Skip White HEI distributors

[Bamamav]

Anybody here ever used one of the Skip White HEI distributors for a 302? I was looking on eBay, and I can get a new HEI from them for less than a steel gear to go on my points distributor. I don't really care for the huge HEI cap, but the small cap versions they sell don't have the proper gear for the roller cam. From what I can dig up, they are probably machined in China and assembled here, and are supposedly the same distributor as the Mallory or Accel version, but sell way cheaper.
I haven't made my mind up yet, but I was thinking brand new vs 50 years old, and more or less plug and play. Everything I read on them was good, a few didn't like them, but you could have that in anything aftermarket. Any real world experience here?

 

[dutch]

no experience with them, but in general, I`d rather have factory stuff rebuild over china crap all day long. Word is they can build good stuff there, just haven`t found it yet...

 

[Old Iron]

I'd at least try them out.
If not then install a Petronix module in the old dizzy along with the roller gear.
At this point you will have more in it than the aftermarket dizzy.

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

If you can buy a complete ignition for less than the price of a gear, something's wrong.

I don't know what Skip White sells, but generally speaking, you get what you pay for. Most cheap HEI's are Pro Comp junk. (Search Pro Comp HEI and draw your own conclusions.)

Proform produces HEI ignitions with OEM quality components and tolerances... day and night difference from the Pro Comp, uhhh, stuff. I have a tech article saved somewhere, I'll try to find it...



Update/edit:

Not quite what I was looking for, but the message is the same...

As far as country of origin of the various distributors, Skip White, Speedway, are same-same as PRO-COMP Chinese JUNK. All these, and the NO-DOLLAR E-Bay garbage are made in the worst electronics factory in China. AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE.

Now, that GM dist IS also made in China, by PRO-FORM, and is of excellent quality. It, and all GM crate, ZZ, GMPP distributors are made in the best electronics factory in China, and are also marketed as Delco-Remy replacement, Delphi and other good quality brands. THIS IS THE GOOD STUFF.

We have a Proform HEI for our 351W Mustang project. The large body vacuum advance might interfere with the intake runner and force a tooth adjustment. (I didn't have to do that with the old motor and the new one is still on the stand with a different manifold. I won't know until we put it back together.) I also had to change air filters to clear the big HEI.

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[Bamamav]

I read that same thing last night Dr C., that's why I asked for any real world experience. Module is no biggie if it doesn't last, can get a good one at any parts house. My concern is more the shaft and housing and bearings, are they up to snuff or off enough to cause problems?

I may just get a reman Duraspark and run it off a GM module. Will be after the holidays before I get to do anything, just weighing my options.

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

Some years ago, a friend asked me to buy an ignition and hold it for him 'til he passed through. No problem. (My friend was a truck driver, like you. )

When I arrived at the seller, he was also somebody I knew. I picked it up and looked it over. The quality was obviously poor and the shaft was sloppy in every direction... no bearings that I could see or feel, bushings only.

That's all I have for you in real world experience, Bama. I was not impressed whether it had a bearing in it somewhere or not. It was pure crap with few miles on it. The seller was not mechanically inclined and didn't know the difference, but it gave him trouble, as you can imagine. His replacement ignition is still serving him well as far as I know!

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[hankthebigdog]

I have bought three from him over the past few years. Two are working fine with one havine around 10,000 mioles thus far. One has around 6000 miles with no problems and one went bad within 2 weeks. He did replace it and it is doing ok for now.
I used a chevy big cap made to go in the 400m ford motor in the rat 29. The other is a big cap chevy in sb chevy and the one that went bad was in a 302 ford motor. Just my experience with them.

 

[Bamamav]

The more I think about it, the more I'm leaning to going with a Duraspark and using the GM module. Just a few bucks more, and I know the distributor should work fine. Plus, it doesn't have the big bulky cap the HEI does, which I never cared for in the front of the motor on the Ford. OK on a Chevy where the air cleaner hides it somewhat. I like the idea of everything in one place like the HEI, but I can put the coil on the fender and the module beside it or even on the bottom outside the distributor.