My OEM distributor for my 383 died. I am replacing it with an msd street fire distributor and box. The msd is bigger in diameter than the OEM. My intention is to massage the firewall back a bit to make clearance. Are there better ways than others to get that done? I figure I need between .25" and .50" more for everything to fit. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
points worked really good for 75 years, i'll add this, when they get bad it gets your attention, so then you can drive home and fix it tomorrow. when your msd goes bad it needs attention out on the road somewhere, with no warning
Oops, by OEM I meant for a sbc350. Sorry about that. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Why not replace it with the same kind, or repair yours? Or do you just want the MSD? Never seen a hammered firewall look nice.
A 3" long, 4" diameter, 1/4" wall piece of tube applied with the right amount of force in the right place will accomplish your desired massaging. Oh, and don't forget to thank the previous posters for all their help in the answer to your question.
The street fire distributor is an HEI style distributor. It’s too big. If you want an MSD then use a MSD ready to run distributor. It has the small points body and is all electronic. Don’t hack that firewall up for a big ugly HEI
I had to go small body HEI with my SBC swap. With an external round coil. There wasn't even enough room to mount the bigger coil that came with it.
If you only need 1/2" any good Tin Man with a helper inside can get that done for you without it looking like you just beat the Crap out of it. However as mentioned there may be a better choice unless your locked in on the unit you bought. I'd say come on over but I have no idea what that would mean for you. Personally I like Malory dual point housings with Pertronix inside them. About as small a housing you can get.
*BP/BFH *ball peen @Pist-n-Broke this will give you a chuckle about a "Tin Man" with a helper. When we replaced the 330 horse small block in The Pusher with the other small block we discovered that the tall rockers would not clear, or that you cannot always replace an SBC with an SBC. Well in order to relieve the firewall to clear the rocker covers it was pull the distributer and go after it with a ball peen or our second option was for one of us to hold a bar while the other went after it with a 4 pound hammer. So me being the wise old soul that I am held the bar while the @raven lay into it with the hammer. Uh you know where this is going right? He missed and the helper got the 4 pound hammer. I still got a weird lookin scare on the back of my hand. LOL
Beaner, note I said helper inside although I suppose an over zelous Hammer driver could knock a bar through said cover and still get ya. Dad always said, "Son if yer gonna keep doing Stupid things like that yur gonna have to get a lot Tougher". I shoulda listened better.
Well folks... Here is the slickest way I've ever seen to solve this problem. Way back in the day , Hurst used to sell a kit to install big blocks into tri 5 chevys.. Included in the instructions was firewall clearance for the distributor.. Find a 15 " crescent wrench..bolt a 2" trailer ball into the hole in the handle... Wail away on the firewall..( there was a paper template to mark the location ) The flat on the top of the ball left a nice flat surface... By overlapping the blows you could work a very nice recess in... If you were not greedy, and worked your way around " gently " it didn't even tear up the paint ! I know I'm old...but I can't be the only guy that remembers this... Dave Sent from my SM-G973U using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
That’s what I was thinking, put a small block FORD in it and the distributor is right out in front where you can get to it!
As I remember it (and I'm sorta' old too), the distributor clearance was't the biggest issue, it was the valve covers at the rear corners (although there was "some" tight problem with the windowed style distributor caps). Sometimes, the cap would hit the firewall as the engine torqued around a little, that resulted in breaking caps and rotors. Using a 55-56, 265 distributor took care of that problem easy enough. I say use a small body distributor, of any brand, and leave the firewall alone. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
If you haven't tried it, take the cap off and the rotor off and see if it fits..that's the only way I got mine in and out..1/4" clearance with a ridge just above it ('49 shoebox)
I got it to fit. What I did was took a rounded wood file handle and slowly used a 4lb mallet to push the firewall in. It worked great didnt look too bad. It's not perfect but it doesn't look too bad. Thanks for the help. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using The H.A.M.B. mobile app