I have a 72 with a SD code 350 4bbl with ac. The car has a factory distributor and coil. I am looking to beef it up a little. The car has a edelbrock rpm aluminum intake and cam. I am going to be replacing the edelbrock carb with the correct rebuilt quadrajet. I am looking to replace the distributor and coil to something that will give the car a little more power and wake up the performance some. Is the a distributor/coil combo anyone recommends or is it best to go with HEI? My 69 Chevelle has a HEI but also had a built small block. What do you guys recommend? I dont want the car to be a race car or anything but just trying to make it move out of its way a little more

 

OH...OH... I hope this doesn't turn ugly.
Upgrading from points will not result in any extra HP and unless you are running 5k+ rpm it is unnecessary. Your points distributor will be just fine for street use.

That being said
I replaced my distributor with MSD 8529 Ready to run distributor and MSD Blaster 2 High Vibration coil just cause I wanted maintenance free ignition system.

 

x2 and if it is a stock motor don't run it over 5K or you'll be spending 5k

 

What else can I do to get this thing to move out better than it is now?

 

That all depends on how much you want to spend.
Stock exhaust manifold on still? New Headders would compliment the carb. and intake. I assume you already have dual pipes.

 

If you put in the RPM cam with the stock compression and typical gear (2.73) then that's your main problem. You'll need to rethink your combination.

 

X2.

If you rear end is still stock, upgrade to 3.23 or 3.42 gears would definitely get it moving.

 

x2 Gears

 

I just got off the phone with the guys at Pierce Racing (they do the motors for the inline tube 442's) he advised I change the internals on the distributor to a Crane Fireball Points to Electronic ignition or a Pertronix Conversion kit and replace the edelbrock carb with my rebuilt quadrajet and time it to 34 degrees. I have another set of rear gears but I believe it a 3.73..... not sure will have to have it checked out.

 

Drop in a 455...

 

I wish,....

 

As mentioned previously, you will gain ZERO performance by adding electronic ignition, Pertronix or whatever. I say that, even though I am a user for many years with the Pertronix. What you will gain is like brand new tune-up, all day, every day without having to readjust the points, or replace them when they wear out. But if you drop in a new set of points, it will run exactly like my car with a Pertronix. Some guys will call me lazy, not wanting to adjust the points, but I drive 3 old GM cars regularly, and I like not ever having to think about checking my points.


I had a 1969 Corvette for 16 years, with a 350 horse 350, 11:1 compression and a 6000 rpm redline. On that car, it DID make a difference in performance, because the points would start to float above 5000 rpm. With the Pertronix, it would pull up to and past 6000 rpms.


What ever you decide, you can also pick up some performance by correctly adjusting and maybe modifying the advance curve, regardless of if it is points or Pertronix.

 

The Mallory Unilite Distributor is a nice unit. Just run it with the ballast resistor. I bought mine used and it has since seen 2 other cars. Not problems.

 

I know a lot of people say an electronic ignition does nothing for performance. My findings are when you put more fire in the hole it helps the overall performance package. The stock ignition can be a hindrance when upgrading the overall performance of the car.
The Pertronics unit and there coil is a good package or there drop in HEI is a good package and with the HEI if it should ever take a dump on you you can throw in stock HEI parts to repair it and thats important if you are in bum cluck no where.
Don't want to start anything but there is nothing wrong with having more spark energy than you may need right now.
I did a Pertronics upgrade on my old 330 when I first got my old car and it made a noticeable difference in the idle quality and the overall performance of the engine, I thought is was well worth the money.

 

Thats what I though. I higher spark plus a better tune/timming as well as a better carb to air and fuel will only improve the performance when you add all that stuff up thats what you get.

 

But a street driven car spends the vast percentage of it's time running teens to 2000-3000, sometimes upper 4000 rpms. At those ranges, any distributor/coil is producing, and the engine requiring much less than peak spark. It does become important and beneficial at high rpms, especially above 5000. If it's a modified engine, and running high rpms frequently, then it probably will be better than the stock set up. I DID see improvement with my high revving Corvette when I got on it hard. I had tried the higher spring tension points, and that also helped. But the increased pressure on the distributor can caused rapid rubbing block wear. I was adjusting every few hundred miles and replacing points at 3000 miles, partly due to lower quality points manufactured today.

 

Listen to Mark.
Your cam is a mismatch at this point. You will not gain HP by just throwing money at the car. Every component needs to match, from carb to rear end. Cam is one the last pieces of the puzzle and not first. Cam selection is dictated by compression, TC stall, gears, tire size, etc.

At this point since you already have the cam you have to build around it. By changing the gears you will wake that cam up, headers would be another improvement. HEI should be last on your list. JMO

 

I was mistaked it has a performer not a RPM