Coil choices for my truck?

An e-core coil is best. Some choices are:
1985-95 GM "external coil". Best if using the GM 8-pin HEI since a GM cable connects the two.
~1980-2000 Mopar Magnum engine coil (mounts at front top of the engine). Snip the lead and connector since you will be soldering.
Chinese e-core from same ebay sellers of "ready to run" Ningbo distributors (Steve White Perf., ... ~$20). Has screw terminals.
Ford TFI coil. Snip their special connectors.

Main one to avoid is a factory "ballasted coil" which I think were late 1970's or early 1980's. They look like the 1960's coils, but I think have stamped "for electronic ignition". I have one, but haven't fooled with it. I think the primary (12 V) side has more resistance, replacing the need for a firewall ballast resistor. But, the resistance is still so low it is hard to distinguish with a multimeter. I guess you could tell if you ran it without a firewall ballast and it didn't get so hot it melted the paint like happens with a 1960's coil. That means they can't bypass the ballast when starting, but maybe they found w/ hotter e-ignition that wasn't needed. Perusing wiring diagrams of those years might tell, and an expert like SSD might say I'm FOS, and might be true since mostly guessing.