You could outfit your distributor with a new distributor shaft (with mechanical advance), vacuum-advance can, and electronic ignition module, but as you can see, just about all you would have to reuse is the distributor housing. This would be quite costly, and a new HEI would probably come in a bit cheaper. If you wish to go with a new HEI, it would swap directly in place of your current distributor. Pick up a new HEI from GM under PN 93440806. Another option is to check with your favorite manufacturer and pick up an HEI replacement. Most mail-order houses have them, and MSD also offers its Street Fire HEI (PN 8362) as a direct replacement.
As soon as you give your little 305 some advance, the performance will pick up, as will the fuel economy. I bet you will see at least 3 mpg. With the price of fuel, it won't take you very long to pay for that new sparker.
Sources: gmperformanceparts.com, msdignition.com
SLIP & SLIDE POWERGLIDE
Q:I just built a 350 with TFS Twisted Wedge heads, a 280 Magnum Comp Cams camshaft with 1.6:1 roller rockers, a Performer RPM Air Gap intake with a reworked Holley 750-cfm vacuum-secondary carb. I had it dyno-tested and got 411 hp at 5,600 rpm and 410 lb-ft of torque at 4,250 rpm. It appears to be a strong street engine, and we're planning to put it in my dad's '65 Malibu. It has a 327, a Powerglide trans, and a 10-bolt rear with a 3.73:1 posi. I wanted to go with a TH350, but Dad said the Powerglide has to stay. His car, his rules! Can I get the Powerglide to work? What stall converter should I use? Do I need to put an extra trans-fluid cooler on? I know the 3.73:1 gears will work. I'm looking to run mid to low 13s. Any input would help me greatly.
Big Dave
Via e-mail
A:Back in the day, Powerglides were the first thing we swapped out for a three-speed auto or a Muncie four-speed. The very high 1.76:1 First gear left our low-powered cars sitting on the starting line. With all the easy-to-make torque running around these days, the Powerglide isn't such a bad choice. For many years now, it has been the only choice for racing applications. When you get the gearing right for the finish-line rpm, the three speeds have too much torque multiplication, and traction problems ensue. Also, of all the automatics, the Powerglide takes the least horsepower to turn. Let's find you some components to make your slip-and-slide live.
You'll need an appropriate stall speed for your engine buildup. For a good balance of street manners and performance driving, you should use a converter that stalls around 2,500 rpm. This will get you into the meat of your torque curve quickly and allow your Malibu to accelerate. Check with Hughes Performance or B&M Racing. They both still offer torque converters for the Powerglide, and both have furnace-brazed fins and are balanced. The Hughes Street Master 2,500-stall converter is sold under PN PG25, and B&M's Holeshot 2,400-line unit is sold under PN 70411. Either converter will work well with your combination. What is the condition of the Powerglide in your dad's car? Is it fresh or does it have a bazillion miles on it? If it's in serviceable condition, you'll need to add some type of shift improver kit. This will quicken up the shifts and reduce the heat generated by slippage. Look for either the Hughes reprogrammer kit (PN PG2S) or the B&M Transpack shift improver (PN 70228). Both will give you the ability to tailor to your driving style.