who makes the most compact distributor?

[Alain Vanhollebeke]

Well, after working on my car for the first day & a half, I have the engine & trans mounted in the chassis.

After I tightened all of the mounts, I decided to "drop" my distributor into place to check the clearance. The ditrib fit fine until I installed the cap on it.

It sits so close to the frame member at the firewall that there are two cyls it would be impossible to put wires on & even if you could, you couldn't turn the dist to change timing.

I am using the MSD small billet unit. It seems to be too tall.

I thought of moving the engine back,,,but I don't have much room to spare as the snout of the starter to frame clearance may become an issue.

I need either about one inch smaller diameter or two inches shorter than this MSD unit.
Has anyone done a side by side comparison of different dists?

 

[Ron Earp]

Alain,

I have the same dizzy you have and it is close. But, there are smaller ones. The Mallory and Accel billet units are much smaller, I just sold one to a fellow since I wasn't using it. You might want to look into these, they're smaller in diameter by at least 1/2", if not a little more. It does put the plug wires closer together but you shouldn't have problems with a high quality wire.

Ron

 

[Richard Timte]

John,

If you are using fuel injection and need a sync plug distributor look at MSD's new one. I got one for my engine part number 8506 for the 351W or if you are running a 302 8522. Here is the page at MSD

Richard

[ May 26, 2003: Message edited by: Richard Timte ]

 

[Alain Vanhollebeke]

Thanks for the info Ron, as you know a 1/2 inch of extra space found in one of these cars is like 5feet in anything else.

I'll try & find out id the measurements of the mallory/accel are posted anywhere.

Hopefully, this 200 plus dollar distributor that won't fit will be the "biggest" mistake I made in parts selection.

 

I will hopfully be using a dis with my car.
Here's a link that has a nice picture of what it will look like. http://www.gt40s.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=6&t=000067
John

 

Thanks Richard. It sound like just the deal I've been looking for. I have changed my mind on the computer setup and will be using a Motec m-48.
Please send me your phone numbewr so I can pick your brian when the time comes.
It won't be real soon but hopefully soon enough. I still need the engine. Right Gordon!
John

 

[Mike Dozier]

Alain

I have the Accel billet dizzy.
It's about 7.50" from mounting base
to top of the spark plug posts on the cap.
The coil wire post is maybe 1/2" higher.
The cap is 3.625" OD.

MikeD

 

[Alain Vanhollebeke]

Mike, THANK YOU for posting some specs!
I'll check the measurements & see what the difference is with my current dizzie.

 

[Mike Dozier]

You're welcome.
If you call Jegs or Summit customer service
and ask real nice, they may measure a Mallory unit in their stock.

MikeD

 

[Jack Compton]

Alain-I am running a Mallory Unilite, and can measure for you if you need the specs.

Jack

 

[Bill Musarra]

Guys,
You ought to at least look at the distributorless route. It is a very neat setup. Set it and forget it, and no clearance problems. In fact you could then move the engine forward an inch or two for better weight distibution.
Bill

 

[Alain Vanhollebeke]

Jack, can you measure your unilite for me please? I called the mallory tech line today, and they weren't much help.

I need to know the height from the engine block to the top of the spark plug wire posts. (mallory only had the spec for the coil post which I know is taller)

I also need to know the diameter at the outside diameter of the spark plug posts. (again mallory was no help & only had the diameter of the entire cap housing.)

I am now about 90 percent certain this unit will work, but the measurements would be a great help.

If you post the specs, perhaps they will be valuable info for a future builder here too?

I also enquired with the mallory tech about their "crab" or flat distributor cap. He told me it would only work if I disassembled the dist and milled it 90 thousanths.

I am thinking of buying the "crab" cap to maybe see if the fit will be better suited to the car since the plug wires now would enter the dis horizontally.