I've had pretty good luck with my orange box electronic ignition, same setup for probably 20 years. I did ditch the overadvanced MP distributor for a stock one and I can run 89 octane in my warmed over 360 since that swap.

I'm think about updating to a stock look flame thrower III distributor, matching epoxy filled flame thrower III coil, and stock look 7mm wires from pertronix. Mainly to add a rev limiter, hotter spark, and just to update these 20 year old parts in my car since its probably nearing the end of their service life anyway.

One thing I liked about the mopar stuff was knowing if it failed I could swap in an ECU or other parts from advance and limp home. Also prefer the stockish look for my car.

Thought about revenator for the same reasons, the FBO ECU while maybe superior looks too far from stick to me. And both require a different dizzy on top of the cost, where as the stock look petronix dizzy is all in one.

Do the pertronix parts fail often? Are there other options I should look at?

No info on the P but I would Google it. Just me if your dist has tight bushings I would keep it & dial in the subsystems in order:initial/total/springs/vac adv) & get a hotter coil, maybe an E coil & ditch the ballast & some Firecore wires. but that would not give you a rev limiter. Are you sure you need one?

Every reference to pertronix stuff I've ever seen has shown excellent reliability. There are some members who have been running their stuff untouched for over 10 years. I don't have the III but my pertronix setup has been on trouble free for a little longer than 5 years now. I have the level 2 with the epoxy coil. I think I've only ever seen maybe 2 people say they had a failure in the many many times pertronix has been discussed.

And if you carry a spare condenser and points set in the glove box like I do you cn be back on your way in 5 minutes in the unlikely scenario that it fails.

I have a P III for the rev limiter myself, it has been a good unit. Now on their distributor, it has a chevy cap on it, if that matters to you. The epoxy coil is not needed on the street, that is mostly for off road. The oil filed would be fine, but remember it has to be orientated correctly.

The only reason I went with the epoxy is so it could mount horizontally without worry of leaking

I’m one of the ones that bought a PIII and it would not work out of the box. They sent me another one but I have not gotten it installed yet. I hope it works.

seems to me the OEM setup has millions of miles and hours of on the road use in every possible condition.

Pertronix doesn't.

I can get OEM parts in any town in any state in the US.

Pertronix? Who knows?

I had a PIII in my 440 with matching coil. No problems on street or strip running 11.5s on nitrous. The included metal straps for adjusting total mechanical advance made it easy to adjust timing for spray without an ignition box.

The problem with a oem type set up now a days is that it's all made in china, and I know from experience it can't be trusted. Pertronix is still made here.

Actually the Flame Thrower Stock Look distributors come with a Mopar cap not the chevy cap like most billet ready to run set ups. Here is a link.

Summit Link

The horizontal mounting on an intake is the reason for the epoxy filled coil. Granted my trusty oil filled Accel coil has never leaked mounted sideways, but for a few bucks more why chance it.

Sounds like overall, people's experiences have been good. And since I got a conveniently timed Summit speedcard discount in the mail yesterday I guess I will give it a shot.

Ok, that distributor is a recent offering from them.