steveg,
In an effort to make comments on things I know nothing about, I will add this! There are two GM HEI units. Both have large, non-stock looking caps. As you have noted, one has a coil-in-cap and one (older unit) uses a remote coil. I don't think the remote coil is anything special. I have seen aftermarket "hot" coils that resemble the stock, round ones.
If you want to stay more stock in appearance, Stovebolt Engine makes a unit that doesn't have the huge HEI cap..this unit is billed, I think, as "electronic", which would mean breakerless. I think the term HEI is a GM trademarked item, and am not sure if it is any hotter or special than a standard breakerless set-up like Pertronix or Stovebolt Engine.
Having said all this, the most stock looking setup would be the stock distributor with new, solid state guts, and if needed, a hot aftermarket coil. It would look like the original ignition, but be much superior.
http://www.stovebolt.com/bboard/cgi-bin//ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=3;t=001019#000001
Stuart
