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Mod | | | Forums66 Topics126,777 Posts1,039,270 Members48,100 | | Most Online2,175
Jul 21st, 2025 | | | | Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 20 Junior Member | | Junior Member Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 20 | Just wondering if anyone knows if you have to bang your fire wall back to fit a HEI distributor.I tried to install the cap and won't fit I also tried to look somthing up in the search section and had no luck.Thanks in adance for your help. Kyle | | | | | Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 2,384 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 2,384 | I have a 64 burb & a fleetside, the HEI fits in both w/no firewall mods, but is VERY close-gotta put the dizzy in first & then fit the cap, & no wire retainer on the top | | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 28,674 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 28,674 | If there's even a little looseness in the motor mounts, you'll get really experienced at changing distributor caps. All it takes is a small amount of torque twist, and the cap will hit the body. If there's less than 1/2" of clearance with the cap installed, get out the BFH and give it a few good whacks before you install the distributor.
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 20 Junior Member | | Junior Member Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 20 | Yeah i put the dizzy in first without the cap but my distributor has a built on wire retainer I will invest in a different cap and try that thanks. | | | | | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 77 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: May 2006 Posts: 77 | Accel, Mallory and MSD all make electronic distributors with smaller caps. The Accel unit uses a Mopar cap and the MSD unit uses a traditional GM cap. I have used both,but have now settled with a MSD ready to run unit. It has a magnetic pickup and has 1 degree of timing variation at 10000 rpm (not that you or I will be in that range with either of our engines)
Admin for Turbobuick.com
87 GN, and new toy: 1955 Chevy 3200 pickup, soon to have: 383, Cola crank, Childs/Albert 6 inch rods, Brownfield heads, 10:1 KB hypers, CompCam 284 Extreme Energy, Tilton Plate transmission realignment and built Turbo400.
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 2,384 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 2,384 | I can stick my fingers behind mine-I noticed on the truck new cab mounts made a big difference in clearance. | | | | | Joined: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,859 Grumpy old guy playing with trucks, cars, and boats | | Grumpy old guy playing with trucks, cars, and boats Joined: Aug 2007 Posts: 1,859 | Use the small diameter HEI with the remote coil - gives a little extra clearance without the BFH
The problems we face today can not be addressed at the same level of intelligence we were at when we created them - Albert Einstein Or with the same level of $ - Me
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 28,674 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 28,674 | The small-cap newer HEI uses computer-controlled timing advance. There's no centrifugal, or vaccum advance available.
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 77 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: May 2006 Posts: 77 | If you use an MSD ready to run distributor, you can use vacuum advance or not and the unit is packaged with different advance springs, so you taylor your advance curve. HEI is nice if you have the clearance, but sometimes in an effort to save a little coin you may make changes to your precious truck that you wish you hadn't (such as taking a hammer to the firewall).
Admin for Turbobuick.com
87 GN, and new toy: 1955 Chevy 3200 pickup, soon to have: 383, Cola crank, Childs/Albert 6 inch rods, Brownfield heads, 10:1 KB hypers, CompCam 284 Extreme Energy, Tilton Plate transmission realignment and built Turbo400.
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 20 Junior Member | | Junior Member Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 20 | That is one thing that I got to change is the cab mounts I will deffently look into that thanks for all the help. | | |
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