<VV> 1965 GM manual (page 6Y-19,Fig 8i) ...

[Chris & Bill Strickland]

>Is this diagram correct ?
>

The diagram (8i) in my 65 manual appears to be "correct".  It is also an 
exact match for Fig. 8-61 in the 1961 Shop Manual.  It looks to me like 
your coloration of the diagram on the scanned image misinterprets the 
Manual's diagram, although I could see how that might happen, the 
diagram not being really clear about the routing of the #3 wire.

The firing order, and that is really the only important thing here, imo, 
is 1-4-5-2-3-6. You will also find it stamped on the fan shroud under 
the plug wires near the standard dipstick tube location.  You'll have to 
custom grind your own camshaft to change it and have the engine run 
properly.

The classically "correct" distributor orientation is with  #1 at 6 
o'clock, to the rear of the car with #1 and #2 lined up axially with the 
engine -- this puts the dist cap screws at about the 5 and 11 o'clock 
positions, and the advance can near the coil.

The Forward arrow in fig 8i in the Shop Manual "correctly" points to the 
front of the car.  The arrow in the .jpg appears to be "incorrect".

However, it is also my opinion that unless you are trying for 100 points 
at Pebble Beach or such, it doesn't make any difference how you wire the 
cap if the wires will reach.  Regardless of distributor orientation, 
there is a point where when the points break contact near TDC, the rotor 
will point near enough to a dist cap terminal that you can put your #1 
wire in there and follow clockwise with 4, 5, 2, 3, and 6 and it will 
run.  Some will call me heretical, but so be it -- such is the mechanics 
of the motor, and thus the quotes previously for "correct" and "incorrect".

Drive On!

Bill Strickland