What ignition Do you recommend

[Aloha Randy]

I have a 70 Challenger RT with factory AC and looking for a solution to ignition replacement. Stock car, local driving use. The car came with an upgraded Proform electronic ignition. I had issues with it and also found many quality control problems. Pertronics and MSD distributors are too tall with the AC system. Do I go back to stock distributor with maybe Pertronics electronic upgraded pick up? Your suggestion would be much appreciated.

[DeathProofCuda]

I have a 70 Challenger RT with factory AC and looking for a solution to ignition replacement. Stock car, local driving use. The car came with an upgraded Proform electronic ignition. I had issues with it and also found many quality control problems. Pertronics and MSD distributors are too tall with the AC system. Do I go back to stock distributor with maybe Pertronics electronic upgraded pick up? Your suggestion would be much appreciated.

Many may disagree, but for a "fun car" that only gets used for cruising on nice days, I don't see a downside to going back to the original points distributor.  For me, alot of the appeal of driving an old car is embracing the technology of its time and I like messing around with my car, so having to regap a set of points every couple of years isn't a bother.

[MoparLeo]

Factory electronic is hard to beat. Inexpensive, replacement parts everywhere. Just buy and extra ECU as this was the most common failure and it just plugs in.
As far as playing with your car, there are plenty of other things that normally don't get checked regularly like Fluid levels, air pressure, brake adjustment, etc.. just look in the front of the Factory Service Manual for normal service items.
Cars have a tendency to act up at the worst possible time..

[Chryco Psycho]

Mancini has stock type replacement kits , I would recommend a better ECU RevnAtor is good & includes a rev limiter

[MoparCarGuy]

Factory electronic is hard to beat. Inexpensive, replacement parts everywhere. Just buy and extra ECU as this was the most common failure and it just plugs in.

Agree with MoparLeo, factory electronic is the easiest solution. Buy a new engine harness to get the ECU wiring plus the 1971-74 ECU bracket and it will look like it came that way. Also, the FBO ECU offers better spark and a rev limiter.
It can be found at www.4secondsflat.com.
https://4secondsflat.com/Ignition.html

[Wayne]

For your car I would suggest factory electronic ignition style.  Cars with more modifications or that don't mind going from stock I really like MSD.  I prefer to hide the box so its out of site but its great.  Easily found to replace if ever needed plus allows you to get rid of the ballast.

[Aloha Randy]

The trouble with MSD and PerTronix billet type distributors is that they are too tall to use with factory AC systems. The hard hoses cross directly over the distributor and the stock set up just clears by an inch. the two I mentioned are great but 1 to 2 inchs too tall.

[71383bee]

I recommend the stock style electronic ignition.  Very easy to mount and use.  You can hide the ECU under the battery tray or even inside the car if you desire.  You can get a harness from any of the mopar parts houses and it splices in really easy.  Or as recommended get a new harness that is prewired for the ECU.  Thr only trouble with that is it pretty much sets your ECU location to the upper right firewall which is stock for 71 and up installs.  For a 70 this isn't "correct".   I ended up doing this to my 70 convert with the 318 and did it with the factory style mounting plate to replicate the "what if" look if Chrysler did option it in 70. 

For boxes there are many options.  The MP orange boxes have had alot of trouble over the past years.  Rev N Ator is probably the best but they have been on backorder for over a year now and I fear they likely are not coming back.  The standard motor products LX101 box is actually a decent unit and is a common replacement from the good old auto parts stores.  I recently tried out an ebay unit supposedly made by E berg that is on my convert.  So far no issues.  I always carry a spare unit, coil, and ballast for the rainy day so I'm not worried if it goes out. 

You could reach out to Joe White on facebook.  He sells a lot of parts and does pertronics conversions along with a host of other distributor related items.  He may have a kit to sell actually.  Good guy to know actually. 

Good luck!

[dodj]

For being cheap, stock is hard to beat. But just about any aftermarket system will outperform it. A stock Mopar dizzy with an MSD box is a significant step up.
If you are not a fan of MSD, there are other multi spark ignitions out there.
I'm a fan of MSD, but there are detractors and supporters for all of them.

[Joegrapes]

I've been using the FBO ignition box for years and it works great. It eliminates the ballest resistor and is easy to install. I have a stock Mopar electronic distributor that's been recurved and the coil FBO recommends.

[MoparCarGuy]

I've been using the FBO ignition box for years and it works great. It eliminates the ballest resistor and is easy to install. I have a stock Mopar electronic distributor that's been recurved and the coil FBO recommends.

FBO's Don Gould recurved my factory electronic distributor on a Sun distributor machine so I could run 18° of initial and 34° total timing all in by 3400 RPM. The FBO ECU rounds out the ignition and it has worked flawlessly for the past eight years. I soldered a jumper wire on the back of the factory 1970 ballast resistor to keep the factory look.

I am currently changing over to the Holley Terminator X Stealth EFI and will use the matching Hyperspark distributor and ignition box with the Terminator X controlling the timing. No more firewall-mounted ECU or ECU bracket.

[Chryco Psycho]

Don't waste your $$ on FBO , every single car I have installed it on has hurt the performance , I can get you one for free from a number of customer that removed it & Don would not refund the $$

[Filthy Filbert]

My car, I would run MSD box (6AL) with MSD coil and stock distributor  nearly a factory look especially if you hide the box under the battery tray or inside the firewall. 

If I wanted more 'originality' I'd run the factory electronic ignition aka "orange box"

[dodj]

My car, I would run MSD box (6AL) with MSD coil and stock distributor  nearly a factory look especially if you hide the box under the battery tray or inside the firewall. 

This is what I did but the MSD is in the trunk..along with the battery.

[usraptor]

On my '70 Cuda 440/512 stroker I upgraded to an electronic ignition with the Summit Racing SUM-851015  Electronic Mopar Distributors that came with the "Blue" (probably made in China) ECM.  I had intermittent no start issues with that ECM so I recently upgraded to the Jegs made in the USA Blue ECM  (https://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/40805/10002/-1) and the engine now fires right up every time.  The Distributor looks stock and you can mount the ECM under the battery tray to retain the stock looking appearance of you wish.  Easy conversion and a lot cheaper than going the MSD route.