To ensure that the test was fair, we had to make this distributor as good as new, or better. So, before it ever saw action, the stock distributor was treated to a new rotor, cap, and module.

The HEI distributor is an inductive-discharge-style ignition, but with the points replaced by a solid-state switching device called an electronic ignition-control module.

Back in the day, point-triggered ignition system tune-ups were routine and happened roughly every 12,000 miles, along with a set of spark plugs and an ignition ...

Here's the drill. If you have an AMC, a Ford, or a Chrysler distributor with a magnetic pickup, it's really easy to convert to a standard four-pin GM HEI module.