Army_Vet

I have a UHV distributor on the 1968 W34 engine I purchased recently. I did not grab the UHV box that mounted next to the battery or the red coil. Is there an easy way to convert this to a small-cap electronic ignition using an HEI module and a coil in a separate box?

I think I accidently clipped the connector off when I was pulling the engine not realizing what I had.

oldcutlass

If I read your question correctly, I believe all you have to do is pull that distributor and drop in what you want. Change your wiring on the car your working on to be compatible.

Army_Vet

I want to use the UHV distributor because the pickup is similar to that of the later HEI distributors. I like the idea of the smaller cap to avoid having to use a spacer for the air cleaner.

Does anyone have experience converting a UHV distributor to electronic ignition using an HEI module and a separate coil? If I hide the module, no one will be the wiser.

2blu442

Any chance you can go back to get the rest? These setups are worth several hundred dollars when you can find them.

I'd sell the UHV distributor and purchase a different one. You can get one of the pertronix or other brands plus dizzy for under $150. I think if you offered this one up for sale you'll have no problem getting $300+ depending on its condition.

My 2 cents worth.

John

Octania

Interesting
I hope you have learned to treat ALL parts with respect and _dismantle_ rather than cut and smash to get parts. Honestly a tiny screwdriver and voila electrical connectors come right apart.

The pickup is readily available, no problem:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1964-1974-CO...270845&vxp=mtr

cheaper repros at corvette sources.
or, splice on new ends

look for fatigued wiring, broken or exposed at the flex points near the housing grommet, and where the wire flexes inside. What vacuum can is on it?


I think you can use that distributor to trigger an HEI module, I just saw a discussion on this like a day ago so either here of at RealOldsPower.com - someone has done this.

I have the factory drawing of the UHV system, somewhere, in pdf I think.

Yellowstatue

You can't use Chebby pickups on Olds distributors because they run in opposite directions. Please, please, please, go back and get the box and the red coil....A black coil will not work on a UHV.

rocketraider

Gawdamighty that was a rare setup- 111 68 W34 made and even less than that with UHV.

By all means go back and get the rest of it. Maybe you can splice the wiring back together so as not to be glaringly noticeable.

But right now I think your best move will be to get a Pertronix II or similar electronic unit that can hide under the cap. Face it- you've already buggered the UHV to where it's worth considerably less than it would have been otherwise.

Octania

How pray tell can the pickup coil tell what direction the inner part is spinning?

steverw

Look up Davessmallbody distributors, he converts points style distributors to HEI or MSD. He did mine and put the HEI module in the UHV box so it will look like i have UHV ignition but it will be the BETTER HEI version. He had my dist. for about 3 months, looks great, havnt tried it yet. Alot of guys on the Buick site have used him and love the results. Joe Padavano is the one who told me about him.
Here is his number 775-722-3294,or email is info@davessmallbodyheis.com
google him davessmallbodyheis
As i said he had my dist. 3 months, so dont expect a fast turnaround. He is a great guy to talk to on the phone, hes very opinionated, and knows his business. If your car is driveable and you want to drive it I would suggest getting another dist for him to convert or one you can use to keep driving until he finishes the one you send him. I think it was $204.00 total to convert my dist. and put the module in the UHV box. with plenty of wire length "to your specs" to get it hooked up. He has a spec sheet you will need to download and complete and send to him.
Just Google him and read what he has to say. Some of my previous post have pics of the final result. I did paint my dist cap and coil red as the UHV set up had originally. If you can still find NOS red caps there pricy.

Yellowstatue

Due to the fact that the pickup coil is wound opposite on an Olds, there is a strange reaction to the ignition that renders the vehicle non-operable i.e. it runs so ruff that you can't drive it. To clarify, I put a Chebby pickup coil into an '84 Regency w/ HEI and it would not run properly. So I put an Olds pickup coil in and away we went. The plugs on the GM pickup coils are different colours to identify them so as not to get it wrong.

joe_padavano

You can. This is the easy way to "fix" a bad UHV electronics box. Just gut the box, install a later HEI module, and you're done.

Octania

OK, running with the concept that the above is true, and the pickup cares which way 'round it goes...

The UHV type is screwed together.... perhaps one could buy the Chev part, unscrew it, flip over the coils part, reassemble, use it. I volunteer to test a Chevy pickup coil in an Olds UHV distributor if anyone can loan me one.

oldcutlass

Is that like saying to just flip a flat tire over because it's just flat on the bottom?

Army_Vet

When I get back to GA, I will try to get the rest of the pieces. I like the idea of gutting the UHV box and putting in an HEI module. I currently have an HEI in my '67 Cutlass Supreme, and I don't like the way the stock air cleaner fits with it. If I cannot get the other pieces, I might try Davessmallbody Distributor style and mount the HEI module underneath.

If I cannot get the red coil, is there an aftermarket coil that will work?

Octania

Red coils are on epay from time to time.

You cannot just flip the coil over, the wires feed out the side...

How about MSD guts in the old UHV box?
I have a spare UHV box if anyone wants to try this.

Octania

Perhaps HEI era is different from UHV.

This
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1964-1974-CO...270845&vxp=mtr
claims to be a Corvette part. I cannot verify that at this time.

This says Corvette
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=...tart=0&ndsp=18

as do these
http://www.gmpartswiki.com/w/1960779


It is PN 1960779
The 1972 paper Olds PN catalog lists 1960779 as correct for
"67-69 all V8 w/ UHV"

I vaguely recall hearing before that the HEI pole pieces differ and are not interchangeable. Different voodoo boxes I guess. Which then means that if you convert your UHV box guts to HEI, you have to have the proper HEI pole piece for your rotation direction.

Yellowstatue

Thanks...I sit corrected.

steverw

I believe Dave has to turn down the shaft some in a points dist. to fit the HEI pole piece on. He can also convert it to MSD. He will also tell you what coil to use. You can paint it red.

Army_Vet

I got everything from the car. I traded the 111471 distributor with a guy that wanted a correct UHV distributor for his '68 W34. The box and wiring will most likely go to him as well for a bare box that I can use for an HEI conversion. The red coil has a small crack in the top, but it can be fixed.

Yellowstatue

Alls well that ends well...