Brian's tool is the cat's ............

 

I never understood that saying.

 

Jason

 

Are you serious?  I'm pretty handy, and yes I have done it without the tool, and not scratching, but it wasn't that easy. 

 

The tool is what makes it easy.

 

There are tools you don't really need, and then there are tools worth every penny but you still don't have to have.  This is one worth every penny in my opinion. 

 

The tool to adjust points on a Delco distributer, I never found much use for because I could never get it in the window with all the stuff in around.  There was one car I could use it on, and it was an AMC with a Delco distributor!  I'd rather just use an allen wrench.

 

Jason

 

 

 

My brute force method using a dab or grease and the flat end of a metal drift always worked for me but you always felt like you needed another hand ;-)

 

As for the AMC dist, I seem to recall them having Ford ignitions???  And you havent really had fun adjusting points until you have done a dual-point dist when the motor was hot and it was like 100 degrees outside in the Fla summer heat! 

 

Oh sorry, almost forgot you are still in Fla,,, 

 

Well send my Love to the boys in Clewiston, South Bay, and Belle Glade next time you pass thru there.  I left about a million rounds of 22 brass on the ground there from youth and more tire rubber then I care to rememder when I discovered drag racing.  Ah, the good ole days,,,

 

I never could get the rings to "jump" on the shaft that way.  Maybe a used ring.  You can send me one of those barrels for the bad advice you gave me..... Just kidding, I did try it, I think on my own, and it's still very frustrating to me. 

 

AMC used both on their motors over time.  Usually Delco Points (but not all), and Ford Electronic Boxes which later even became Chrysler boxes (I think we had a Grand Wagoneer with a Ford made box with a Chrysler emblem on it.....Right after they bought the remnants of AMC/Jeep).  And the AMC's you could have either a Ford or GM type starter, depending on year and car it was installed in.  Down south, many would seek out and switch to the Ford style and remote mount a solenoid to stop the dreaded "hot start" issue with GM starters.  The big AMC V-8's I liked, they had a lot of torque, and were built well (15 head bolts!).  I think one of their downfalls was indeed sourcing parts from the competition.  Makes it hard to compete.

 

I've done dual points, but would proabaly just set one to stay open if I were in a hurry (that's what you did, right?-I can't remember.....)

 

 

 

 

 

In my youth it was all Ford (65, 69 & 70 Mustangs + a Ranchero to fetch parts) and I broke down so often I used to carry my own tow chain so my buddies could tow me home. 

 

Then I got smart and got Mopar! Drove Chrysler products for over 25 years and have nothing but good things to say about everyone I had.

 

Today its an Avalanche and I'm thinking Mopar again, maybe a Ram 2500 Megacab Hemi,,,  Maybe,,,

 

As for installing the clips, well I do have to admit to using them more then once, but the real trick is just to have the right size drift with a perfectly flat end and then start the clip at an angle and then with a quick snap it should pop right onto the end of the shaft and you carefully work the clip down using the edge of the drift to lock it onto the groove.  The tool is the way to go for sure, just saying that I never had any real problem without it and truth be told I'll bet I have lost less that 2 or 3 in all my years with Auto Mags (the dab of grease helps to keep them from flying across the room - yup did that once and actually found it an hour later!)