Could this work as an alternative to the opti?

A member of my local board brought this up yesterday and I'm wondering if it could work for the LT1. I'm just not sure how the timing cover / belt setup would be configured. Any thoughts? Has it been done or tried?

http://msdignition.com/product.aspx?id=5617&terms=8510

MSD’s Pro-Billet Front Drive Distributor is the solution for race engines that don’t have room for a standard distributor due to firewall clearance or intake combinations. The MSD Front Drive Distributor is belt-driven from a pulley installed on the camshaft.

wow, 40+ views and no thoughts. Can anyone find a picture of this installed on any sbc? I've been looking all over and can't find anything. I'm trying to visualize how the timing cover would be setup but it's not coming to me.

wont work.

I'm not going to explain why, I have installed them on big and small blocks before.......Its way of base....


Are you still using a PCM? how you going to get the signal to it?


I don't know why opti get such a bad rap but they are not that bad.


You can fit a regular dist too plenty have done it over the years.

I have a belt drive distributor on my Super Stock LT1. I adapted a Gen I small block Jesel timing belt system to the front of the motor and used the Jesel components to hook up the belt drive distributor. It functions flawlessly. The biggest challenge arises from locating the distributor head since the normal vertical alignment is compromised by the water pump housing and access to the throttle body. We mounted the distributor head to the motor plate on the passenger side of the engine. I can provide pictures if you wish. PM me with your e-mail address and I'll take some pictures.

Where there is a will, there is a way.

wont work.

I'm not going to explain why, I have installed them on big and small blocks before.......Its way of base....


Are you still using a PCM? how you going to get the signal to it?


I don't know why opti get such a bad rap but they are not that bad.


You can fit a regular dist too plenty have done it over the years.

not that bad? I've had to replace toooo many of them. I'm not new to this by far. Opti's are only going to continue to go up in price and most of them are junk unless you go with a delco unit $$$$. Others have already figured out how to emulate the signal so I'm not concerned with that. I don't want a regular distributor since it's just as hard to access as the opti. Everyone I've seen looks like you've got to just about pull the motor to open the cap.

If this MSD front mount won't work then I'm doing Megasquirt and EDIS.

cnorton - sending you a PM. Thanks!!

i guess if you make a bracket on the ac delete pulley you could fab somthing up worry about the wiring later

I am about to sell my FAST XFI system and start all over with carb, intake, distributor. I have been working since Feb on and off trying to get my race car running.

I installed the FAST system and the car ran like crap. (oh the MSD pick up on the crank dampener is not made for an LT1 but for the older 327/350). It just so happens that the Rotor in the Opti is trashed and eventhough I get spark to the coil the the opti will no distribute the spark so it must be trashed. I have cranked this race car to 8,000 on more than one occasion with the dump 1993 factory computer with modified chip. Problem is that the spark fuel tables end about 7,000 to 7200 rpms and nothing can be done to fix that except aftermarket computer system.
The alternatives are Cam position sensor $379 and xmi box, xmi wiring, eight coils, brackets, and more wiring and cables. SO now were taking about $2,000 more.

Comp Cams refered me to the Cam Position sensor.

MSD told me that the front mounted distributor was probably not as good as the crab style distributor and that opens up a lot of machining work on the current intake.

QUESTION: Does anyone know of an OPTI made by anyone that can withstand 8,000 rpm runs and 5,000 rpm lauches. Since I run Pro Stock a few 100's of a second can make me or break me.

Thanks
Jim