the world. Just an idea.

 

It all depends on what you want. If you're looking for an inexpensive alternative to points, pick up a pertronix and convert your existing dizzy for under $100. If you want quality perform, MSD dizzy backed by a 6A or 6AL is a proven setup on any motor.

 

I went with the Mallory HEI dizzy and have been very happy. It is a bit big but with the chrome monte carlo bar, it actually came out looking industrial and not bad - see pic below. I wanted a clean look (previously,the coil had been on the left wall with a wire strung across) and with the frontrunner system I was going to have to locate the coil somewhere off the engine. The heater connectorelbow fits underneath the distributor so you will have to put this on without the dizzy in place so that you can screw it in.

The one thing I found out on my 64 SS impala is that if you leave the key turned on, it will burn out the piece in the coil - so that is only bad thing I have ever experienced with the HEI distributors.

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