After a complete brake system overhaul, I've been driving this truck to more shows this year. One thing I have discovered is this 235 passenger car engine definitely doesn't have stock compression. It makes fantastic low end torque, and I'm getting detonation at heavy throttle around 1800 rpm on 90 octane ethanol free gas. Seems as though I need to rework the timing curve in the distributor's mechanical advance.

Do they make different weights and springs for the mechanical advance for these distributors? Or can I mix-and-match parts from something else/newer?


1948 Chevy 3100 Thriftmaster pickup
Old skool engine swap ('54 pass 235)
Four on the floor
12v conversion