I have a 42 Ford flat fender jeep with a 225 v6. The vehicle came with a dual point Malory distributor and I don't have the stock one.
The Malory is tired and needs to be rebuilt. I was contemplating switching to a HEI 231 v6 odd fire set-up. Is there any advantage
to the dual point system over the standard points or the HEI? Is it worth switching over to some other set-up.

The dual point distributor was a early 70's invention.....it gives you increased dwell time. The points were offset in relation to the distributor shaft's cam lobes. That is, one would close, as usual......the other a certain number of degrees later......the "lead" set of points would open ......but the "lag" set of points would remain closed until the lobe opened them.....hence your coil would have more "dwell" time to build a charge. It is pretty much antiquated in comparison to an HEI .....which can develope much more voltage than your otherwise conventional setup. It is a neat souvenier from a more user friendly time in automotive history.....another rare find is a "Double-Life" distributor ......it too was a dual point .....but not for increased dwell time.....it was for extended point life..it was supposed to do an "every other spark" thingie for each set of points...I never saw one.....but they were supposed to be impossible to set up correctly unless you had a distributor machine.

Well .... Dave, and others, had to make me "not correct" about the 70's invention part of my post here.....I should have correctly state "reached the aftermarket"......since the dual point was the "hot setup" at that time and was not available for any domestic vehicle (passenger car) OEM at that time.
Get an HEI
GeeAea

One really good thing about dual points is that they enable you to be twice as happy when you get rid of them.

[img]/wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] The Dual Point Distributor was the answer to the need for more intense fire in modern, post-WWII high-compression V8 engines. Chrysler began putting in dual points with the introduction of the their '51 Chrysler Hemi 331 (boy did I have a love affair with those engines!)[img]/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif[/img]and scads of after-market, dual-point distributors were available....some even had dual coils.[img]/wwwthreads_images/icons/crazy.gif[/img] As GA pointed out, the whole idea was to get more "closed points" or "saturation time" for the coil to build up before it was called upon to fire again. As he mentioned, the points were arranged to have one JUST OPENING when the other was JUST CLOSING....giving the shortest possible interval. On the big NAtural-Gassers, as in stationary engines of HUGE porportions, they used a coil per jug, and the distributor had as many sets of points as there were cylinders. It was in efect, a distributor on the PRIMARY side. That was to get more spark to burn the stubborn natural gas better. NONE of those systems can hold a candle(actually a spark plug) to the HEI 55,000 volt setup. Dual points are now consigned to the Valhalla of motordom; yesterday's technology; in a world that was; in so many ways; a heck of a lot better[img]/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif[/img] than the one we now live in. We had a war hero in the white house instead of a lying pervert;[img]/wwwthreads_images/icons/frown.gif[/img]right was always right, and wrong was always wrong, and patriotism meant something. But don't get me started.[img]/wwwthreads_images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

CJDave

Dual points, dual adjustments, dual problems. Get the HEI if you can.

<font color=purple> HEI - Highly Effective Ignition. We even use stock HEI on competition machines up to about 7,500 RPM. When I parted out a '76 Jimmy, the HEI is the only thing I wouldn't sell. Don't really need a spare, but I've got one. [img]/wwwthreads_images/icons/wink.gif[/img]</font color=purple>

TEX

[img]/wwwthreads_images/icons/wink.gif[/img] Got Mud?
G.U.M.B.O. Mud Racing

I won't get long and wordy.....

Electronic ignition beats points hands down.

Loose nut behind the wheel
Another right-wing conservative.....
Born and raised in Jeep-Town

One thing I can guess from all these responses, is, that the majority of you folks are a lot younger than I am. I had single points and dual points in the 30's, the 40's, and beyond. I still run points, on vehicles that I use for off-road, in very remote locations. Don't get me wrong, I'm in favor of the 'modern-way' for 'on-highway', and for my Jeep that I use for just 'casual' off-roading, close to civilization. But, for very remote excursions, where I mostly have to take care of myself, and where I have to carry spares for whatever I feel might need spares, and where I might need 'boon-dock' help from local natives, I still use basic carburetors and points. They are almost fool-proof, no matter where. Even though the majority of you folks might not agree with me, I believe that the owner of a 42 GPW might understand. (And, I also happen to have a 42 GPW, still with a 134 .)
So, what would I say to this person?? If the vehicle is going to be used for the street, and casual off-roading, go with the modern stuff. If it's a vehicle that is going to see, maybe, a few hundred-to-a-thousand miles per year, and if you tow it to where you play, why not keep the points?
And, to anyone that might want to part with a dual-point mallory, please let me know. Especially, if you happen to have them for pre-60's-back-to-the-30's vehicles.

bob

Where are you going to find a set of Mallory points in the boondocks? I can't find any in the town I live in. I think it would be easier to find an HEI module.

There are two realistic ways to go. I have both on different vehicle. The first is to use an HEI. I have it on
my '59 CJ-5 with 231 V-6 and have been very happy. I also always carry and extra module with me.
Dead module = dead vehicle. The other way I went on a 225 v-6 engine dyno'd at 500 hp, yes that's right
500, is to stay with stock delco points distributor (blueprinted) and add an MSD 6a ignition system. They
are expensive for the oddfire, about $200 because the oddfire requires a special box.
The advantage is easier starting, better spark control, smoother power bands, and the points are simply
a trigger Which means the points will last for years. And if there is a problem with the unit you can hook
your points up normally and still drive away. The HEI is obviously cheaper but can be difficult to find.
There is a third alternative which is to simply replace the distributor with stock remanufactured unit. Should
cost about $30-$45 dollars. Make sure you get the delco unit as it is superior and uses standard GM
points found at any parts housw. Good luck. Nickmil.