Difference between stock single points and electronic distributors?

[67belvodere]

Looking at some online guides to distributor maintenance (Dave's Place - The Lost Art of Maintaining a Mopar Distributor), I was wondering if there is much, if any difference between a points and electronic ignition distributor?
Could you swap the breaker plate for the reluctor plate?
And then swap the upper shaft timing advance portion that has the octagon (v8) for the rubbing block/points for the electronic upper?

Anyone have both in hand to compare? I only have a 383 with points handy and a /6 with electronic pickup to look at...

Thanks in advance

 

[toolmanmike]

@HALIFAXHOPS needs to answer that one.

 

[RussT Plymouths]

I've built a couple Frankenstein distributors like you suggest, it has been a few years though.

The top is swedged to the plate, not welded, and yes they will swap. Ma MOPAR made minimal changes going to electronic.

 

[67belvodere]

Thanks Russ! I figured as much but you never know. Do you know if that part can be ordered separately?

 

[Geoff 2]

If you swap the parts in post #3, note that the total amount of centri advance is different, 17* v 15* [ dist degrees ]. Also rotation is different, one is L other is R. BB dist has opposite rotation to SB dist. Swapping wrong part may lead to wrong rotor phasing. Should be a direct swap as long as right parts are used.

 

[RussT Plymouths]

Do you know if that part can be ordered separately?

Don't know, but never tried. If I couldn't find what I needed in my stash, my local salvage had a junk motor pile or a van packed with several dozen old distributors to pick through.

Geoff makes all good points, and the plates can be turned over if the direction is wrong for your application. If you find a plate with the advance you want on a points setup, it can swap to electronic. I look for 9s and 11s.

If you're concerned about rotor phasing, after all this, hog out an old cap.

 

[67belvodere]

This is all great info, thanks everyone for sharing.