I am in the process of changing out the original points ignition on my 65 2 dr post. I know the first gen hei only needed one hot wire to function, but later versions had 4 or more wires and others had an extenal coil, which I happen to own 2 of right now. Can I adapt the 89 external coil HEI to function properly on my ol' 65?

What about this Axcell points eliminator kit?

Thanks for any help!
Nodak

I don't believe that the type that you have, has a vacuum advance. I installed a electrontic ignition kit in my stock distrubutor, and I love it, everything still looks stock, and don't have any clearence issues with the cap & firewall. I believe the kit was a Pertronix.

With nothing more than a stock HEI in good condition and a proper advance curve, our L78 would go 6500 without any sign of breakup.

you could use the later model small body HEI, but you'd need to buy an aftermarket box to control the timing curve. from a pure cost standpoint- it's probably not worth it. you'd be better off either getting a 75-80 large cap HEI or putting an electronic conversion kit in your stock points distributor.
these days, it's almost not worth screwing around with junkyard distributors- you can buy decent complete brand new HEI distributors brand new for under $100 that are ready to drop in and run. they are made in China- but any replacement parts you are going to get for a junkyard HEI are probably made in China, too.

While doing your conversion it's best to upgrade the ignition wire also. The HEI needs a bit more juice as it also puts out more..:)

Can I adapt the 89 external coil HEI to function properly on my ol' 65?
Define "properly".

You could install the marine module, you'd have electronic "centrifugal" advance, but no "vacuum" advance. The engine would run, but you'd have poor fuel economy.

You'll need some special wiring harnesses to make it work; and you'll have to have a wiring harness that's used as a "special tool" to do the initial timing.

I think you'd be better off to use the old-style big-cap HEI. Plenty of 'em around, and they're not expensive.

Where in nodak are you?

you can buy decent complete brand new HEI distributors brand new for under $100 that are ready to drop in and run. they are made in China- but any replacement parts you are going to get for a junkyard HEI are probably made in China, too.
No need to patronize the Communist collaborators when Genuine Delco HEIs are readily available and probably BETTER than the imported crap.

thank you all for the quick and informative responses. I think I am gonna give the Accel points eliminator a whirl. will update with results, hopefully soon...

Nodak

Schurkey, I am in Park River, North Dakota.

you can buy decent complete brand new HEI distributors brand new for under $100 that are ready to drop in and run. they are made in China- but any replacement parts you are going to get for a junkyard HEI are probably made in China, too.
You have to be carefull with some of those distributors, you can't just drop them them in, set the initial
and hope for the best.
A friend's "Procrap" mechanically advanced well over 40 degrees ! All up 68* @ 5000 rpm ! Not good.

thank you all for the quick and informative responses. I think I am gonna give the Accel points eliminator a whirl. will update with results, hopefully soon...

Nodak

Or you could send it to Dave Ray aka IgnitionMan. www.davessmallbodyheis.com (http://www.davessmallbodyheis.com) Put dist conversion in the email title.

You have to be carefull with some of those distributors, you can't just drop them them in, set the initial
and hope for the best.
A friend's "Procrap" mechanically advanced well over 40 degrees ! All up 68* @ 5000 rpm ! Not good.
i've put 3 of them in various cars so far- 2 Proforms and one MSD Streetfire- and all 3 of them had a nice solid 20 degrees of mechanical advance in them that came in nice and steady, with vacuum advance that varied depending on how it was adjusted on the MSD. they all looked and felt like quality parts for the price. yeah, i know how mechanical parts "looked" and "felt" doesn't mean much, but i've seen some Chinese junk that looked and felt like Chinese junk.
and why were you setting a distributor at 28 degrees initial? that's a bit much..

why were you setting a distributor at 28 degrees initial? that's a bit much..
OOPS sorry, I meant 58* total 18* initial :clonk:
Yeah I've had no problems with US and some of the better import dizzy's, but that particular brand is one to watch when you're setting them up.
It just kept climbing the more rpm we gave it, I didn't think there was that much room inside for the bob weights the fly out that much :confused: This was after he detonated a piston at the track :sad: