I have been looking also for conversion options.
1) replacement points and condensers are made in china and they are of substandard materials and construction. Especially the condensers. They fail at the drop of a hat, especially in warmer weather. Thus, your car becomes unreliable. Bubbas Ignition can supply new quality made condensers for flathead V8's, but not for overhead valve engines. Capacity of the flathead condensers is higher than the Y-blocks (.21-.25 mfd), so they are not compatible.
2) Even the Chinese made points MIGHT last awhile unless the contacts fall off (good possibility because their method of resistance welding to the arm is insufficient), and the rubbing block material is subject to premature wear. If that happens, it decreases the point gap and increases the dwell angle. Not good at all. Even if you always swipe a little grease on the distributor cam, it may not help with their points. Constant checking of the point gap is recommended with these but if you drive your car non-stop long distances on the highway (as I do), that still will not help.
The rotors are a problem too (especially in areas of higher humidity). During spring and fall around here, the rotor tip corrodes due to condensation inside the dizzy, rusting the rotor tip. Contact to the distributor towers decrease drastically. I have actually taken some rotors, cleaned the tip with a wire wheel, and electroplated copper onto the rotor tip. But if the tip was pitted, the tip will corrode again. Got to keep after them. This holds true for rotors in any ignition system. Need better quality polishing of the tip and plating.
3) Pertronix conversions have been no good to me. I converted both my '55 Ford Y-block and my '55 Ford Courier with 223 I-block using pertronix. Both failed very quickly. I have had three pretronix units, one was in a '57 distributor with mechanical advance. It also lasted only a short time. Heat may be a problem for them. Re-installed old points and condenser and got the engine running again. As I recall, the '57 Pertronix lasted just past the warranty, while the other two lasted just past one month each. Total waste of over $300.
4) FBO custom manufactures their own distributor for the Y-blocks. They have mechanical advance, so you can't use them for pre-'57 Y-blocks without some kind of modifications to carburetor and vacuum routing (or swap your old intake manifold with '57 and later, and use the modern style carburetor). Their unit uses Pertronix III with high output coil included with the unit. They also boast of a better dizzy shaft bearing arrangement than the original distributors. Comes with a distributor cap (identical to the original '57 Ford), except having copper tower sockets rather than aluminum. I don't see the great advantage in buying a new distributor for over $300, when you could just re-use your '57 and later dizzy and convert it to Pertronix. (And I don't trust Pertronix anyway). FBO claims to have pre-set advance curve, so you shouldn't need to worry about that, and they offer customer technical service if you have problems installing.
5) MSD has a conversion you should compare to the features of the FBO (and look at everything carefully). The MSD unit has an outboard computer like the modern ignition systems. I'm pretty sure most of their components are made in China. The distributor housing is a Billet type and has a modern style distributor caps, so you also will be required to replace your spark plug wires. The dizzy is taller than the original, so you need to check to see if it may hit your firewall or interfere with air-cleaner installation, or something else. Around $550 for the unit.
6) to summarize; three possible methods of conversion: 1) Pretronix in your original dizzy. Sorry, been there, done that. 2) FBO dizzy with Pertronix III and high output coil. Why is this so much better than pertronix in original distributor??? 3) MSD electronic ignition.
I don't really like either option.
GIMME a good condenser.
BTW, many people agree that NAPA, Echlin heavy duty series ignition condensers are best. I went and bought three of them. Went on a long trip in the '55 car and the condenser failed 75 miles from home. It was during mid summer when the ambient temperature was 95 degrees and I was flying down the highway 70 MPH. When I got into Nashville it sputtered at idle speed. When I parked and shut it off, it was done.
I can remember having the same condenser in the car for twenty years straight and drove the p*ss out of it. It was a lousy $2.00 item back then. Now you can't get one good one for $20.00.
