Hot Rods Dual point distributor, or Pertronix conversion?

Now that I'm finished up with the wagon enough to focus on something else, I want to get back on the '29 roadster with the wagon's original Hemi in it. The engine was rebuilt by the previous owner, but he never had it running. I was able to get it running as soon as I got the car off the trailer by (roughly) adjusting the dual points with a business card and hot wiring the starter and coil.
I admit I'm a bit intimidated by the dual point distributor, and am thinking I'd like to convert it to a Pertronix or other electronic unit, or replace it with a complete new one. I just dropped a complete one in the '63 327 in our sons inboard ski boat, and am really impressed with the way it performs. I believe "Hot Heads" has them, I used their adaptor for the TH 350, but the units are available as drop ins for the original distributor too. It seems to be a good option for the little 276 DeSoto Hemi, which I'd like to be as trouble free as possible.
Any pointers on which distributor or module I could use in the original?

 

I have a 241 Red Ram, 10:1 pistons, Delta HS-61 grind on the cam, Holly 390 cfm carb, and a Pertronix conversion along with their coil.. After break-in I had to run 16degrees of initial advance to get 10.5 inches of vacuum at idle. Reving it up, total advance went to 40 degrees. Hemi's only need about 30 degrees of total advance. I sent the distributer out over the winter to Advanced Distributer in Mn. to get recurved. Jeff Schlemmer the owner initially was not in favor of the Pertronix but after he rebuilt the distributer, recurved it, and ran it on the distributer machine he said the Pertronix performed very well and will be fine. Its been in there over 2 years now and I am extremely happy with how quickly it starts and how well it runs. I got the Pertronix from "Hot Heads along with the rest of the engine parts and my trans adapter too.

 

You could use the dual point and run an MSD box on it. The points act as a trigger and usually the points live for a very long time, using this setup. I want to say someone did a tech post on it here, at sometime in the past.

 

I converted an original delco dual point to the pertronix and was very happy with the results. Used it for a year or so with no problems. However, if you want the ultimate fix and forget, go with an MSD ready to run distributor. I replaced the delco and was amazed at the better overall performance. You pay for it though, the MSD ain't cheap. (delco as spare for trips)

 

So, there's nothing really wrong with it, aside from your attitude.

Change your attitude, get it working, enjoy.

 

I like Pertronix, never had an issue. But when you do, you better have a backup handy. I like Root's suggestion, always wanted to try it. And of course, Jim is right. After reading my post, maybe I should be a politician.

 

Mabey I am Old School but when I built my Race Car in 1968
I went with a Factory Dual Point Dist Tack drive Needle point bearings.
and I still have the Dist in my Mercury/chevy engine.
so thats over 50 years and its till go strong .

just my 3.5 cents

Live Learn & Die a Fool

 

I have dual points in a few engines, two of which are early hemis. There is nothing wrong with points distributors as long as they are in decent shape and you use quality components. The only advice I have beyond this is that it is much better to use a dwell meter to set the point gap rather than measuring it. I had one in a flathead that didn't run very well when I initially set the points with a feeler gauge, I came back later with a dwell meter, set each set of points individually, and then both. It ran much better. It s admittedly a finicky process, but once set, you're good to go.

As I see it, the big advantage to points ignitions is that they will give you plenty of notice in the case of problems. Performance will gradually deteriorate over time, allowing you to get home and perform the required maintenance, while aftermarket electronic ignitions have a bad habit of dying unexpectedly, leaving you stranded.

Dual points are also the traditional performance ignitions.

 

This is the way I'd go:

Not recommending his product, just the first on the google list of responses when looking for adapting a new stock distributor to old cars.
I'm working a an old flathead six and adapting a newer factory electronic distributor. Using newer mopar housing with mods, GM controller with the Mopar trigger.
The reason is three-fold. First the quality of new points and condensers is really bad. Then the perceived need for a hotter spark. Lastly, I want to use parts that can be purchased 7 days a week locally.

 

Yep, the duals lose their edge (just dress & reset). The electronics apparently 'drop-out'!

 

I don't have a problem with running a points distributor, but I don't know that a dual point distributor is the best choice for a street engine. Dual points help with very high rpm operation, which I assume is not the intent with this baby hemi. So you have added complication without a realized benefit. And it likely doesn't include vacuum advance, which does offer real performance improvements for a mostly street application. So I'd be in favor of replacing what you have with a simpler unit, whether that be a single points distributor or a Pertronix unit. IMO electronic ignition is far more reliable, but I don't have a problem with using points ignition either, and that is the type of ignition these engines were originally built with, so it's kind of cool to use them. But Brian, you've been around long enough to know all about that, I'm not telling you anything you don't already know.

 

Hmmm…I must be weird, I kind of want a dual point for the big block in my convertible just for fun.

Plus I like to have things everyone says don’t work anymore

 

The 350 in my Bayliner 2450 has a Pertronix in it from all indications and my back up is making sure that my boat towing insurance is paid up to date.

I have cleaned up points in a guys dad's Dodge pickup on the side of the road ten miles west of Little America Wyoming with his wife's girlfriend's old emery board and a match book to set the points with and got them going but sure couldn't have fixed an aftermarket electronic setup on the side of the road.

On the other hand a buddy of mine was traveling in Canada in his motorhome in the late 80's and had the Echlin instructions for testing an HEI along and when the motorhome quit on the the road a couple miles out of a town he tested the ignition, rode his bicycle to town, bought the part he needed and rode back and put it back together and was on the road again in not that long of a time frame.

 

I’m looking at the same decision with the 330 in my 41 pickup.
Flat top Mallory, OE dual point, or Petronix.
I had such good results with the Mallory in my old roadster for 32 years, but I like the the vacuum advance on the stocker. Mixed emotions on the life of the Petronix and being on the side of the road.

 

I have run the electronic 318 dist for decades. I put a new amplifier on it as the old one was from 1970. The new one failed so I put the original back on. They will work in any Hemi. They are a direct fit to the Dodges but need the drive tab extended for others. It is just a sleeve and two roll pins.
The whole kit is available from Chrysler.

 

I like these two approaches. Folks LOVE the Pertronix until it suddenly craps out. I had several I was going to use on my old touring, kept selling them out of inventory to customers before I got to it. I think in the end, each of those guys had them shit the bed within a couple years. The points I ended up using are still going

 

kind of off topic as well, but I had a freebie 87 suburban, one day it quit running while I was driving around in town....got it towed home, did the testing, had to order a distributor, which only took a day to get. I think that's the only time electronics have left me stranded. I also think there was a time when I was a teenager, and the family wagon had the condenser go bad, and wouldn't run enough to get the last mile home. At least that was easier to get parts for.

 

I'm replacing my dual points in my Accel dist. with a Petronix Ignitor , my question is can i still use my race spark plug wires which are solid stainless wire core ?

 

When I built my Race Car back in 68 I had all kinds of electronic Parts
available to me to use on my car But I went to What a Good Freind
of Mine told me may he Rest in Peace ( Jack Merckel ) and I
went with the GM Dist dual point Tack Drive Needle point.

Just My 3.5 cents

Live Learn & Die a Fool

 

I had trouble with spark jumping to the tubes. You need to run modern boots to prevent this.They tend to stick so a forked piece of wire is sometimes needed to get the boots free.

 

What is a NEEDLE POINT?

 

I bought the MSD plug n play distributor form Hot Heads. These distributors are buried against the firewall in our old cars and trucks. You can hardly see it with the sheet metal off the frame right now. It would be a nasty place to do points adjustment at least in my 41 PU once the hood is on.

 

Try it on the side of the road. At night. In the rain. But hey, the guys say you can get it home.....

 

Well, I DID get running, didn’t I?

 

So the general consensus is those who run points are idiots and this that run electronic ignition are idiots and we are all walking home at some point. Got it.

 

Been driving cars with electronic since the 70s. Never a failure. Tempting Murphy, maybe.

Ben

 

Points work, electronics work.

This is the HAMB, which is about traditional cars. They didn't have pertronix in the 50s-60s....and points still work....so why not use them? if you are building a traditional car.

 

Electronics are fine. But Pertronix's track record leaves a lot of us leery

 

Dual points, run msd box. Msd box craps out, unhook and drive points home.....

Hate Pertronix and will never use their kits in any car I own again, too many problems with them in several cars....