1977 Ford 460 ignition

[lvhdude]

Working a buddy's 1977 Tahiti, 460 Jet and found a marine distributor with points and condenser inside. Has two clips on the sides like the old Fords, but the rotor looks a little different. Wider at the end away from the contact. This is a Berkley Jet, and does not have a covered engine, water cooled exhaust manifolds and exhaust out through the transom. It has a Holley 750, 4150 style carb that is not a marine unit. Does it need to be without an engine cover? The ski tow bar bolts to the intake manifold. So if not does the dizzy need to be the marine unit it has? Was thinking to swap in a Pertronix conversion unit, or maybe a whole stand alone dizzy. Maybe the conversion is a better choice? Thoughts? Ideas? Thanks.

 

[Scott Danforth]

yes it needs to be a marine distributor

no, I personally would not use pertronix.

the boat ran for 50 years with points. probably only 2-3 sets and simple maintenance to get it to last 50 years as a set of points normally last about 15-20 years in a boat before you have to replace them. you can buy 50 sets of points for what you would spend on a distributor. the juice is not worth the squeeze here.

 

[kenny nunez]

You may have a marine distributor. You probably have a Prestolite distributor. If that is what you have points and the condenser are the same as Chrysler parts before they changed to electronic ignition.
Also if the distributor does not have a vacuum advance on the side then it should be a marine style.
Berkeley/460 engines came with Holley carburetors, does yours have down turn vent pipes over the throttle bodies?
I was a Berkeley dealer when I had my shop.