A couple of guys have developed methods to convert the stock GM distributor to an electronic model. Jerry knows how for one and a few years ago there was another fellow here who posted a diagram of how he had modified the distributor floor plate to accept HEI components. I saved it but can't find it now. It seemed it might be okay, however. Seems his name might have been Deve or something like that. I don't endorse him, don't know him nor his work but as I recall he had some interesting information.

I will tell you that you can have certain challenges with HEI if your distributor cap is too small (meaning the contact points are too close together). Cross firing is not normally a problem however HEI distributor caps are normally made larger to separate the contact points and minimize the tendency. Or said another way to maximize the effective transfer of higher voltage at the rotational speed necessary.

The complete swap is the easiest method and there are advantages. Tom Langdon used to convert the Chevy/GMC V6 distributor to work with the 235/261 but that requires quite a bit of machining and not all of it is easy work, either. Again, please ask Jerry about that conversion. I have one of Tom's distributors here. As I recall, something had gone wrong in it but it can be repaired using GM parts. It looks more like the inline 6 stock distributor (small cap). But honestly speaking I don't care what the distributor looks like. As long as it is dependable and makes a nice healthy spark with minimal fussiness and upkeep all will be fine. The one I use (the large one with coil in cap) does have some nice advantages. For one, it is a clone of a very well-engineered distributor. For two it comes with a new vacuum advance unit. For three, everything in it is new. If you want, you can even modify the advance curve using springs that are cheap and commonly available.

The people who bought the Pertronix stuff are actually carrying around points distributors so they can drive home after the Pertronix thing fails...and it very likely will fail. A few people here have posted tales of being stuck in the cold, the rain, far from home, etc. About a year ago I showed with proof why and how they fail and how pathetically simple the design was. Like Jerry you would have trouble giving me one of those units for free. Just nothing good I can say about that company.

Now there are other possibilities and Jerry and I have discussed one of them...coil on plug using the distributor simply as a switching device. We haven't gone to the effort of building one but it could be done and you would get one heck of a hot spark that way. Some of those systems (lacking spark plug wires) will produce around 40,000 volts.

~ Jon
1952 1/2 ton with 1959 235 | T5 with 3.07 rear end