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rotorwrench · 08-03-2013, 04:35 PM

The Load-A-Matic was vacuum operated only. The older pre-8BA V8s had the distributor down in front of the cam and had a vacuum brake with centrifugal advance. This was one of the best set ups made for the Ford flatheads but when the 8BA came out they switched to the Holley system that was vacuum only but looks like a conventional distributor. Do a search on Bubbas Ignition Chevy conversions. They are centrifugal but can be augmented with a properly set up vacuum can to work about as good as any ever would for the 8BA engines. Al lot of the new Mallory stuff is not worth the money but can be tweeked to work and MSD stuff is expensive as hell.

08-03-2013, 04:35 PM	#9
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,436	Re: Mercury Flatheads The Load-A-Matic was vacuum operated only. The older pre-8BA V8s had the distributor down in front of the cam and had a vacuum brake with centrifugal advance. This was one of the best set ups made for the Ford flatheads but when the 8BA came out they switched to the Holley system that was vacuum only but looks like a conventional distributor. Do a search on Bubbas Ignition Chevy conversions. They are centrifugal but can be augmented with a properly set up vacuum can to work about as good as any ever would for the 8BA engines. Al lot of the new Mallory stuff is not worth the money but can be tweeked to work and MSD stuff is expensive as hell.