87 Fifth Avenue

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swapdaddyxx1

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I have an older friend who bought this car new. It has a box on the side of the air cleaner that looks suspiciously like the old lean burn but with a different name. He is having problems with this and is looking for converting to the older original electronic ignition. WE know about the kits, but we were thinking that someone who had converted with one of the kits might have the old parts they took off that would work on his car. He would need the distributor, wiring harness, ign. box if its still good and the resistor block that goes on the cowl. Hes looking to convert on the cheap. Can anyone help?
 
Well I don't know of any real kit to accomplish this, although proform does offer a complete electronic conversion just like the Mopar kit but half the price. If he wants to keep it real cheap, just put a points distributor in it. I have done that on a couple of lean burn cars and had great success. Just a thought.
 
I think this may need to be in the parts wanted section. maybe get all that jazz off a Ram truck in a junkyard or a Dakota. like an early Dak pre-'92. not sure if that'll work but I never saw any early Ram truck with lean burn at the junkyard I worked at.
 
Yup, nice writeup on FMJ.

I have a working control box you can have for shipping, if you want to try that.

Rockauto or your local auto parts store will have a standard reman electronic dist.
I got one for a little over $50. New brain is like $50 as well IIRC. part of the harness is the same as trailer wiring (also your 5th Ave license light connector), the brain connector is the hard part to find.

I do see late 70s and early 80s Rams at the JY fairly frequently.
They should have everything you need.

I don't think I'd fool with points over $100.
 
I was going to suggest the junk yards too. Any smallblock V8 prior to '78 or so should have it. later ones may or may not have the old-style distributor. Cut off the control module's harness leaving as much as you can because the colors are all the same as the MP conversion - then just download the conversion instructions. You should be able to get everything for under $60: Distributor, ignition ballast resistor (just in case - always best to grab as a "set"), module, and module plug/wiring.
Or place a "Wanted" ad in the for sale area.
 
Also do some research on "4 pin" and "5 pin" ECU (brain).

They interchange one way, but not the other.
 
Pro Comp sells an electronic distributer that you drop in and hook 2 wires to the coil and you are done. about 75 bucks. no ign. modular, no resister block, built in
 
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