i have looked on many sites and from what i can see the only distributor that will work behind a tunnel ram or roots blower is a msd that requires an ignition box. is there a cheaper one or am i just stuck buying the distributor and ignition box together?

Im thinking that i would like to go with mechanical advance but not sure...what is the difference between the different pickups and the different advances?

 

Anything except a large cap HEI distributor will fit. I use an MSD distributor in mine.

All distributors except the late model computer contolled ones have mechanical advance. Weights and springs inside the distributor will advance the timing as rpm increases. You set your timing to a base timing at idle, lets say 12* and full advance is around 36*. The weights and cams determine how much advance to give and the springs determine how much advance to give at different rpms. Normally the mechanical advance is at full by 3000 rpm. The vacuum advance is for part throttle operation.

Because I use an aftermarket ignition, my distributor is used just for the magnetic pickup. That tells the ignition when to fire the coil. My distributor is locked out to full advance so I have no vacuum or mechanical advance to worry about (race only).

You're either going to have electronic or points ignition. Points is very simple but is also 30 years old. With all the modern electronic ignitions now, using a points or dual points system is ancient. You could always find an old points distributor and have an electronic conversion put inside it.

 

A MSD pro Billet "Ready to Run" distributor has mechanical advance and vacuum advance that is fully adjustable.
It is a self contained distributor with its own built in hi perf HEi module/amplifer. All that is required to run one is to hook up 12v power and a coil (blaster 2)
It has all the spark power and rpm capability you'll ever need. No MSD box is needed.

It will fit with most tunnel rams. They work beauti MSD#8360

 

I run locked timing on my car, only because thats the only way to get decent power from it. But when im just putting around its pretty bad on fuel and tends to foul plugs if i dont get my right foot acquainted with the carpet often.

 

thank you for the help....is the pickup all contained within the cap? there isnt anything that i have to install any where else on the engine to get it to fire on time or am i thinking crank trigger?

 

it is a self contained complete distributor. it has a magnetic pickup and a hi output Inductive discharge ignition module/ amplifier Just like a HEI. It uses an external coil ( MSD Blaster 2 recommended)

You only need to hook it up to a 12 volt power source and
hook up the coil.
Thats why it is called a Ready to Run distributor.
the pickup is not in the cap.
Does not have a coil in the cap either.

No external box required.

 

thanks