Points to HEI

[Jester1]

Changing out the 73, Standard 350/350/203. I was reading up on how to do it and know I need to give it 12v from ignition. My question is what one do I need after market. I was wondering if there is a year specific, body shape, shaft, cap, rotation of the earth difference for that model, year, engine yada?

Or will any old $50-60 dollar one on ebay fill the bill. Has anyone had good luck with one seller over the other. I am not planning on getting nuts with more motor, tbi, anything bigger badder better. I just hate points, I mean I HATE points. Old bikes, old jeeps, old 216 chevys. I am done!

As far as I am concerned best 75 bucks I can spend to save my wall from wrench shaped shadows/divits.

So any help is well appreciated. Also know I need new wires.

Or if anyone has one they need to get rid of....

 

[dremu]

I've done it on two trucks,. Second best mod I ever did; best was converting the truck to TBI. Carbs suck as much as points, IMO.

Anyway, I just went down the local speed shop and got an HEI dizzy, came with coil and cap and rotor ready to roll. If you have to go by application, pick a 1975ish truck that's otherwise equipped like yours, as '75 was the first year for HEI.

As you say, new wires are needed. You'll also need a new power wire and the spade connector into the dizzy. The existing one has a resistor inline and is probably too thin and old and corroded anyway. I ran a nice fresh 10AWG to the fusebox, found a spot that is on in crank and run (this is important!) and used that to power the coil. Some guys do a relay but I haven't found it necessary.

You should see at least like 10 volts at the coil during cranking; less than that and the motor won't want to start and the coil will wear out prematurely, IIRC.

I also found that recurving the dizzy to 'personalize' them for the motor is handy. It's a pain and boring and you take the cap off a hundred times, but I felt the difference on both trucks, so it's prolly worth the eight bucks or whatever for the spring kit if your dizzy doesn't come with multiple springs/weights.

-- A