[HO455]

I got my new distributor installed. Converting from the HEI meant I had to install a new coil. This ended up being the most difficult part of the conversion. I only had a couple of Pontiac brackets, one AMC, and no Chevy ones. None of them fit particularly well, but I did modify one of the Pontiac ones to work using one of the back intake manifold bolts. Painting the bracket became rather annoying. As is the case nowdays the can of paint quit spraying during the second coat. . After messing with it for 5 or 10 minutes I grabbed another can of black paint and finished the 2nd coat. But when I checked on the paint 30 minutes later I discovered I had sprayed lacquer over enamel. Now I had a nice wrinkle finish on half of the bracket. Uggg! It was time to start over.
I am really getting tired of spray cans that are won't spray all of the paint in the can unless you use it all in one shot. It never used to be a problem if you shook the can well before using and kept the nozzles in a jar of thinner between uses. Nowadays if you leave the nozzles in the thinner they swell and don't fit the tube on the can. And with the new and improved cans that spray upside down you can't clear the tube of paint. Another product engineered to fail to improve sales. Just like rubber bands, tooth brushes, and of course automobiles.
The distributor is an early 60's cast iron unit with a Pertronix Ignitor basic unit installed. (Photo #1) This made wiring simple. Just 2 wires on each post of the coil. I had to change the lugs on the power and tachometer leads to ring terminals before hooking them to the coil.
I like using the early distributors as they have larger shaft bushings and if your running points the cams are ground more accurately and were heat treated better than the later distributors.
Before I pulled the distributor out I set the crankshaft at TDC on the firing stroke. (Photo #2 More on why it's at 8* BTDC later) You don't have to do this but it makes starting the engine easier if you're working alone like I was.
I used an MSD HEI conversion cap which other than the aluminium posts I am quite happy with. (Photo #3) The rotor is a solid unit with no flex or play in the mounting. It came with a nice go/no go guage for the center contact or tang as they called it. (Photo #4)