I'm looking into if you can run a HEI distributor in a Chevy 265 V8 with a 2 barrell carb. I have been told yes and no. I was told the 55 block is different than a 56 or 57. It's running the stock air cleaner and stock Carter/ Rochester 2gc carb. The engine is running what looks to be 60's small block distributor. The breaker plate maybe bad, don't really want to put in a Pertronix in what maybe a worn out distributor. So I'm wondering if there is a clearance issues with the firewall, carb and air cleaner? This is on my 56 Nomad, and I was told the engine is from a 55 model that's sitting under the hood. I know the plug wires will need to be changed for a HEI and the distributor needs to be a late 70's model (78 Camero , Impala, Truck with a small block if the swap can be done) Thank you !!
You won't have very much, IF ANY, clearence at the firewall. This is one reason the aftermarket, side mount convertions, are offered in a 1" forward configuration, to gain clearence for an HEI. The other concideration is, 265's originally used a distributor that had ONLY an incomplete oil groove around the distributor shaft housing. It needs that distributor shaft to function the way 265's get oiling to the cam/lifters. It would be better to convert your current distributor, to say, a Pertronics unit. Are you sure you have a 55, 265? The 55, 265, did not have a cast in the block boss for an oil filter, and if it had the "optional" external oil filter, you would see it mounted on TOP of the engine. Can you read and post the block I.D. casting number located on the left rear of the engine bellhousing area? The distributor in your engine now, should be cast iron, with 2 clips to retain the cap, have non-externally adjustable points, and have an external tube to occasionally lube the distributor. Butch/56sedandelivery.
ROB...the engine block's are the same, well atleast in the area your concerned with. the intake manifold's interchange. but the 75 chevy H.E.I. dist. have the LARGE dist. cap. to use it you will have to move the firewall back. ( just where the dist. cap is ) but hotrodders have been doing this for almost 50 years...POP.
If you have good stock motor mounts so that everything is in the correct place the cap will rub the firewall. Won't hurt anything. Used up stock mounts will cause the dist. to rb hard and that would not be good. Could cause the cap to break. My two scents.
Check the 265 thread, the oiling is different but why put a big ugly HEI in there anyway? Send your dizzy to GMC Bubba for one of his rebuilds and/or electronic conversions. A Nomad deserves as much.
I would suggest using your present distributor and a pertronixs lobe sense module. Odds are your unit is ( or could be made that way) in good shape. Keep the old school correct look and drive it..... Hamber cost would be $192 with free shipping and new cap rotor and vacuum advance. Can return to you the same day we get it in.
pertronix.....I've used three of them without a single problem. Easy to install, then just set your timing and go.
Thank you guys ! I think I'll go with GMC BUBBA and have the Pertronix done and have the distributor gone thru !
hei available in 64.......... on some factory installs the spark was found to jump to the factory air cleaner[bfh fixed that]or to the firewall.... took longer to find that the spark from the built in coil bored a hole thru the rotor to find ground in the dist housing usually damaging the control module.........so much for g/m engineering...you think they would of tested this better.........those of us that found these problems had no choice but to use factory tune up parts until the after market brought out their heavy duty parts such as blue streak....
Odd that someone would put a 55 265 in a 56 Nomad; maybe it was all they could find. I had a 58 Chevy 1/2 ton pickup truck that was an EX-Navy vehicle. Still had the Navy gray paint. And, it had a 55 265 in it, and did not have any oil filter at all, many of them came that way, as the oil filter was an option when new. It was a 4 barrel motor also, ran good, but had a rear main seal leak. I replaced that rear main rope seal 2 times, and it still leaked. When I sold it, the new owner converted it to FWD, and put a new trans and clutch in it. When he pulled the flywheel to get it resurfaced, he found the rear cam soft plug was cocked, and that's where the oil leak was. That little motor was a good runner, hope yours is too. Butch/56sedandelivery.
I have a hei conversion in a stock unit. The web site is davessmallbody.com. Been using it for 5years and have been happy.
Hi Butch, I have the original 56 Power Pack engine in the garage, just missing the air cleaner , and exhaust manifolds. The Nomad I bought from a friend and was just roller at one time, (engine was in it, but was worn out) He was offered the 55 engine to make it a runner( which it run's great) I'm hoping sometime down the line to rebuild the power pack engine and reinstall it. Now I'm just happy to drive it and enjoy it. Just working out the distributor issue.
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