This car has an HEI distributor, how can I tell if it's vacuum advanced or mechanical. If it's mechanical I'd have to switch it to run the Autolite 4100 since it has vacuum secondaries correct ?
Look for the silver can sticking out the side if the dist w/a vacuum hose running to it which is the vacuum advance. If its not there you have just a mech advance only dist. but it has nothing to do with vac secondaries.
Vacuum advance on the distributor should have nothing to do with the vacuum secondaries on your carb, not that i'm aware of anyway. Its been a long time since i messed with the autolite but i think the secondaries should be a function of the carb itself. The HEI vacuum advance uses ported vacuum from your carb to advance ignition timing.
If that's true then it doesn't matter what HEI distributor I have correct ? I appreciate the patience helping a new guy out. I am learning as I go. I am enjoying the satisfaction of learning and doing this myself. I would have been screwed 10 years ago, thank God for the internet.