Ford distributor help badly needed !

Figured that I'd begin a formal post. I'm lost here, know nothing about this end of the engine and need some help.

I'm getting an MGA readied for installation of a small block Ford (5.0) and have been sorting out the various systems with your help. With the engine in the bay, there is almost no room in the nose, it slopes pretty severely downwards towards the radiator where it seals against air escaping the radiator entry point. Really low tight quarters.

The usual Mallory unilite/dual point, along with the newer questionable (really rotten reviews) offerings from ProForm like the Ready-to-Run, HEI-style, and Electronic Module distributors are MUCH too tall.

I was wondering if anyone was still using the old style original points distributor from '67/'68 in their cars and if it performed decently, and could it be installed in an 80'5 5.0?

Would the Pertronix module fit inside the original early distributor?

What's involved in hooking up an early 80's distributor? Is a CPU required or can the distributor maybe be set up as is with the the module receiving power?

Would a Marine Distributor work in a street car? They seem to have an extremely low profole as compared with the auto application.

Any suggestions for a simple distributor with a low profile similar to the stock one in the 5.0? For this project I need to keep things as simple as possible. Distributor, points, Pertronix, etc., you know?

Any help at all would be terrific!

Thanks,

TC

Oh, simple means really simple. Not a distributor-less ignition from a 2007 junkyard SUV, OK? More like 1967 Mustang coupe simple . . .

I'm using the stock distributor in my '65 Mustang 289 with a Pertronix conversion. I've been using it for 13 years with no problem.

Have an open mind as to what simple means and take a look at this link.

the distributors in the 5.0 blocks are pretty interchangeable - marine engines are pretty much the same as the car engines. The big question is roller cam or not - roller cams need a steel distributor gear - not cast - non roller cams need a cast dist gear. mix n match = very short cam life. Easy enough to switch the dist gears out.

I'd call Jeff at Advanced Distributors. He's an absolute pro when it comes to distributors. I'm sure he could give you advice, or build you a dizzy that would perform well:

http://www.advanceddistributors.com

Umm.... and we are going to need to see pictures of your MGA monster by the way!

Actually MSD makes an exceptional low profile distributor. I don't repair ANY Ford distributors because I always find a worn out shaft and probems associated with that. Otherwise the advice above is perfect.
http://www.msdignition.com/info.aspx?taxid=8&taxid2=124

Yes, YES, YES on the importance of using the proper distributor gear. Get it wrong and things get ugly in a hurry.

I really like the MSD E-Curve as a stand alone solution. It takes a minute to wrap your head around it's initial setup (kinda' back-asswards; you have to physically set the dizzy and lock it down in position at FULL advance) but afterward the nearly infinitely adjustable centrifugal and vacuum curves can be tweaked in seconds with no disassembly.

Jeff

Just get a stock early distributor, change the gear and add a pertronix unit. Problem solved, without breaking the bank.

you can put the early lower profile points cap and rotor on the later electronic distributor, which i think gains you about an inch of vertical clearance compared to the later big cap and you get the bonus of the electronics- but there is that big fugly ignition box that you need to wire up and hide.

PerTronix has modules for both the original single and dual point Motorcraft distributors. Do you already have one of these in your parts collection? If not, what do you have to work with on hand?

If you go the PerTronix route, I'd look at either the Ignitor II or III. The Ignitor II has some circuit protection built in to protect the module. The III adds a rev limiter and a little multispark. The rev limiter is the bigger deal of the two.

I don't know how tall that MSD E-curve is for the 289/302, but it's pretty tall for a Mopar small block. I had one in my Barracuda for a while. Last fall it started acting flaky. Timing curve wasn't matching what it was set for. I need to call MSD and see what it will run to have them go through it. Warranty was up a while ago.

bravenrace wrote: Just get a stock early distributor, change the gear and add a pertronix unit. Problem solved, without breaking the bank.

either this ^^^ or dist for an 85 gt convertible 5spd (if you have a roller cam) and spark box - msd/duraspark...

"Yes, YES, YES on the importance of using the proper distributor gear. Get it wrong and things get ugly in a hurry. "

Completely correct, but only 1/2 the story.

1. MAKE SURE the gear is installed at the correct ht. on the shaft. This means the gear should touch the block/guide portion AND there should be up/down play on the distributor shaft. If you have any questions about this get some help.

2. Pull the distributor and check everything in a couple of hundred miles.

have fun!

Thanks for all of the great help gang, I think that I beginning to understand just a little of what I'm going to need to know.

Here are some more questions . . .

I have a big block Ford MSD and a Buick 3.8 MSD distributor and they're WAY tall for what I need. Unless the picture is distorted, that MSD E-Curve looks to be taller than I am . . . but thanks for the suggestions.

I have a stock '85 5.0 engine right now that I've been sorting out (with the forum's help) that NOW runs pretty sweet. I replaced the distributor module and that solved the shut down problem. This stock distributor is nice and low and I wouldn't mind keeping it if there was a way to run it without the electronics/body wiring hooked up to it. Just use it as a stand alone somehow. The engine will be converted to Edelbrock and carb, so none of the loom for the carb and such is going to be used in the MGA. I THINK that this distributor has the cast iron gear and plain old cam, so I THINK that know what to do when I buy the replacement.

I also have an '88 5.0 heading into the machine shop to be gone through/looked at. This one has an f303 cam which is a roller cam I guess. This engine is almost just a long block I need an intake and carb AND distributor for it. Anyone know if an older distributor from the late 60s would fit this engine? Can I just purchase a new drive gear (steel) for it and have it work with the f303 cam?

Did any of the 5.0 engines come with a points-style distributor that looks like the electronic one in the '85 engine?

I KNOW that this is all ancient tech but I'm honestly in a very tight bind as far as space goes and with every third person posting on the various Mustang forums that their new distributors broke down (bad module, bad bearing, bad shaft, bad whatever) pretty early on, I'd rather stay simple and original but maybe with a tried and true Pertronix installed if at all possible. Just need a little more help in lining up the mix and match of old parts to get things sorted.

As always, THANKS for the help and information ! !

TC