I am about to install a procharger at about 8-9 psi on my 97 LT1. I am trying to decide whether or not to get an ignition box, is it necessary?

One advantage is that they can retard the spark relative to boost if you have the auxiliary 2 bar sensor and the adjustable boost retard module. You can't really tune ign timing correctly for a blower car with the stock pcm because it only references one bar and you don't want to take out all your timing at 100 kPa before you are even in boost. Some guys used to tune their cars by running 26 deg timing at 100 kPa and were losing all that power before they were even making any boost. So boost retard is the best way to go if you are going to retain the stock engine management system and want to control timing past 0 psi. It also works as an ignition amplifier which is more important for the single coil distributor cars. So to answer your question, I would say that you should install one on your setup.

Required for FI "no". Will it work well without one "no".

I am doing the 24x conversion instead. Rather than spend $400 for an ignition box and timing retarder + a new opti, I figured I might as well make the swap.

Have you priced out the 24x conversion in full? You'll have WAY more $ in the 24x than you will from an ignition box (which will retard your timing on its own) and an opti.

I'm not saying the 24x isn't better (I have one in my car), but the price on them is far from cheap (I spent well more than $2,000 on mine before tax and shipping), and a TON more than everything needed to fully upgrade to an ignition box and get an opti.

I am about done. I paid 150 for pcm with startup tune, 100 for the day harness kit, 50 for coils and harness from a friend and 540 for the eficonnections conversion kit. Mines a 97 so I didn't need a cover or anything.

I don't get the point of asking advice if you already got all the answers.

I'm guessing you bought a new harness if you spent that much for the kit. I paid a little over $1100 for mine with a new billet cover (double roller chain) with the DIY harness kit and PCM.

That's why I stopped asking questions.

I know the harness is expensive. But after looking at how much of a PITA it is to make your own, and the quality of the harness that they sell, it was worth it to me. Even without the harness, its silly to think this upgrade would be a money saver over a new opti and ignition box.

Wow, no need to take my decisions personally lol. I planned on keeping the opti but after running the numbers, if it was close in money its better to go 24x. I never said 24x is cheaper but I see no point in keeping a dated pcm that is a nightmare to tune when I can swap to a ls1 pcm. Also, a new opti is 400, ign box is 400 so that is 800. I have 850 in my 24x conversion. So to me it was a no brainer.

I agree it is a better system, but it has nothing to do with your original post asking if you need an amp with FI, which is a FNG question.

Damn, no wonder this forum is so dead. It makes total sense why when people are dicks when you ask a question. I asked the original question almost a month ago, the only reason I even came back to this dead thread is that someone else had chimed in, so I figured I would pass it along that I changed my mind. I guess now I know that some people have a problem with that. Oh well, no reason to come back to this forum anyway....

MSD 6BTM is a good option, I would recommend using one. GL

I don't like the msd boxes because they tend to burn out opti faster.
believe it or not I run good wires and a stock set up with 15 pounds with zero problems spark plugs gapped at .35