hello all. i recently bought a 1968 coronet rt. it's an original drivetrain car. it still retains its factory "points" distributor.

i'm thinking of changing to an electronic ignition. i've been looking at a pertronix setup but i saw a mopar replacement distributor from summit at around 225 bones. i want to maintain a "factory" appearance and the distributor looks t fit the bill.

my question is this: should i retrofit the factory distributor with the pertronix kit or switch to the mopar replacement electronic distributor and ignition box?

thanks for any and all advice you guys can provide.

have a good night, rob

Which distributor is in the car.

Black cast iron dual point

or

Alum body single point?

You could find a pkg of the 2 bronze dist bushings for your dist & I see them 4 sale once & awhile & heat the dist housing/freeze the bushings & they'll drop right in & ream them to fit the shaft. Could get a rebuilt point dist at Autozone (they're cheap)/exchange & add a Pertronix 2 electronic conversion (get the specific flamethrower coil for the 2) & can paint it black if need b. If want electronic dont get the MP kit but get a dist from a JY as the side thrust on the bushings from the magnetic pull is nothing to what the old point setup wear was so near all of em are good & take it apart & toss the heavy spring w the long loop & might start by adding one from the MP kit that has 2 light springs keeping the OE light one. Get a $15 dollar regular Chrysler type 4 pin ECU at your parts house. the real power comes from the ballast/coil combo as the ECU is pretty much just a switch and the ball/coil dictate how much spark energy is prduced & alot of options there. the big yellow Accell super coil w a .8 ballast is a good choice as is a MSD blaster 2 coil w iirc also a .8 ballast. the MSD one could b painted black but there's no mistaking the non stock Accell super coil. THEN max it out by getting each dist adv subsystem near spot on IN ORDER initial (vac gauge method) then shorten the slots to set the total (vac adv unhooked/plugged) 35-SB 36/38-BB are good baselines then springs then hookup/adj the vac adv (if used). There is a case for the MP dist if it is the Mallory built unit w externally adjustable slots if you dont have the hang of R&R ing the infamous clip in the center of the OE types. Also on the dist drive out the roll pin on the shaft on the bottom side and take off the plastic collar and washer & add the right thickness(es) of 1/2" ID washers to get the shaft end play to near zero and peen the tang on the end so it fits into the inter gear slot w no slop and add the ten dollar collar at the bottom to take up slack also. Slide the new metal collar (in addition to the OE plastic collar/roll pin higher up on the shaft) on the end snugged w the setscrew & mock it up & it'll push the collar up & take it out & tighten the setscrew for good (use some green loctite to wick into the threads)as you dont want to touch the collars location and dont confuse these collars w the plastic one up on top under the reluctor.

For that distributor you can go with the Pertronix II or the III

The difference between them is the III has dual strike through the entire RPM range, RPM rev limiter and I think it 45K volts.

Make sure you get the matching coil, the II and II use different coils.

Easy install, solder a wire across the back of the ballast resistor (not required with pertronix) and everything looks stock

Choice is yours, less work for the pertronix conversion.

Just make sure that the dist you use has minimal side play