Good job JohnJL. I actually gave up on this myself since I was able to get the new pigtail installed with the distributor in the car - which is all I was after at the time. It was a hack job but what the hell, I had a DE to get to.
However the wire / turnbuckle / BFH idea has me intrigued. Since my engine is now sitting on the floor of my garage there is a lot more room to work and many more places for that hammer to go once the distributor pops loose. The possibilities for injury are very intriguing.
Scott