h.e.i gm in a tri 5 chevy

[gofast62]

will a 70's hei gm unit clear the fire wall in a tri 5 chevy car? what will work?

[Tony]

I think you may have to 'massage' the firewall to clear..
might only be a little, but i do think you have to.

As far as what will work..
You could use a Mallory Unilite, or any similar magnetic-trigger distributor, or use an old point's style and replace the point's with a Pertronix magnetic kit.
They work great, and i think it's close to half the price of a new distributor, if not more.

Tony.

[Upchuck]

I had a 55 chevy 2 door belair with the stock motor mounts, it slid right in with no problems on mine

[Upchuck]

PS I may have had to leave off that plastic retainer for the plug wires though, I can't really recall http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[mr57]

The last one that I had I put the HEI in before the motor went in. There was something like 1/8" clearance, depends on mounts and the retainer cap. Rule of thumb was always stand on the ridge between the firewall and windshield and give two good whacks where the firewall and distributor meet, with a big sledgehammer. Finish the rough edges with filler, prime and paint http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif That way you can at least manouver around it.

[Baumi]

I have a 56 2 door and I tried to put a HEI in there. Maybe it would have worked if I installed the engine with the distributor already mounted. But there was no way to put it in with the engine in place.
I went the Mallory Unilite route,worked fine for me and still does.

[gofast62]

thanks guys, its a stock 57 210 that a buddy of mine drives an it needs more spark! he would shit if i hit it with a big hammer, soooo its another route.

[Tudor]

I would recomend a mallory unilite with mechanical advance. He'll have to order a hot coil that can be mounted out of site. That'll give him the spark he needs.

I don't think HEI's look right on older cars. I also think the vacuum advance sucks for anyhting that is not stock. And HEI's don't do that well at higher RPMs.

[OldCarPilot]

It will NOT fit unless the engine is moved foward some. I don't know how its mounted in there right now, but they do sell aftermarked mounts to put the HEI in. But why bother? You can get electronic ignition modual to replace the points under a stock cap. Then just get a good coil. Will look a LOT better than HEI anyway.

[TooMany2count]

i put one in a friend 56 w/o a problem, i just removed the retaining clip for the wires. it dropped right in & it's completely stock w/the 265 V8

[Steve]

if you want an hei in a tri-5 without massaging the firewall try one of these http://www.davessmallbodyheis.com/

[OldCarPilot]

[ QUOTE ]
i put one in a friend 56 w/o a problem, i just removed the retaining clip for the wires. it dropped right in & it's completely stock w/the 265 V8

[/ QUOTE ]

Doesn't fit in a 57 with a newer small block. Don't know about a 57 with a 283, but I doubt it will fit.

[squirrel]

get an old CD box, they still work....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2493054443

(I saw one on a 46 Ford with a nailhead in it yesterday)

[Rand Man]

I have HEI on my '57 210 2dr Sedan. It has an Accel Super Coil on top. I have stock motor mounts on the smallblock. I can remove and replace the distributor with no problem.

[radical56chevy]

i got a hei in my 56 wagon..283 with stock mounts..only thing have to do is remove wiper motor to install it..its a tight fit but will clear..

[Bluesfella]

Yeah...it all depends on the car, really. An HEI wouldn't fit in mine, so I bought an MSD electronic distributor ("Ready-to-Run" or somthing like that) in a small body. Supposedly is even better than HEI, but was a bit pricey...don't know that I'd go that route again. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

You should try loosening all of the body mount bolts and making sure the body is sitting back on the frame as far as it will go, then tighten everything back up and see how much room you have.

[porknbeaner]

I'm with PakRat32

Other than the fact that you have one already (that's just an assumption on my part) there is no reason in the world to even want an HEI. They're a pollution control distributer and are designed to start dropping voltage at 4500 RPM.
I'm using a petronix unit in both the Chrysler 300 and the push truck and love it.
Of course its your ride.

[Steve Ray]

[ QUOTE ]
get an old CD box, they still work....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2493054443

(I saw one on a 46 Ford with a nailhead in it yesterday)



[/ QUOTE ]

I've got one of those. Does anyone know how to hook it up? http://i22.ebayimg.com/02/i/02/94/fa/30_1_b.JPG

[57wagon]

I put a '70 350 in my 57 210 wagon with a mallory hei dizzy,, we had to use the old 10lb massager on the firewall to get it to fit. We did however try to put the dist in after the motor was in, it might be possible to put the dist in and then the motor, but I was worried about my "driving" skills when putting the motor in.... After quite a few well placed blows, she fit right in there.

[jerry]

stevew ray, the mark ten hook up is

red/white terminal goes to the positive on the coil. white on the coil and the red is the power from the ignition switch.

grey/green goes to the negative side of the coil.grey to the negative post on the coil. green to the points lead from the distributor.

got two of them myself. luckily the wiring digram was pasted to the bottom side of the unit.


jerry