So If I am uderstanding this right, I can put an MSD dist. in the back of my intake and eliminate the opti blowing up over 7,200 RPM's??

I have been blowing up the cap and rotor, not the opti. My car could be alot faster if I could turn more R's

How high are you guys reving with the distributor conversion??

 

http://www.nwfbody.com/images/Ellis/Picture%20086m.jpg

A little hard to tell right now

 

RPM is limited by fuel and spark maps in the ECU, not the opti. Going to another ECU setup or a strait distributor is going to get you more RPM.

Bret

 

that's a rusty block boss!

 

Well I just got it back yesterday and it aint rusty no more

Todays goal. Put up more insulation in my shop and start rocking it baby!

 

Bret-
The obd2 computers have rev capabilities past 7k, though they are a PITA to tune up there. The obd1 stuff will actually shut off the engine if you hit 7k.

Anyways, i think the problem he was referring to is the opti rotor imploding. On cars that rev higher and rev fast up top, the opti rotor will actually fling itself apart inside the casing destroying pretty much everything. Thats why i removed the rotor itself from inside the housing.

 

I find that an interesting comment. Long B4 this forum was someone's imagination, the complaint was why didn't chevy put the distributor in the front, where it belongs, so you can work on it. Quite amusing!

 

Well, I am just about ready to do this mod. Only problem I have is firewall clearance. I know the firewall won't clear a standard HEI with out a BFH, so how big around is the crab cap?

Then I had another thought. Why not just run down to Autozone and pick up a standard old point style distributor setup for $70 or so, and weld the advance plate to the shaft? Sure it doesn't say MSD on it, but it has the cast iron gear and a new Accel cap and rotor. And the small diameter gives a lot more room back there.

Anyone see why it couldn't be used?

 

Well the MSD is MUCH lower the Crab cap is four inches lower then the one you are thinking about The rotor body it self is a good 2 inches shorter also

later

 

Luckily, I don't have any overhang like the 4th gens on my 68. But the firewall is real close to the back of the block, and I know from experience that a stock HEI will not clear.

I might look at something from a TPI, I think I can run the DFI off that also...

 

my intakes are on thier way back from LT1intake.com, john does great work so i'm excited!!!

after that i just slap it on and throw the motor in

 

Please post or email a pic! What kind of turn around time was it?

 

Another vote here for front mounted distributors. With the dist. driven off the cam, driving the cam from the front and then using it as a constantly winding/unwinding drive shaft to drive the dist. doesn't help control spark timing.

Remember the SBC was designed in the early 50's to be a cheap to produce, but still powerful engine. With a rear oil sump dictated by the chassis design of the time, putting the oil pump/dist. drive in the back was the most economical thing to do.

The intake and exhaust port layout was dictated more by less complex manifold casting than by power or cooling considerations. Intake ports share a wall in the manifold, and there are only 3 flanges (fewer bolts) on the exhaust manifolds.

Shoebox Chevys also had tons of room in the engine compartment to get at the distributor.

My $.02

 

That pic sucks, my throttle body is no longer on there

-Shannon

 

What is the cost to have the intake modtifed?

I was thinking of using a friends LT1 carb intake and take a piece of sheet metal as a templet for the valley pan or gasket with hole on the template to mark the hole. Also does it have to be a lt1 intake or could I use any small block intake to make a template?