Mancini Billet Pro Series Distributor...anyone use this before?

[MericaMopar]

Has anyone used one of these before and can speak to it's quality? For the price it seems a bit too good to be true, an all in one billet distributor. I do see you can buy replacement caps and rotors for it from them which is good. I am currently using my original points distributor with a pertronix conversion kit in it. The mechanical advance ears in mine are pretty loose yet also stick a bit which is puzzling, even after putting new springs in it and trying to clean it up. It's also just a PIA to work on and tune the curve. Anyway, for this price I'd rather just buy this all in one instead of getting a refurb unit and throwing my pertronix back in it.

This is the specific distributor I'm looking at: Pro Series Ready to Run Distributor

 

[CBODY67]

What they have done is taken a Delco distributor (think Chevrolet) main shaft and wrapped it in a Chrysler-spec billet housing, with appropriate electronics. Nothing wrong with that, other than possible "tissue rejection", LOL. The mechanical advance limit bushing is an old hot rod trick from the '60s, for serious race distributors, plus the vac advance lockout. Be advised, though, that with that particular level of full mechanical advance, you might also need to run about 15 degrees BTDC base timing, which is doable.

Basically, what you would need it the wiring harness between the distributor and the coil and such. Plus possibly wiring around the ballast resistor, as mentioned. NOT TO FORGET the different terminals pictured on the distributor cap can mean a different set of plug wires to match. Verify that situation, too!

All things considered, it looks like a decent deal provided the quality is OEM-spec at a minimum. But at a potential expenditure of about $300.00 by the time you are done. Aim for the mid-stiffness advance springs and leave the vac advance operational, fwiw.

Enjoy!
CBODY67

 

[MericaMopar]

What they have done is taken a Delco distributor (think Chevrolet) main shaft and wrapped it in a Chrysler-spec billet housing, with appropriate electronics. Nothing wrong with that, other than possible "tissue rejection", LOL. The mechanical advance limit bushing is an old hot rod trick from the '60s, for serious race distributors, plus the vac advance lockout. Be advised, though, that with that particular level of full mechanical advance, you might also need to run about 15 degrees BTDC base timing, which is doable.

Basically, what you would need it the wiring harness between the distributor and the coil and such. Plus possibly wiring around the ballast resistor, as mentioned. NOT TO FORGET the different terminals pictured on the distributor cap can mean a different set of plug wires to match. Verify that situation, too!

All things considered, it looks like a decent deal provided the quality is OEM-spec at a minimum. But at a potential expenditure of about $300.00 by the time you are done. Aim for the mid-stiffness advance springs and leave the vac advance operational, fwiw.

Enjoy!
CBODY67

Thanks,

I run 16 degrees BTDC already as that is what my engine seems to like, i have a limiter plate in my current distributor.

I already have the ballast resistor bypassed as that is what my pertronix conversion called for and a high output low resistance coil. I would have to swap plug ends at the coil but thats not a big deal.

I agree the medium springs would be a good choice, or possibly mix a light and medium spring for some experimentation. The manual says it does come with advance bushings, springs, and tach/power extension cables which just adds to the value and hopefully makes the swap easy. If it is just a delco core with a different housing that could help explain the low price.

 

[Turboomni]

If you get one ,buy two in case the first one fails cause you're not going to find any parts for it at Autozone.
As far as a refurbished unit ,talk to @halifaxhops here on the forum. He rebuilds them and can set any advance curve you want. I ordered one from him for my stroker and couldn't be happier. The Pertronics have been around a long time and a extra hall effect module is cheap and can be stored in your glove box. I understand you are attracted to the adjustability of the unit you mention and if you race or like to mess around with that I see the attraction. As far as reliability goes who knows these days and is why I use points.