Was Cruis'n tonite in my '77 highboy with a 400. I put it in the ditch avoiding a big black cow standing in the middle of the road. Just after that the I had a big backfire blowing up both mufflers. I decided to turn around and head home. She died. I looked to make sure no vacuum lines where blown off, which there were not any. It would not start. I pulled the dist cap and the rotor had sheared the plastic tang that keeps it aligned. I was able to adjust it to get it running. I pulled the rotor off another motor at the farm that is in good condition. It fits in the notch but I can twist it about an 1/8". Depending on the advance or retard it will run or not run. I will get a new rotor tomorrow but am concerned it will not be a tight fit. Has anyone had the distributor/rotor notch wear to the point the rotor has slop? 38 years and 123,000 miles has me wondering.

 

I've never had that problem... and do you know if that distributor is original? Is it possible the rotor is from something else?

Either way, a reman distributor is pretty reasonable. That plus new cap and rotor would get it squared away.