Ballast resistor is broken...

... What is the "$45" distributor you are referring too?
Yes. skipwhite has the best price. He also sells a $20 E-core coil. You can find several posts here reviewing it. Most like it. I noticed they just came out with one for my BB engine (383, 400), but ~$75. I'll wait until the price drops. Nothing for the slant yet and perhaps too tight down there to fit one. I put an electronic distributor in my slant, driving a GM 8-pin HEI & coil.