building a locked out OEM bigblock electric distributor, i welded weights, does not have a vacuum can on it (missing), need to lock down pickup coil, does the coil pivot all the way back or is it centered on the plate, (if you follow what i mean?? stock coil pivots on plate)

wouldn't that be the same, or similar to, a lean burn distributor ?
i think those plates were riveted fast, but i can't say in what position.
and didn't some of those have two pickups, with one being retarded for starting ?
those have been a looong time ago, so please don't beat on me too hard if i'm not close to correct on this.

70's style single pickup, vacuum can pulls it on flexible (pivot) plate. question might be where is pickup plate when vacuum can is installed? my vacuum can is missing (not using now) was on originally

one of these industrial plates and a lean burn shaft should get you where you want to be.

napa/echlin MP810 n/a, above photo looks like right in center
vacuum distributor i can move pickup back and fourth 10-15* from center

I think you'd want to phase that distributor cap and rotor and then position the pickup relative to the lobe and only then lock down the plate.

I did one years ago, and moved the advance weights to the fully advanced position
in order to get the phasing right.

Why are you locking it out? Unless you are going to control timing with an ignition box of some sort, you’ll never know how much timing you really have. I’d rethink the lock out.

always ran race car with locked out timing 32-38* use start retard and 3rd gear retard, just building my own distributor

I've used leanburn distributors forever. Along with a crank trigger. Spins the rotor in the cap. That's it. Rock steady timing when you eliminate the timing chain, cam, drive shaft, oil pump, etc, etc.

No reason you couldn't use the OE pickup if you didn't want a crank trigger. Just needs to be wired correctly for the MSD.

I have one too........

Price is right. Works perfectly.

As I remember just use a 3/16 rivet and a washer between the pickup plate and the distributor plate, use the hole where the advance hooked into the pickup plate, drill into the distributor plate. Then I just cut a strip of aluminum and screwed it over the hole where the advance unit went, did a bunch back in the day.

^ this. leave the can installed then pump up the can till the rotor phasing is dead on & drill down thru both both plates for a small bolt/spacer/nut install to lock it in that position then take it apart & clean it up & go back together.

look what i found