Tri-power with HEI dis
 

I've is asked on here about running tri-powers with a hei dis, finally got around to take pics of ours. It can be done.

Way cool!

slowbird,

any special steps required?

Just curious as to what year tri-power is that?

It is a 65 tri-power.
Just ground on back of carb/carb base some and intake. There isnt much movement but there is enough for us to get the timing set right.

Why not just use a Pertronix or Crane XRi system that fits under the stock cap? Or if you really want HEI, why not get a stock distributor modified by Dave Ray to fit the HEI components into a small cap distributor?

Many of us have given up on the Pertronix units. Have installed over half a dozen of them dating back to the company being PeroLux... no more. Dave Ray's custom small body's are great product when he's active, hope he's doing well.

On one of my single point distributors I went with a M & H 1 wire conversion, other two 455 HO cars, am using delco uniset point setups in each car's original point distributor for ease of changing points.

I've had a Pertronix Ignitor I in the L79 Chevelle for two decades, never a problem. I've had an Ignitor II in the wagon for close to a decade. Never a problem. Now, if you try to power them with a resistor wire or leave the ignition on for a length of time without the engine running..... But then neither of those would be the fault of the Pertronix systems. I have had a Crane XRi in the GTO since it's been running, never a problem. Now, the HEI in my truck seems to puke modules about once a year over the past 7-8 years. I do carry a set of points in the Chevelles in the event the Pertronix were to strand me and I carry a spare module in the truck. I've changed the module in the truck on the side of the road at least 4 times, I've yet to have to use the points in the Chevelles. Dave and others have suggested getting an AC Delco coil and an original pre-1975 module for the HEI. I changed the coil and got an NOS module. I haven't installed the module yet as I'll put it in if the current one dies. The coil I took out passed every test possible.

Dave Ray is alive and well and doing work. He is fairly active on Team Chevelle. Anyone with one of his small body HEIs has nothing but praise for it.

I left points & condenser in our two '64 GTO's. After hearing many stories about Pertronix and other systems, I'm good with the points. They never leave you stranded unless a condenser fails or something breaks. They need to be replaced about every 8,000 miles, which means they might outlive me!!

I guess Dave has a good product, but I would be wary about buying a distributor from someone that doesn't have a basic understanding of how Ported vacuum advance works or functions. See his comments... http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=835676