acavagnaro

Hello and thanks in advance for any assistance.
I have a '69 442 (400ci, 400TH, PS, PB, AC) with an original style 55 amp alternator and replacement factory dash and engine harness. It has the original mechanical distributor which I upgraded with a Pertronix unit many years ago (no points).
I'm going to be rebuilding the engine and will switch to an HEI distributor and my question is, what is the best and cleanest way to wire the HEI. I DO NOT want to cut the wire harnesses so please don't respond with 'just splice into...". I read a recent tech post regarding wiring an electric choke and that is a great example of a professional style upgrade. That's what I'm looking to do here.
I'm being told that all I need to do is tap into a 12V source, such as the ignition, but is there an existing terminal somewhere on the car I can use rather than have to splice in somewhere? Accel sells a nice 2 lead connector (12V & tach) to plug into the HEI unit and I'd like to have a clean and neat set up going from this connector to the source voltage.
Also, what should I do with the existing harness lead going to the coil? Will it be safe to cover this (e.g. heat shrink) and tie it off somewhere out of the way?
Any assistance will be appreciated and a simple wiring diagram would be great!

thanks

don71

The fuse box inside, might have an un used spade you can tap onto. Just make sure its on with ignition and run positions selected. You don't want it on all the time.

That wire coming from the coil can be covered and placed back in the wire loom, and no one will see it.

You'll find that this is very simple to do.

oldcutlass

Or you can wire in a relay to be triggered by your resistor wire, to supply full battery voltage to the HEI.


hei.jpg

Fun71

My car has a spade terminal in the center of the fuse block marked IGN that I used to power the HEI distributor. Not sure if a 69 would have the same thing.

I taped off the terminals on the original resistor wire and the wire from the starter, coiled the wires up, and stashed them out of the way behind the brake booster just in case the points distributor ever gets reinstalled.