If you are sure that you have a stock cam in the 1957 or 1960 engines you can use the earlier 216 (or 1954) distributor as long as it has the cast iron gear. The cast iron gears are available from most of the Chevy 235-261 parts suppliers. In his "seminar" at the Inliners convention in Davenport this summer Tom Langdon discussed the steel and iron cam/gear questions, and said that a good machinist can identify the gears by the machining marks. When struck, the steel cams ring and the iron cams "thunk".
Hoyt
