MSD yay or nay

Just about every car at the local circle track with an MSD installed actually has two, both fully wired. One is a backup. Flip a switch and you're back in it. That could be interpreted as either a reliability issue, or as "It works so well we won't run without one." The interpretation is subjective. Some people swear by it, others swear at it.

For me, it comes down to availability. I prefer parts I can order at any parts store with reasonable expectation that I'd have it the next day. While that's not a'tall true of my '69 Valiant, it's not intended for road trips either. My other cars will be occasional distance runners, so the shorter I can make any unscheduled stops, the better. I don't want to spend two days at a strip motel in Asswarsh, KS waiting for some expensive, non-substitutable gee-whiz part to ship.