I guess I can't leave well enough alone.

When I was restoring the car I purchased some nice Packard SS550 wires on eBay only to find the vintage style straight boots to be incompatible with the MSD distributor cap so I decided to leave the existing wires my engine builder provided thinking the look would grow on me. As time went on the distributor and wires just became an eye sore for me! I pulled the original distributor (dated July 13th, 1966) out of the original 327 and set out to restore it and put it in my big block.

I found a brand new brown 309R cap and 409R rotor on eBay, both sealed in their original boxes. I was going to go with Pertronix but decided what the hell, may as well keep it super old school and stick with points. I went with Blue Streak DR2371XP points and Blue Streak DR-70XP condenser based on my engine builders 50 years of experience. I removed the original grease and thoroughly cleaned the entire housing, then polished the distributor shaft and points cam with an emery cloth. The shaft bushings were still in very good shape so I didn't replace those. After reassembly, it was getting way too much centrifugal advance so after some math, I determined I needed to shorten the advance slot by about .064". To solve this I applied a small bit of weld to the slot and used a rasp to file the slot to the determined length of .381", compared to the factory .445". The factory slot was giving it 28* of advance, now I get 18* of advance which suits this engine nicely. 18* initial and 36* total which comes in at an early 2,000rpm. I am not using the vacuum advance and went as far as to put some silicon on the point plate to prevent it from advancing at all. I went with the Moroso advance kit, using one of the lightest advance springs and one of the medium springs. I also installed a brand new Comp Cams composite distributor gear.

Now the L88 wires are right at home on this restored distributor and it really looks like it would have back in the day. It performs great as well! With the amount I use the car, I probably won't have to mess with it too much anyway.

I love it!

Dang perfectionist... :worship:
Looks nice, Chuck !!

Way cool score!!

Perfect.......freaking perfect!:biggthumpup:

Thanks guys... I have also been working on upgrading the stock fuel system to keep the beast hydrated, sometimes I worry a stock fuel pump isn't enough for a 600hp 496. I made a bracket from 3/16" aluminum where I'll be mounting an old Fram HPG-1 fuel filter and a carter electric fuel pump. Going to mount it to the floor between the gas tank and the rear end. I will wire the pump on a switch and only use it for "spirited driving" and priming the bowls. I thought of mounting it in the trunk like many motion cars but decided this would be safer and cleaner. I need to get started on that project...

Probably my favorite picture of the car... This thing screams period street machine

Pics! We need pics!

Your new dizzy & wire setup is freakin' awesome! Car looks great with the slots!

This is my 2nd favorite car on here…… just a killer car!!

Here's the goods Tim... I made cardboard template then got some scrap aluminum and put it in my father in laws brake. Bent it at a 65* angle and drilled some holes for the filter and the pump. I will mostly hardline this to make for a cleaner install. I think it will most likely be a straight old school draw through system meaning the fuel will always be drawn through the pump whether it's on or off. The pump is a Carter 4600HP rated at 50 gallons/hour and 4.5-8psi.

Thank you! I agree... The slots just give it such a sinister look. All business

WOW! Thanks Crush.... Did I mention it drives as good as it looks?

My daughter lives near LA. When I’m out there I’ll come by for a spin!!!lol

The cool thing about a Day 2 car, they are never done. They most always continue to evolve.

Of course, is any project car ever "done"?

True on all accounts. I understand most of this stuff is way over restored/thought out for most "real" "Day 2" cars but if I lived back then and had the money/knowledge/time to do it like this, this is what it what it would've been :headbang:

Perfecto!! and unless my eyes are just seeing what they want to....there's an old small diameter Coors can around that coil??

Yes indeed, a genuine old timey coors can!

Awesome

----The epitome of badness! This great Camaro has everything it should and nothing it shouldn't. No gingerbread allowed.....Bill S

For me personally, I like the look with the Cragars better but either way, really nice job with the car.

I can't make up my mind if I like the Cragars or slots best. It looks great with either. I love this car.

I like both, obviously... The slots look meaner, the Cragars look classier. I want a different set of front runner 15x4 Cragars. If anyone has a set they'd part ways with, I could be a buyer. The Cragars I have were restored and the guy who restored them put new hoops on them. The holes for the valve stems are not in the correct spot which puts excessive pressure on the valve stem.

It looks like a street "Panther", on the prowl for it's next drag race meal...:cool2: This is a super cool pic and angle.
Owning another LA, Granada Gold '67, you have set the bar very high for what I hope for with mine.


https://www.yenko.net/forum/attachme...1&d=1672266346

This car takes me back to the mid-late 60's when make it faster was all that mattered, wrinkle wall slicks would make it complete for me. I can picture trolling 4th St. for the next victim.
When the Yenko cars arrived in town we didn't give much notice knowing they were no challenge for our home built hot rods.

Nice work Chuck!

Thanks Mitch! It really does look like a wild animal stalking it's next prey.

Thank you for Sharing Bob. Compliments like that from guys who lived it are especially meaningful. I was born in the wrong era, I would've loved seeing stuff like this on the street...

Hear, hear! This car’s a winner IMHO!
Anthony

Thanks Anthony!

For a person too young to have lived the glory days of hundreds of muscle cars roaming the streets, you certainly NAILED the day 2 look, congrats.

My reference to a Panther was a nod to what these cars were called for a long time while in development. Yours being a very early build came close to it.
"On June 28, 1966, the name Panther was officially changed to Camaro."
Interesting article about this here;
https://www.chevyhardcore.com/news/i...-became-of-it/

Thanks for sharing! I have read this story before... "What's a Camaro?" "A small, viscous animal that eats Mustangs."

Mustang Eater

couple more pictures of the engine compartment...

Looks great. A Mallory Double Life in there would look killer.. :burnout:

Looks great. The only thing I would change is the thermostat housing. Great job on the fuel line.

Haha!!! I saw the one you posted....

It is a sight to behold, but, maybe hoses on the washer nozzles...they look lonesome, hanging there in mid air...:dunno:

Good eye! Maybe I should just remove them. The wiper motor is not hooked up. The motor is clocked 120* to fit with the valve covers and is just there to block the hole in the firewall. No wiper arms on the car either... The washer bottle is now an overflow for the radiator

Leave them, their absence will be noted more than the missing hose. Just run dummy hose from the pump to the nozzles and a rubber cap on the third nipple to complete the image.

I would pull the motor and just run a blank black plate over the hole.

I thought about making one...