I have removed my points distributor and will order a HEI distributor
for the replacement. Has anyone ever done this? Looking for any info to
to help in the installation process.
Thanks

I wrote a full description, and MSN dropped me off line and I lost it. I will have a cable modem on Monday.

Anyway,

Just drop the distributor in at the correct timing, connect the wire that went to the coil positive to the batt. connection at the HEI distributor, and start the car.

If you don't know where the correcti timing is, remove the #1 spark plug, (front drivers side) stick you finger in the plug hole and have someone just barely bump the starter. You may have to do this a few times, if the engine actually crank any amount, you will go too far. When you feel compression, stop bumping. Turn the engine by hand until the timeing marks line up at the timing specs. If spec is 8 degree BTC, set it there, not 0 degrees. Drop the distributor in with the rotor pointing at the #1 spark plug tower on the cap. Not look under the rotor and find the tips on the rotor shaft and the distributor pickup. Turn the distributor slightly until the tips on both line up. Snug the distributor. When you start the car the timeing will be withing a few degrees, and will start easily. Much easier then twisting the distributor around and guessing until it starts.

One more thing. Most cars with points have a resistor between the ignition key and the coil positive. Chrysler used a ballast resistor. Ford and GM did not use the ballast resistor, so many people think it;s not there. It is. There is a resistor wire in the harness. Due to the fact that these almost never fail, many think it's not there.

The purpose is to operate the coil on about 9 to 10 volts when running. BUT this voltage is only when the coil is grounded, when not grounded it will read source voltage, so measuring the voltage running will create an average on your meter and show about 12 volts, but this is less than running voltage, and the resistor is there. By designing the coil to operate this way, when the car is started full system voltage is supplied while cranking. Cranking drops the voltage in the system, which would create a weak spark. Bypassing the resistor and suppling full voltage while cranking, full spark is created and makes the car easier to start.

If you don't bypass the resistor wire, the car will run okay, much like it did before. But HEI will supply better spark and run better under high loads and at high RPM. If you don't bypass the resistor wire, you will lose some of the advantage of HEI.
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The wire is in the wiring harness between the ignition switch and the coil. It looks like any other wire except for the designation printed on the wire. It splices back to regular wire inside the wiring harness, and does not show. If you have two start terminals at teh ignition switch, one of them goes to the starter, the other is the bypass around the resistor. Just jump the resistor bypass to the ignition hot and your done. IF you jump to the wrong start terminal, the engine starter will crank the whole time the key is on. Or just find the resistor wire and replace or bypass it with a regular piece of wire.

Take a look at your wiring diagram, and you can save a lot of tracing.

Ken Styer

I just read what I wrote. Forgive my typos. I should check these before I hit the post button. Sorry.

Ken Styer

One thing you are going to lose is your tach drive. You'll either have to get a custom HEI or switch to a 75-up electronic tach. Joe

Tried the same route. Sort of worked, but wasn't what I was looking for. Finally bit the bullet and went full MSD (billet distributor, elctronic ignition, control box, wires). The disadvantage -- cost. Advantages --was able to retain the original tach as MSD makes a gear drive version, more power, supurb reliability (3 years and absolutely no problems). Would I do it again despite the cost? Without question. Hope this helps.