New to the forum and could use your help. I restored a 1973 Mustand with my son last Summer. The distributor was frozen in the block, but it ran well enough to let him drive it a little last Fall before Winter storage. Now I've decided to swap the distributor. I got the old one out using homemade PB Blaster (ATM fluid and acetone) started tapping over the course of a week with hammer and chisel, then applied an air chisel to the shaft and within a few short blasts she rose up out of the block like a Phoenix! And in one piece!
I have an MSD 8350 Pro-billet ready to run distributor that I would like to drop in. The car has a 351 Cleveland with a 2 barrel carb and a true RAM air hood. You already know where I'm going with this, don't you? Has anyone put one of these in their car? It looks like it might just fit once I get it seated if I use a 3/4" spacer under the air cleaner. Can I use that spacer without recking the plenum? MSD claims they don't have any other distributor that would fit the application better. The guy I spoke with from MSD gave me ZERO confidence that he knew what he was talking about.
My other option is a direct replacement with Petronix, but I would really like to get this MSD in there. Love their product, just wish they had been more helpful. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks all!

 

Sorry...Mustang and it's a fastback. Thanks again!

 

Come on guys, 63 views and no opinions? No experiences? Help a brother out.

 

well whats the height of the old one from the flange that sits on the intake to the top of the cap? take a ball of foil place it on top...if it hits the air clearner first measure the thickness of the foilball at the contact point....Slam the hood and let it compress the foil ball how thick is it? Thats your buffer...call and ask how tall that dizzy is from the flange to the top of cap?

Is it more than the old dizzy plus the foil ball thickness?

-Gun

 

No offense, but you did name the thread "distributor question". 63 views does not mean 63 all-knowing experts teaming up to give you the cold shoulder. It just means we're reading the question to see IF we can be of help.

I like Gun Jam's idea. It eliminates guesswork.

 

I have the Ready-to-Run distributor on my 331 (289 block) with a Weiand Stealth intake a 1/2" carb spacer, and no spacer in between the carb and an aftermarket 14" air cleaner.

If you're trying to keep the factory air cleaner, I don't see a problem with adding a 3/4" spacer under it....but only if you already have a spacer under the carb, and only if you have hood clearance (see Gun Jam's response).

I'm very happy with my MSD distributor. It wasn't cheap, but it allowed me to adjust the mechanical advance (which you will need to do), and it allows for the addition of an MSD box down the road with minimal fuss.

 

damn- so sorry we all didn't have an answer right away. Good thing you specified fastback. I don't know if Gun Jams' answer would be relevant for a coupe...

 

you need to set the timing curve so it is optimal for your engine.