One of my MSD box's I've had for 22 years, been in two different vehicles, still going in the truck. Just make sure its wired solidly with solder and heat shrink and per the instructions and it should be fine. Also, always disconnect it before doing any welding.
If you're still worried about it just keep the little module (#1) to plug back in to get home.
Once you have decent cam in an old V8 the valve overlap will like the better spark to keep it running clean.
Your paint skills are top notch Heath!Thats a good start...next...
replace #1 with an MSD 6AL
remove #2 because its not needed no more
cutoff #3 at the line on the right and then add a small screw and locknut to the arrow on the left, this will allow you to adjust the pickup to fine tune rotor phasing
Then lock the timing around 38 or whatever it likes and it'll be happier assuming your converter matches your cam
View attachment 260746
Your paint skills are top notch Heath!
...very high tech...
I have a crane box, will that work? I’ve been wanting to use it for the rev limiter!! I didn’t know I could gut the hei!!Thats a good start...next...
replace #1 with an MSD 6AL
remove #2 because its not needed no more
cutoff #3 at the line on the right and then add a small screw and locknut to the arrow on the left, this will allow you to adjust the pickup to fine tune rotor phasing
Then lock the timing around 38 or whatever it likes and it'll be happier assuming your converter matches your cam
View attachment 260746
I have a crane box, will that work? I’ve been wanting to use it for the rev limiter!! I didn’t know I could gut the hei!!
It’s a crane Hi-6 and I’ll check that out, I have already bought the external coil for it also..Depends on which crane box whether it will work with the hei or not, it's just got to trigger with the two magnetic pickup wires and then power the coil in the cap(two spade terminals will work to connect to the coil in the cap if you want to keep the stock module intact as a spare), the only piece of electronics left in the dist should be the magnetic pickup, so if the crane box will work with that pickup is the question. Make sure you keep the pickup wires fastened down away from the rotor. Also, once you put a CDI ignition on the spade terminal in the cap isn't the tach signal any more, got to use the box for the tach source.
Don't put too much power into the stock HEI coil, it will overheat. I'd compare the output of the crane box to the 6AL. The coil works fine with a 6AL, an MSD Digital 6+ needs an external coil, too much heat for the in cap coils I found out twice in a row, fine for short trips but if you try to drive them an hour or more they don't like it with too much wattage going through them.
I also like to replace the plug wires with low resistance units like the MSD super conductor or Firecore 50. Less than 50 ohms per foot instead of 1000 or so.
Also, you can replace that little spring loaded contactor for the rotor in the cap with a low resistance one too.
Although these mods are not all required obviously, but when properly setup the HEI dist works very well, it has a large cap for less spark scatter and a good magnetic pickup and the coil is decent enough for most applications.
Yeah if you carry the stock coil, cover, and module, you can go back to stock pretty easy, especially if you get your power to turn the CDI box on from the original distributor power wire (which you know is on during cranking) .Lol I was reading the exact same doc as you. This should be easy then.. I’ll carry a spare coil with me just in case and a module.

It barely has any turns in it now! I’ll have to close the rear blades too!Yeah if you carry the stock coil, cover, and module, you can go back to stock pretty easy, especially if you get your power to turn the CDI box on from the original distributor power wire (which you know is on during cranking) .
Now go install it and let us know how it runs after you reset your idle screw from it idling too high with the new timing.![]()
It barely has any turns in it now! I’ll have to close the rear blades too!
No I actually opened them up way back because it was running weird and it helped me stay in the transition slot up front..Did someone drill holes in the butterflies? Some people used to do that to get large cams to idle without turning the butterflies too far so its not on the idle circuit anymore. Your cam is not that large so it shouldn't need them.
Does it have a vacuum leak?
Nah, engine to small!Maybe front squirter too big