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Distributor rebuild and conversion

7K views 43 replies 22 participants last post by  mlicker 
#1 ·
I bought a date correct distributor to replace my numbers one matching with the hopes that Dave's small body heis would rebuild and convert it for me. Well he no longer provides services to anyone using camaros.net.

Does anyone else do this kind of work? Is this kind of work something local shops might be able to do?
 
#2 ·
It's very easy to convert a points distributor to a Pertronix III set up. I've done a few of them. Rebuilding the dizzy is pretty easy also, but if you want to have someone do it it's a common thing to be done and there are a lot of people/business that can help you. If you were close, I'd be happy to help. I'm sure someone will be along with a recommended vendor for you. I don't have one to give because I do my own work on this kind of thing. Good luck.
 
#4 ·
I prefer this conversion that connects with one wire like your original distributor.

Breakerless Ignition They are also available at Summit Racing and other distributors.

I know Dave builds a very nice points eliminated distributor. But for me, the Breakerless conversion has worked flawlessly for 10+ years. The Pertronics can provide a rev limiter if you need it, while the Breakerless unit does not. That would be the only reason I would use Pertronics instead of the Breakerless conversion.
 
#5 ·
I have run both. The pertronix 2 and 3, never a failure once. Unless you need the correct numbers, they sell a brand new ready to run with points for under $60, it will cost more than that if you need a main shaft.

Let me know what you are trying to accomplish, I have a distributor machine and can set it up for you, or recommend some springs based on what you want it to do
 
#8 ·
Just ask Dave nicely, I think his bark is worse than his bite, I believe he's a decent guy at heart
 
#10 ·
The Pertronix kit is simple to install and for me has worked well on my otherwise stock 67 dizzy. I pulled mine and installed it on the bench and, per instructions, needed to install the included washer (shim) between drive gear & shaft. You measure wiyh a feeler gauge as some may not need the shim but mine did. Simple to install bu just knocking out the roll pin of the drive gear and sliding it off shaft then putting in shim then re-installing gear

You do need to remove the resistor wire (white) going to the + side of coil and replace it with 12 gauge wire from either the same terminal on the bulkhead connector as white wire or just abandon the white wire (tape it back into the wire harness) and run a new dedicated wire from IGN terminal of fuse block to + side of coil. Easy
 
#11 ·
Actually, I have done a few conversions for people on this board, and none had issues back to me during, and after the process.

Now, there is that one person, whom posted his picture two posts above this one, that no matter what, always causes trouble, so I just avoid him. It is not worth wasting my time on him.

As I have said recently, I am not doing conversions now, maybe none in the future, THE ONLY REASON IS, I was bitten on my left hand by a Brown Recluse spider on August 7th, had two surgeries to my left hand for it, 21 days in the hospital in Reno, and the hand may well never be OK enough to go back to doing my work. I'll know by the first of the year if I can do what I do by then. Pictures on request, and it is not nice, nor pretty.

So, please, don't speculate on what I do, or, what others say.....ask me, then tell the honest answer to others, it is very much appreciated.
 
#16 ·
Cardone 84-1835 is $62 from summit, replace the vacuum can to a B28, $15, pertronix 3 $125. So, for $200 you can have a brand new casting and internals. I put one on the machine as it came out of the box. It was one of the best distributor I have run, very steady.
 
#20 ·
It bolted right in as I remember, I can look at it tomorrow and see if I modified anything, if I did it was something minor
 
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#25 ·
The freight is most of the cost. Does the distributor need a rebuild? Vacuum advance can? You tell me what you want and I can get you there.

$50 plus parts and the ride
 
#26 ·
Dave did some work for me, and I was pleased with the results. Crusty guy, but knows his stuff. I have no problem with him. Dealt with lots of folks over the years that were much more difficult to deal with.

No need to pile on saying he is not a man of his word. He didn't offer to post pics on this site. His exact words were "pictures on request". Looks like if he emailed pics to someone on the site, he did exactly what he said. He gave pics upon request. Pretty petty to say he isn't a man of his word, and clearly a foul. Don't know what issues you had with him, but whatever it was, handling it privately would be much more mature than taking a cheap pot shot on a public forum.

Brown recluse bites are no joke, expecially to that segment of the population that is highly allergic. I have seen guys with a bit that resulted in a small patch of rotten flesh about the size of a quarter. They think they went through something really difficult. My wife went through 7 months of hell in 2013 after getting bit on the hip. They had to dig out a giant patch of rotting flesh the size of a football... TWICE. Lots of would care, changing bandages and trying to get that huge gaping wound to close up. The first pic one day after the bite. The second one is a few weeks later, pre surgery after it scabbed over. Third one is after the first surgery. Last one is about 8 months later, and as it looks today.

WARNING: the third pic is graphic.
 

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#27 ·
#30 · (Edited)
Pictures 12 hours after bite, 24 hours after, 48 hours after just before 1st operation, 1st day after 1st operation, then, 1 day after 2nd operation. Renown Medical Center, Reno, Nevada, August 18, 2019.


flat tire, and the rest of you that are so quick to disbelieve, look in the mirror the next time you call someone a liar. You are just not worth wasting time on. Be arrogant, be ignorant, be immature, be wrong, that is what some of you do the very best. Lots of good people on these boards, only a handful of totally useless people like flat tire and company.



Now, back to getting the hand working again.


Don't worry, I won't be back here, you very few with the bad attitudes can flame away as much as you wish to prove you are absolutely not worth knowing.
 

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#32 ·
Now, back to getting the hand working again.
Don't worry, I won't be back here,

Hope you have a quick recovery. Pictures are unbelievable. We have Brown Recluse here and I often find them in the house as we live in the spider capital of Texas. No way to get rid of them all. We'll need to be more careful and look for them.


Don't stop contributing to this site, I've learned a lot about ignition from your posts and I'm sure others have as well; experience makes the best teacher.
 
#35 ·
how is any of this "drama"? if anything its a little ball busting and messing around,,you old farts need to lighten up a bit...and I'm 52
 
#40 ·
Wow, that spider sure can cause havoc. I'm in Colorado and even though it's not listed here, a friend found out different.

Brown recluse spiders live in a region comprising Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Alabama and parts of Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska.
 
#42 · (Edited by Moderator)
I'm proud of you and your kids


but the "drama" or "impoliteness" or whatever you want to call it is nothing more than Dave being a crusty old fart who lost his sense of humour a long time ago. From the first time time I reached out to him about doing my Dizzie build all I got were short terse replys
and I guess I should have just forgot about it,,I decided that perhaps he had a cool little niche going and I am all about supporting the small business owner.


he took my dizzie and then because of health problems, finally sent it to me many months later. he never bothered to tell me he did it for free and never cashed my USPS Money Order, and when I received the box I just placed it on my parts shelf, unopened, until I was ready to install it. he then got really pissed off because I didnt say anything about his generosity, and started a thread on it,,and once I proved to him in pictures that I had indeed never opened the box until he said something,,he went all radio silent and started this **** and bull story about a spider bite
 
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#44 ·
Will the Pertonix modules work with the aftermarket tachs? I'm not sure the brand, maybe OER? I bought a distributor that alread has one in it. I'm not sure if it is a I, II, or III. Also, they will work with the stock coil, won't they? I believe that is where the tach hook up is.

Mark
 
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