Dui Distributor

so I just came across this today for the first time..
did a little shopping and well found it significantly cheaper than the common catalog..

if you scroll down there is an extended version of the distributor so you don't have to fiddle with the head..

https://performancedistributors.com/product/buick-dui-distributors/

 

Just my two cents...
Yes, that is a nice feature if you don't mind paying the extra price. I already had my standard HEI installed when I discovered this option.
There's still a strong argument for keeping a stock type HEI dizzy.
If you ever need to replace it while away from home, any parts store can get you one within a reasonable time. I actually carry an extra one for my longer trips.
Our old vehicles already have enough unique parts that are not easy to find. Buying a brand-new 'unicorn' would make me cringe a bit.
Grinding off a small portion of manifold and using the low-profile bolt at one location isn't really that tough to do an off-the-shelf-dizzy.

 

Ive often thought like that too...
but Ive also come to realize that preparing for the worse sometimes limits ability..

I mean the newest dauntless is 50 years old.. parts stores and even Rock Auto right now dont have a distributor for this truck.. the days of finding a delco 10si alternator on the shelf at every part store are LONG GONE, let alone a odd fire HEI distributor.

there is no spare part for good common sense.. you know your trucks failure points and plan accordingly...

 

Agreed, that's why I carry the extra dizzy, cap & coil, small bore 2GC, fuel pump, fuel filter, both belts and a 12SI. I carried my old water pump for a while but trashed it a few years back.
When I say carry, these extra parts are in the back of my truck wherever base camp may be.

That unicorn long shaft dizzy is still too pricey for me.
It does have a cool consideration with a factory installed appearance. No cobbled interface at the manifold would be a nice show off feature.

 

Can you use a distributor from a 1975 Buick engine? It's about 100 bucks and it's hei style

 

As long as it's odd fire.

 

It's unlikely you'd need a whole distributor. Carry a spare module and rotor, and you'll cover 90% of HEI failures.

 

I carry coil, cap, rotor, module. I've used all of them at some point over the years... Fyi blow the money on the Delco module. I burned through 2 flaps Standards in 6 mos. The 30 yr old Delco module out of my old distributor still going strong .

 

I'd recommend a spare ignition coil, also. That one is in the cap.
The pick-up coil requires dizzy removal, but fortunately that's NOT a common failure point.

 

"… with no pre-detonation." Is there some other kind of detonation?

 

Yes.
This aftermarket unit just address the length issues on stock size dizzys…
It has 1” longer shaft

AC Delco is just repackaged standard unless you find NOS original parts..

don't get me wrong my stock Delco/Petronix setup works just fine..
I just enjoy the novelty of things when the market still address 50 year old stuff properly...
When everything is an LS now its just nice to see the support is still there so that there are spares to have..

 

But it's really handy to stab the unit in and worry about the other one later. Impractical for me to carry a full unit with it on the rear of the motor but for the buicks it is easy.

 

The DUI distributor provides several benefits...no grinding of the manifold, easier access to holdown bolt, no grinding of cap and gives more options for positioning of the vacuum canister.
That is a lot of wins in my estimation and Brian at Performance is a stand up guy. My distributor is clocked so the canister points at the power steering pump. Nothing special for fan spacer,
elbows or 90 degree vacuum canister.