4.2 engines never had a throttle cable, they've always been throttle by wire.
I just replaced one of these engines in a 05 envoy with 46000 miles for a worn thrust bearing surface on the crank. I can get the core for free and was thinking about using it in my 36. would anybody know what I need to use for just an ignition system? the fuel injection is way to ugly for my application, so I'll be using side-draft carbs.
Your quite limited in your choices:
1) run full GM electronics - not sure if it will just run the ignition.
2) check with MSD to see if they have a compatible COP system.
3) use the ford EDIS system with megasquirt in ignition only mode (just don't hook up the injectors, TPS, O2 sensors). If you check the picutes I posted a link above. The EDIS system will run the engine at 10* BTDC until it gets a modified spark advance from megasquirt. What may be really cool depending your perspective is to convert the side drafts to EFI (hide the injectors and fuel rail under the manifold..) ...
To simplify the ignition portion I could inquire at the same machine shop that I had my parts made at to see what they would want to duplicate the brackets and trigger wheel.
4) if your a machinist type of builder - adapt a dist. to one of the cam sprockets - this is most likely the most technically difficult choice.
