If possible I would like to keep the simplicity of the original points style distributor. I know the electronic ones are available but I'm planning on keeping the car as stock as possible. I'll look into Halifax for a possible reman but I'm also looking for an original dual points setup for it. Thank you for the information and I'll do some more digging.
Thanks for the additional information. I CERTAINLY appreciate and understand the desire to remain "stock".
The only OEM dual point distributors happened, if at all, in the earlier 1960s for 361s and 383s. Mopar Perf sold an "adapter tube" to use the RB dual point distributor (which was used into the earlier 1970s, pre-factory electronic ign systems), due to the higher deck height needing a longer distributor shaft. Satiny chrome, but also evident due to the placement of the distributor in the block.
I also desired a factory dual point distributor for its alleged performance aspects. I had bought a factory 440-6bbl cast iron housing distributor in the earlier 1980s from a machine shop who had a machined 440 6bbl motor the owner had skipped out on them and left it there. Probably should have had them assemble the whole thing and bought it, but I was not "in love" with 440s then so I did not.
As it was a used item at that time, I did not expect it to be perfect, but the vac advance was still good. I had read of the added power from the longer dwell period the dual points allowed. In a normal engine, no difference felt in power or throttle response.
What I DID have problems with was getting the dwell spec to match the point gap specs! To the point that I pulled the distributor and used a magnetic base dial indicator to set the points! That is when I discovered a hidden truth we never worried about pre-electronic ign systems. In earlier years, I'd seen comments about when point gaps in the spec range did not produce dwell readings that corresponded with them, the breaker cam was worn and a new distributor was needed. THAT is what I was dealing with on that dual point unit!
In the days when breaker point ignitions was all we had, it was common to get the points on the peak of the cam lobe and set the points there. No problem. They were ALL considered to be "the same". What I discovered was anything but that. EACH lobe peak was a bit different, which meant the dwell reading was NOT as consistent as the dwell meter would indicate. Which also meant each firing event of the ignition would be different for each cylinder! Not the best for ultimate power production and efficiency.
This was in the later 1980s so the next move was to procure and install the genuine Mopar Performance Electronic Ignition conversion kit. Designed to upgrade the points system to the OEM-level Chrysler electronic ignition system. Included ALL wiring harnesses and such to do that. ONE of the advantages of this system is that other than one extra wire running out of the distributor, it looked exactly like the distributor in the car. Other than that one wire, which could be hidden in the wires already running down the rh valve cover, across the cowl to the voltage regulator, with the supplied OEM-spec harnesses to complete the installation, it all looked stock.
I had had an MSD 5C control box I had bought in anditication of owning a factory EI Chrysler, when MSD was the original MSD. Had the Chrysler plug to interface with the factory wiring harness. I had observed at Mopar Nats that the conversion to this MP kit was very accepted in the Mopar community, in all aspects, except in car show classes where "completely stock" was needed. There IS an advantage to using a point ignition system, though.
I wanted to hide the box and found an electrically good point behind the lh front headlight, on a metal stud that located the fender extension to the fender. So I extended the supplied harness, hiding in in the harness that runs along the top of the lh inner fender to the voltage regulator area. I had seen far too many MSD boxes mounted on the rh inner fender and did not want to do that, myself. I wanted everything to "look stock", "as-produced". I got that.
The 440 dual point, like other factory dual point distributors, is a satin black cast iron housing unit. Looks nothing like the single-point and electronic distributors with that one distinctive look. I did buy the adapter tube, too, which worked well to do what it was supposed to do.
ONE other thing I had discovered is that in those 1980s time, the little vial of "point grease" which had been included with EVERY ignition point set since the dawn of time, was suddenly absent in new point sets! That grease for the rubbing block is necessary so the point set will last up to about 15K miles or so before it wears enough to change the dwell and point gap settings. Usually by that time, too, the point contacts had eroded/worn and needed replacement.
The one advantage of ignition points is that as long as there is juice in the battery to produce a spark between the points, as the depleted battery barely turns the motor over, as long as that spark can happen, a spark can get to the spark plugs to fire the engine. All electronic control boxes need at "more volts" situation to fire the plugs. That lower voltage threshold can be up to a full 12 volts on some of the Chrysler hot rod control boxes, by observation.
The OTHER recommendation about using the Chrysler electronic ignition kit is to also ADD an electronic voltage regulator into the mix, for a more-even voltage being supplied to the control box. One of the members here sells quality electronic regulators which look like the earlier OEM regulators. Might even swap out the OEM cover for the smooth cover for a bit more of an incognito upgrade?
There are some posters in here which prefer an points ignition system, which is fine. Personally, I like the OEM Chrysler electronic system for its unfaltering electronic accuracy in firing the plugs. To me, that is the best long-term solution.
I, too, went down the same road you are on. Sought the improvements of a dual-point distributor. BUT still ended up with a factory-look electronic ignition system in the end. "The Clincher" for me was the wear of the breaker cam lobes. I can set points, too, but it is the relationship between point gap, point dwell, and ignition base timing that matters in engine performance.
Sorry for the length. That particular "route" happened over several years for me. I needed to prove the electronic kit was really needed (which it was). That was also when Chrysler was still building electronic distributor engines, so all of the items in the kit were OEM-spec items that Chrysler did themselves. The current kits (of recent times) is now licensed to an aftermarket supplier. The licensing is supposed to mean they are of the same quality as what Chrysler themselves sold, but experiences of others indicate that that might not be completely the case. THEN as now, the kit is the best way to get everything in one place at a good price.
Enjoy!
CBODY67
