[NeighborsComplaint]

I decided to replace my GM HEI with an aftermarket unit after finding spark scatter from worn bearings. I had bought a ready to run unit (import) from Skip White a few years back as a spare I was going to use but I've since read more recently they can be hit or miss in terms of reliability.

I came across an NOS Mallory HiFire 75 Series in HEI config for $150 . It comes without coil but it accepts standard GM style coil and cover. Is it a reliable distributor? At that price it seems like the way to go.

Opinions/experience?

[77 TRASHCAN]

Suntuned might know. He has a bunch of experience with many brands.

[Sun Tuned]

Since they told me my customer service skills are much like that of a troll, lemme take a shot at fixing that.

The early ones they did were not bad. I’ve not seen what they were doing there at the end of the most current ones they did. So I can’t speak on those unless someone wants to let me look at one.

The early ones had a nice fit and finish. Not too terrible much clean up or fussing around needed to be done on them. Just check and setup the curve and check em for spark output. Think I’ve worked about 8 or so… so that hardly makes me an expert on them. But of the 8 they were purty good .

For 150 if you can’t find an original you certainly aren’t getting hurt.

Hey y’all forgot to mention our very own Rocky Rotella in that other thread… he can set them up too.
And his people skills are way better than mine!

[Sun Tuned]

I forgot to mention the coils. I did like the early ones they were really good also. However, almost just about everyone’s in cap HEI coils have gotten much better than they were even 10 years ago.

Still not real super fond of the 60.00 distributors off eBay , but they will rpm good.but even they have gotten somewhat better also.

Since you don’t have the coil with the distributor, I’d say grab a street/strip coil from Performance Distributors. I sell them just the coil by itself as most really don’t want a cap also for some reason. They only sell it as an assembly or kit.

The last ones I got local from NAPA are good also if you don’t want to do the other. Just be sure to install it with both ground straps in place.

[NeighborsComplaint]

So it's not like this $100 better (plus coil and cover) than the Skip White unit I already have? I notice the mechanical advance limit is adjusted by loosening and rotating the base plate on the base plate and the curve is adjusted normally via springs with no weights required. There is also a built-in rev limiter. Seems like this would make tuning less complicated for someone like myself whose patience for this kind of stuff wears thinner than the hair on my head the older I get.

[Sun Tuned]

I like it better. But it would be easier for you to setup the Mallory yourself. Really just saves you from looking for a proper center cam, or welding in a limit stop. The other distributors need a fair amount of handwork to be suitable.

The cheaper stuff ALWAYS has to have more piddly stuff done to them. That’s why they’re cheaper.

If it were mine I’d go to NAPA and get a real nice coil for it. Set it up and enjoy it.

I have a friend that went to Hot August nights recently and said there were huge numbers of the cheap shiny eBay HEI stuff, the 60.00 ones everywhere you looked. In cars and for sale. That’s kinda sad because they need a bunch of work. But everyone pulls em outta the box stabs em in and just goes. If it flies apart, it was 60.00, another 60.00 and back on the road.

When they figure out that the curve ain’t quite right, and that there are other potential issues…. Well then that’s why there are posts all over about why don’t this work right, or how does this work, or who can fix this correctly…

They’re cheap for a reason. I have never seen anyone’s out of the box mass produced stuff work correctly for a specific application. Unless it came out of a box custom built specifically for THAT application, in which case it’s not gonna be a 60.00 or even a 100.00 part.

[NeighborsComplaint]

Thanks for the advice. We're on the same page regarding tunability on that Mallory unit. I just bought it and will pick up a coil and cover for it.

[NeighborsComplaint]

You know what they say about the best laid plans ... placed my order and later in the day the seller cancelled my order. He claims he "thought" he still had one left for Pontiac but was out of stock. I'll call BS on that one as he posted pics of the actual distribution showing qty 2 and 1 sold. Such is life.