In need of some information/advice/help

[79cj7cc]

Hi gang!! I'm new to the forum &, altho I'm a master mechanic (not an expert by any means) & shop owner/operator, I've taken on my next project & I think I need some help/advice. So here goes...no laughing now..lol.

I have a 1979 CJ7 with a poorly rebuilt AMC 258 i6 / 4.2l AMC engine that someone did a 4.0 head conversion on. It has the original T-150 3 speed manual tranny (which ironically is a Ford tranny, I believe). I've found that Advanced Adapters has all the goodies for a V-8 conversion (which is what I'm doing) however, I'm not using just any SBC V-8...I'm using an LT1 SBC that has been "opti spark" deleted & is running an Chevy Performance carbureted intake with a 750 d.p. carb.. Problem I'm having is when I bought the motor (fresh rebuild on it as well), the guy kept the distributor (intake mounted) & now I have to locate a distributor for it. I'm told an HEI distributor will work just fine except that I don't have a gear on the cam to drive the gear on a distributor. I see another forum (Corvette/Camaro forum) that claims the HEI model will work. But, I still don't have a cam gear to drive the distributor. Anyone have any suggestions? Advice?

 

[BlackOmega]

Couldn't you just get some 350 roller cam that has the gear and use that?

Also, what's the power output of the engine? Unless it's something crazy radical, 750 CFM is too much for a 350. A 650 double pumper, or better yet, vacuum secondary would be better.

Just out of curiosity, why didn't you go with a AMC 304 v8? From what I gather, it would've bolted right up to everything that's there.

 

[harleydragon]

I think that the LT1 cam still had the rear distributor cam gear..I do know that at some point a different gear was used on the distributor..If yours does not have a gear on the cam then a cam change might be in order. with the changes made,I would make sure that the oil pump still has its drive.Sorry,I can't give you more info but even though I have worked on small block chevys for over 40 years I have not personally done any mods on these late model engines

 

[Jimbos76cj]

Honestly i would go to a forum for the newer chevy motors. The only reason I would swap in a chevy motor is if it was fuel injected. Other then that Id go with a AMC 360.