I have never run a Pertronix, then again I have never had an HEI failure, nor have I known someone that personally had one fail...
like anything, there will be failures, and you always here about the failures, but rarely the "sucess" stories... If the HEI was truly prone to failures, would GM have kept using the design in millions of production cars? Perhaps people running a cheaper quality module are typically the ones having the problems, but cheaper quality parts often do have issues (hence peoples distain of "chinese and other imports junk).
I do agree that an OEM version is probably the best choice. But then again, its still and old used distibutor 9does anyone know if newer Delco HEI's are "US-made, quality pieces? or are they questionable now?
One issue I see with using the Pertronix, is that you are still (most likely) using it on a worn, 35-50+ year-old distributor... I don't know if worn shaft bushings affect the pertronix performance...
As for the Summit HEI, I run the $89 version(no wires, but included a 50Kv coil), I have one in my Chevelle, it has an adjustible vacuum advance cannister. The Mechanical advance curve was already set up right where I wanted it (IIRC, 18 degree Mech advance, "all-in" by 2800 crankshaft rpm). My car has 12.34 seconds (1/4 mile ET) at 110 mph with it... I eneded up using a Summit ignition box (for the rev limiter), so I have no idea how well the Summit-supplied module would be...
IMO, there's also a 3rd choice... Dave's Small Body HEI's (assuming Dave is still doing these conversions)... Dave uses standard HEI parts, but mounts them on your stock distributor (you send a core)... His conversion (IIRC) uses ALL commonly available HEI pieces (he gives a listing of Napa part numbers), and it works with a standard external coil, so it can look fairly stock. It uses the stock "points" cap and stock wires. Dave also fully rebuilds the distributor (chromes the shaft and re bushes it, etc), so its truly like new (as opposed to just new electronics inside an old worn distributor)... Finally, he sets the curve up to work with the engine specs you supply...
He mounts the module UNDER the stock distributor, so you can see it, but you have to look for it...
I used one of Dave's on my old Chevelle, and it worked GREAT as long as I had the car... I was running a Dual Quad intake, so a standard HEI wouldn't fit...
I originally bought my Summit HEI as a temp solution to get a car running that had no wiring harness (just needed one wire). By the time I found a junkyard distributor, new cap/rotor, hope the coil and module are good, etc etc, Ifigured the $89 was a good deal (I was also extremely busy, and didn't have time to scrounge the wrecking yards during the day)... Its worked so well, I bought another ( for the same car/temp solution I bought the original one for)