Anyone Here Restore Distributors?

Discussion in 'Sparky's corner' started by 2manybuicks, Sep 14, 2023.

  1. 2manybuicks

    2manybuicks Founders Club Member

    Have a factory correct Distributor lying around for 65 425 Riv GS.

    Does anyone here rebuild / restore them?

    Unit in car is dual point. This one is single point.

    Should I upgrade this in someway? Just want it to look stock.
     
  2. gsfred

    gsfred Founders Club Member

  3. VET

    VET Navy Vet, Founders Club

    Buy an electronic conversion ignition kit from Stage 1 and forget the points. Call Todd Miller, he doesn't say what year this kit is for.
    Can be used on 455 and 350 Buick engines.


    Here is his Ad: Buick 455 Distributor Rebuild Kit with Lectric Limited’s Electronic Conversion Kit
    This kit provides the following items to give your Distributor a Professional Restoration:

    • American Made Distributor Cap with Brass Contacts
    • Rotor
    • Vacuum Advance
    • Lead Wire
    • Lead Wire Grommet
    • Felt
    • Felt Retainer
    • New Gear & Pin (350 Gears also available if you’re rebuilding a 350)
    • Lectric Limited Electronic Conversion Kit
    Note: This Kit will also work for the Buick 350 Distributor simply by switching the Gear!

    If you’re wanting this kit for a 350 Distributor let me know in the Notes section at checkout.
     
  4. TrunkMonkey

    TrunkMonkey Totally bananas

    I have been running a Pertronix Ignitor III and Pertronix flamethrower on my '64 Skylark with 2x4 nailhead for years and about 15 thousand miles. Not one issue with ignition. In town cruising, and highway for 10 hours both ways, plus cruising for a week in between for yeas since 2016.

    I did lose a coil in the first few days, when the coil wire "pushed up" out of the coil and caused a very high resistance condition where the coil wire terminal and coil socket disconnected and cooked the coil. I also had used di-electric grease on that boot.
    (all of this occurred in about a 3 day/20 mile realm)

    After that, I sanded the coil "tower" (top of the coil where the boot mates) so the wire would not migrate and lose connectivity, cleaned the silicon grease from the tower and the coil wire boot, and have had no issues since.

    I have done several installs for other folks using the Pertronix III and have had no complaints from any of them.

    If the distributor is in good condition, bushings, runout and endplay are all in proper order, converting to Pertronix or similar "point elimination" systems are not difficult, and work very well. Just follow the instructions if ballast resistor or resistor wire is needs to be bypassed.

    YMMV...
     
  5. TrunkMonkey

    TrunkMonkey Totally bananas


    If you don't find anyone that works for you or your application, PM me and if I can help, I'll do so.

    If bushings are within spec, it makes things easier. Pertronix is one option, refurbish to "factory" is another.
     
  6. 87GN_70GS

    87GN_70GS Well-Known Member

    Ken at Everyday Perf does
     
  7. wkillgs

    wkillgs Gold Level Contributor

    Tom Telesco and Centerville Auto can also go through it for you.
    Very important....you do want the proper mechanical and vacuum advance curves for it, either a stock 2x4 curve or modify it to suit your car and driving style. The 2x4 dist has a different curve than the 1x4 unit.
    Take your pick of points, Lectric Limited 1-wire, or Petronix units to fire it.
     

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