I hammered this piece out the other week:
http://www.autotraderclassics.com/car-article/The+Classics+Perspective+_+You+Can%27t+Make+It+Any+Worse-69339.xhtml
I'm not sure what phrase has helped me more in my wrenching, "I can't make it any worse" or "f*ck it".
Good work. I find i can relate to some of the statements in there. Worth the reading, for me.
I disagree; in my case I can always make it worse. 
Good article!
Well done... I can sooo relate. I too, suffered from distributor fear. Spent an entire afternoon slowly and methodically marking all 8 wires with tape, and, armed with a 600 page manual, sat cross-legged in the engine bay until I'd gotten it right. I must admit that I've also given ratchets flying lessons.
can't say any of my rachets have their pilot's licenses yet.. but I to dread even looking at a distributer.
might have a LOT to do with the fact that all the cars I have with distributers use dual points
I can totally relate. My experience with my '88 RX-7 has been just so. One little "mechanical win" at a time propelling me onward. Of course there have been a few setbacks...and I threw a brake bleeder wrench. 
Great article.
distributer.... depends on type and what age... managed to screw up the instal on a '76 Civic.... piece of cake on '91 CRX, they actually tried to make it idiot proof... but give me time I'm sure I'll find a way..
Throwing things may not help, but I usually feel better. My personal best was caber tossing an F350 driveshaft and having it get stuck between our fence and a neighbors building. I spent more time trying to get it back then changing the u joints but we got a good laugh from it.
I must be missing something here with all the distributor comments... There isn't much i'd RATHER do on any of my cars than a distributor. If it takes me longer than 10 minutes to replace one, then i'm doing something wrong.
guess it depends on the distributer...
like I mentioned.. my italian cars use dual points.. dual points are EVIL. Thankfully a matchbook cover is the perfect gap
Dual points ARE evil. My first "hop-up" on a car was replacing the single points with a new dual point setup. What was I thinking.... I always wondered what the new owner of the car thought later when HE went to replace the stock points.
Good read, slefain!
Definately worth the read. Luckily I. Had good teachers when it comes to r an r'ing a distributor. Now tuning the advance curve on the other hand.....shudder. And as for tool distance records, well my old man made me buy my own tools when I was younger for that reason. Enjoyed it, and I'm jealous. Been hunting for a Duster for a LONG time.
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