1970 c10 distributor upgrade recommendations

[crabman]

Do your research. If you are basing your opinion on the price and haven't seen or held his HEI you are uninformed. Skip White's HEI is vacuum advance and it's NOT cheap crap!! It even comes with a lifetime warranty. Look at the reviews and Youtube on it. Or don't, freedom of choice.

Originally Posted by 68 P.O.S.

No, don't even bother with Skip White. You get what you pay for with that cheap crap. You definitely want a HEI and one with an adjustable vacuum advance. What's your budget for it?

[Myoldtruck]

I picked up a brand new gm heI that came out of a new crate motor. Craigs list for 75.00. I use it every day no problems.

[HO455]

If your set on HEI then I would get a Factory GM unit and have it rebuilt and curved by a competent rebuilder. The factory units are good just not as shiney and none of the aftermarket ones will come curved for you truck. So new or used you would still want to have the unit's advance curve dialed in for your combination. I've bought dozens of used HEI's for between 5 and 40 bucks.

[AussieinNC]

Before you buy a new distributor, you should determine if the new 350 engine you are installing has a flat tappet or roller cam installed....

Roller cam engines, require a melonised distributor gear be installed on the distributor shaft.

Sure, you can buy any distributor and install a melonised gear, but why not buy the correct unit first up...

So may be a good idea to decide on the engine first, then worry about the incidentials....

IMO, unless I am performing a true back to factory original build, I usually go with a later model Vortec style engine...roller cam, one piece rear main seal, and less wear generally.

Anyhoo....have fun...

[68 P.O.S.]

Originally Posted by AussieinNC

Before you buy a new distributor, you should determine if the new 350 engine you are installing has a flat tappet or roller cam installed....

Roller cam engines, require a melonised distributor gear be installed on the distributor shaft.

This!

[Auroch]

Originally Posted by 68 P.O.S.

This!

Well, I have no idea. The crate I bought is remanufactured by Jasper as a class 1 350. Would that need a melonised distributor? I guess I can just call jasper Monday. Thanks everyone.

[jamyers]

Originally Posted by Myoldtruck

I picked up a brand new gm heI that came out of a new crate motor. Craigs list for 75.00. I use it every day no problems.

Can't argue with that approach!

btw, I've been using a Skip White hei in our daily driver for nearly 2 years now with zero issues - fwiw.

[68 P.O.S.]

Originally Posted by crabman

Do your research. If you are basing your opinion on the price and haven't seen or held his HEI you are uninformed. Skip White's HEI is vacuum advance and it's NOT cheap crap!! It even comes with a lifetime warranty. Look at the reviews and Youtube on it. Or don't, freedom of choice.

I'm well informed. Not only have I seen and held one, but I've thrown one in the trash. I bought one, even though I was warned not to and had seen some informative posts here. So fresh out of the box and on my work bench, the cap cracks as I take it off for the first time to install a curve kit. Fine, I'll use my old cap. I open it up and the weights are ungreased and their casting is terrible. Looks very suspect, but I give it a shot. I install it, correctly, and the truck won't fire. After checking everything for the 6th time, I pull a plug and fire it, and there's no arc. Instead, the filament glows like its a diesel glow plug. I pull it out again and check the electronics. Terrible quality. It's all cheap Chinese junk. That's how he can sell them so cheaply. I promptly tossed it and and bought an Accel. Still using it today, properly curved and everything. No thank you on that lifetime warranty. I don't want a turd for life.

[slikside]

Originally Posted by 68 P.O.S.

I'm well informed. Not only have I seen and held one, but I've thrown one in the trash. I bought one, even though I was warned not to and had seen some informative posts here. So fresh out of the box and on my work bench, the cap cracks as I take it off for the first time to install a curve kit. Fine, I'll use my old cap. I open it up and the weights are ungreased and their casting is terrible. Looks very suspect, but I give it a shot. I install it, correctly, and the truck won't fire. After checking everything for the 6th time, I pull a plug and fire it, and there's no arc. Instead, the filament glows like its a diesel glow plug. I pull it out again and check the electronics. Terrible quality. It's all cheap Chinese junk. That's how he can sell them so cheaply. I promptly tossed it and and bought an Accel. Still using it today, properly curved and everything. No thank you on that lifetime warranty. I don't want a turd for life.

Manufacturing defects can and do happen with any brand, but I have had a Skip White installed for about 4 years now, and it has been flawless.

[jeffahart]

I spent more than twice as much on my plug wires than my skip white ready to run. HEI distributors for stock applications... can you say appliance. Skip White Ready to run, a simple appliance. It burns the gas.

My two cents, worth the price paid.



j

[Fbks_Cruiser]

Check this one:

https://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-93440...ei+distributor

[68 P.O.S.]

Originally Posted by Fbks_Cruiser

Check this one:

https://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-93440...ei+distributor

That's the ticket