somebody said this had already been posted here but i can't find it. what are your thoughts on this distributor

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ford-y-block-272-292-312-small-cap-black-hei-distributor-45k-coil-usa-wires/322646614526

sounds to good to be truer have converted several ys to dura spark, including the box 250.00 cn but need a302 ford dura spark list for most of the parts. yours is a great deal if it works

this seller alone has sold 110 of these and there's about a dozen others who have listings. i figure someone from here probably bought one and has input on it.

These Chinese distributors have been available for probably over 5 years now.  I know a lot of people have used them and while I have heard of occasional problems with the electronics, they seem to be generally ok.  The saying you get what you pay for would definitely apply so I wouldn't expect too much but it still may serve you well.  And for what it's worth, the much higher priced MSD offerings have had their share of problems, too.

Someone posted on the Facebook group recently that a Pertronix distributor is coming soon.  We've heard that before with other items but if it does actually happen, it should be a good product from a name brand priced somewhere between this and the MSD.


Lawrenceville, GA

I got mine from FBO performance distributors.  I have had good success with it.  

Located in Harford County Maryland 

With any distributor, new or used, it’s a good idea to measure both the distributor hole depth in the block and the gear placement on the distributor shaft to insure that the distributor gear is not going to be in a bind in the block when it’s installed.  Even the stock distributors can be troublesome in this regard when just moving them from block to block.
 
I recently checked out a new TSP ‘pointless’ distributor with mechanical tach drive capability for the ’55-’57 Thunderbirds and it was good both on the preliminary measurements and test running it on an engine on the dyno.  The carton and enclosed literature did not have any indication as to where exactly these distributors were being made and assembled but very likely they are made offshore.  With this particular distributor being mechanical tach drive capable and there not being a U.S.A. made alternative, this is an easy choice for a new distributor versus hunting down one of those hard to find factory 1957 Thunderbird points distributors.  And if you do find an original ’57 TBird distributor and after paying what is essentially twice the price of one of those offshore distributors, that original distributor may still need rebuilding and converting to electronic ignition.
 
For those instances where the mechanical tach drive is not required, there would appear to be a multitude of choices for a modern electronic distributor for the Ford Y.  Due diligence in researching reviews before purchasing is recommended.  Whenever possible, I do prefer U.S.A. made just to keep those jobs at home even if it costs a little bit more.  On the flip side of this, those offshore distributors I have used for the Ford Y do run okay and at basically half the price of the MSD distributor for the Ford Y.
 
Looking at the Summit site, the ‘new’ Pertronix distributor for the Ford Y will ship 5/17/2021.  On the Jegs site, the Pertronix distributor is said to ship 4/23/2021.  Here’s the Summit link.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/pnx-d135700 

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

It is an HEI design. Which is worse, CHI-COM or GM (or both)?

Chinese knock off's WHY? would you even consider using a low quality, poor performing with No  tech help or parts available distributor in your classic early Y-Block Ford?  When you start installing those low grade Chinese parts you might as well just bolt in a 350 scruby/350 trans and a 3.50 gear and build a belly button car.Do you really want that Chinese distributor with scruby cap starring at you every time you open your hood.... call me a purest but that would be way to embarrassing for me.

FBO DISTRIBUTOR -





SOURCE - http://www.4secondsflat.com/Ford%20Y-Block%20Distributors.htm

Now, if enough people leaned on them, would they cast and machine a BIRD TACH DIST?

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HEI has become a fairty generic term for electronic ignition and most often when a cap with male terminals is used.  This distributor is about as GM HEI as an MSD or factory distributor with a duraspark conversion.

I'm positive that if there were enough demand, a Bird distributor would be produced.  I doubt there is enough demand, but every time I've played dumb and asked pertronix if or when they will produce a Y distributor the response was basically not enough demand... and now it looks like they are making one.


Lawrenceville, GA

HEI has become a fairty generic term for electronic ignition and most often when a cap with male terminals is used.  This distributor is about as GM HEI as an MSD or factory distributor with a duraspark conversion.

Charlie. you forgot to add IMO.

HEI is purely a GM term as it was their design as DS/TFI was to FORD. Most aftermarket vendors design is based on GM HEI. How they get away with using a GM TERM is beyond me. The CHI-COM DIST can usually accept DELCO IGN as SERVICE REPLACEMENT. Now I have worked on many a GM and if that is not a GM design, I will kiss your butt in a public square and give you thirty minutes to draw a crowd.

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Am I missing something here?  Probably!  But going to the Summit site & at well over $300 U.S. just for the Cap & rotor assembly, stll leaves me with a worn bushing Distributor that I don't want to trade in to Cardone, after the problems they have gone thru with their rebuilts. So, now what  ??      


Paul