I have a 1969 534 out of a 900 firetruck. The engine is in great condition, but it has the electronic distributor, which I'm assuming will require a brain box and I don't know what other wiring. I have a 1974 L8000, with no electronics, with an 1160 Ford/Cat motor,that I want to pull out and drop in the 534. So, actually, I have two questions. First, will the transmission on the 1160 bolt onto the 534? Second,can I just take the "electronic" part of the distributor off and put a Pertronix in its place?
I do have another 534 out of an 800 that is older, with a points distributor, HOWEVER, the 1969 engine has the full intake manifold and the older engine has the valley pan, SO, the distributor sits lower and I've been told the stem is shorter, Can I swap parts around between the two distributors to achieve my goal of a non electronic distributor setup?

"Nothing is ever as easy as it seems in my mind"

 

The 534 didn't come with duraspark electric ignition. So very curious what is there now, take a picture. But the 435 will not bolt in place on the CAT.

 

Sorry, I did mistype "435". I changed it to 534. The yard I bought the engine from said it was an electronic distributor and an old truck guy told me it was also when I popped the cap and told him what I saw. I told him it looked like a pertronix setup, with the collar and the pickup. Myself, I didn't think they came out with the ECM "brainbox" until 1970, but I guess I'm wrong.

 

No DuraSpark electronic ignition in Passenger Cars, F100/350, Econoline or Bronco until 1974...and then all didn't always come with it until 1976.

DuraSpark was introduced in 1976 BIG trucks with 300 I-6, 370, 429, 475, 477, 534 V8's. Last year for the 477/534: 1981.

Pic: DuraSpark V8 dizzy along with module. The male end cap/adapter below was introduced in 1977. 12A112 is the stator aka magnetic pickup coil.

 

The older 534 with points and valley pan intake manifold,sits lower-shorter stem.

The 1969 electronic distributor. Sits higher-longer stem, not a direct swap

1969 electronic distributor

Need to get rid of all this stuff and the electronic distributor.

 

Ok, maybe it's newer than a 1969. I saw the 69 in yellow marker at the edge of the ratchet strap and made an uneducated assumption, and we all know the rest of that story.

 

I talked to the guy at the parts yard and the newer 534 is a 1977. The years that they had the duraspark all had a long shaft and prior to that all the points distributors had the short shaft. So much for Fords legacy of interchangeable parts.
I've scoured the internet typing in "changing a duraspark distributor to points" and ALL the information comes back about changing points distributors to duraspark. Even on forums where other people have asked this same question, the only replies are, "why do that"? Duraspark is so much better or just carry an extra brainbox under the seat. Some of us just want the extra security of NO electronics, period.
I'm skating on thin ice here,but, my "common sense" tells me that if you can go from points to duraspark, then you should be able to go from duraspark to points. The conspiracy theory side of me says that some engineer made that impossible somehow.
I have hope though, the guy at the parts yard told me to bring down my duraspark distributor and he has some points distributors and we'll see what can be done to change it over to points. These are some sharp guys that know their stuff, so if it can be done I have confidence that it will.