Uh-oh. Next you'll want a great air conditioner and ... Just drink the Coolaid, it'll all be better if you don't fight it.
Add to that, have the units for earlier flatties come out yet? Last I checked last summer/fall they were still in development.
The original Ignitor does not have an issue as a general rule, but the II and III with more sophisticated electronics do not like solid core wires. Some guys have had success with then but we DO NOT recommend using them with the II or III
Switched out the Dual points in my Mallory distributor this week including the Petronix coil,great unit runs crisper and a little leaner plus a simple drop in process.
Just FYI, I've had really good luck with finding Pertronix-es at any local O'Reilly auto parts store.
What's next?? Billet Rims?? By the way, it's "The" way I saw it, not "They" way I saw it. I think you're losing it. haha. Peace.
The best "feature" of a Pertronix ignition IMO, is that it fits inside the stock Dizzy and looks OEM. I've run one in my sedan for a few years and can't fault it. My ute retains the original breaker pionts system though and apart from occasional maintanence/ajustment (not required with the Pertronix), runs fine.
Have used points all of my life, I can always make it home with them. I started using the Pertronix a few years ago and mostly had good luck. But two of the cars were brought home on the hook from ingintion failure, the module took a crap. Since then, I carry points, just in case. I still won't put electronic in my boat! Still using the Mallory dual point.
I wouldn't call the Pertronix a Street Rod thing at all, it's just the greatest update one can do to their ride. I have the Pertronix distributor and coil in my '52 Chevy, better in the RPM range plus the car starts on the first turn of the key. Just make sure that no wire can short out the system, if it shorts out you'll need a new one. All the points guys need to wake up and join us on the dark side, no one will ever know you sold out to a better way. CRUISER
I have been told that, if you use the cheaper electronic dizzy,s, make sure you change the module to a bosch unit or equivelant as the cheap modules don,t last long.
come on in here " bubba " tell these kids how it is ,,,? in the hamb.... points vs HEI !!! world... stop this war before it starts !!!
Hey, Ryan; Glad you tested the Pertronix, are happy w/it, & wrote about it... . When I was running my '64 Stude, I had problems w/the ignition points, one arm cracked, another rubbing block wore out real quick-like - ya, I greased it... -, but I'm thinking that those parts were just poor quality. I got, & fried, a Pretronix I, asked the friend that I bought it from (Ted Harbit) about it, & he suggested a Pertronix II. Instant solved problem, until car rotted too badly about 3 yrs later. No more points costs, no fiddling, & even w/a balky carb, I was able to idle smoothly at a couple hundred rpm lower, if I wanted it to. I like them... . Q for Don: Would/should Ryan see any better results w/the reco'd full 12v going to the module? Reason I ask, is, because I did the same thing as Ryan, & found that running through the resistor wire, caused me starting problems, esp in winter. Full power, issue solved. TIA. Marcus...
Traditional, historical, correct for HAMB time frame, from wikipedia: The first electronic ignition (a cold cathode type) was tested in 1948 by Delco-Remy,<sup id="cite_ref-Super_Street_Cars.2C_9.2F81.2C_p.34_2-0" class="reference">[2]</sup> while Lucas introduced a transistorized ignition in 1955, which was used on BRM and Coventry Climax Formula One engines in 1962.<sup id="cite_ref-Super_Street_Cars.2C_9.2F81.2C_p.34_2-1" class="reference">[2]</sup> The aftermarket began offering EI that year, with both the AutoLite Electric Transistor 201 and Tung-Sol EI-4 (thyratron capacitive discharge) being available.<sup id="cite_ref-Super_Street_Cars.2C_9.2F81.2C_p.35_3-0" class="reference">[3]</sup> Pontiac became the first automaker to offer an optional EI, the breakerless magnetic pulse-triggered Delcotronic, on some 1963 models; it was also available on some Corvettes.<sup id="cite_ref-Super_Street_Cars.2C_9.2F81.2C_p.35_3-1" class="reference">[3]</sup> The first commercially available all solid-state (SCR) capacitive discharge ignition was manufactured by Hyland Electronics in Canada also in 1963. Ford fitted a Lucas system on the Lotus 25s entered at Indianapolis the next year, ran a fleet test in 1964, and began offering optional EI on some models in 1965.<sup id="cite_ref-Super_Street_Cars.2C_9.2F81.2C_p.35_3-2" class="reference">[3]</sup> Beginning in 1958, Earl W. Meyer at Chrysler worked on EI, continuing until 1961 and resulting in use of EI on the company's NASCAR hemis in 1963 and 1964.<sup id="cite_ref-Super_Street_Cars.2C_9.2F81.2C_p.35_3-3" class="reference">[3]</sup> Prest-O-Lite's CD-65, which relied on capacitance discharge (CD), appeared in 1965, and had "an unprecedented 50,000 mile warranty."<sup id="cite_ref-Super_Street_Cars.2C_9.2F81.2C_p.35_3-4" class="reference">[3]</sup> (This differs from the non-CD Prest-O-Lite system introduced on AMC products in 1972, and made standard equipment for the 1975 model year.)<sup id="cite_ref-Super_Street_Cars.2C_9.2F81.2C_p.35_3-5" class="reference">[3]</sup> A similar CD unit was available from Delco in 1966,<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference">[4]</sup> which was optional on Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and GMC vehicles in the 1967 model year.<sup id="cite_ref-Super_Street_Cars.2C_9.2F81.2C_p.35_3-6" class="reference">[3]</sup> Also in 1967, Motorola debuted their breakerless CD system.<sup id="cite_ref-Super_Street_Cars.2C_9.2F81.2C_p.35_3-7" class="reference">[3]</sup> The most famous aftermarket electronic ignition which debuted in 1965, was the Delta Mark 10 capacitive discharge ignition, which was sold assembled or as a kit. FIAT became the first company to offer standard EI, in 1968, followed by Chrysler (after a 1971 trial) in 1973 and by Ford and GM in 1975.<sup id="cite_ref-Super_Street_Cars.2C_9.2F81.2C_p.35_3-8" class="reference">[3]</sup> In 1967, Prest-O-Lite made a "Black Box" ignition amplifier, intended to take the load off of the distributor's breaker points during high r.p.m. runs, which was used by Dodge and Plymouth on their factory Super Stock Coronet and Belvedere and drag racers.<sup id="cite_ref-Super_Street_Cars.2C_9.2F81.2C_p.35_3-9" class="reference">[3]</sup> This amplifier was installed on the interior side of the cars' firewall, and had a duct which provided outside air to cool the unit.<sup class="Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[citation needed]</sup> The rest of the system (distributor and spark plugs) remains as for the mechanical system. The lack of moving parts compared with the mechanical system leads to greater reliability and longer service intervals. Chrysler introduced breakerless ignition in mid-1971 as an option for its 340 V8 and the 426 Street Hemi. For the 1972 model year, the system became standard on its high-performance engines (the 340 cu in (5.6 l) and the four-barrel carburetor-equipped 400 hp (298 kW) 400 cu in (7 l)) and was an option on its 318 cu in (5.2 l), 360 cu in (5.9 l), two-barrel 400 cu in (6.6 l), and low-performance 440 cu in (7.2 l) . Breakerless Ignition was standardised across the model range for 1973.
I do love the simplicity of points but I am afraid the quality of the points has went down hill so most of my old cars have electronic ignitions now,I have not tried the Pentronics yet but prefer the OEM products due to more parts availabilty on long distance road trips. The Ford and Mopar electronic ignitions can be hidden easier then with the GM HEI and have the Duraspark systems on my Fords which with a points distributor cap and rotor almost look like a points system,I am also afraid the quality of the gas has gotten bad enough that a points system might not be able to fire it good enough. Years ago I read that the OEMs had to go with electronic ignitions since the EPA was forcing them to lean then down so much the points would not do the job,I dont lean my motors down that much but do like the idea of not having to replace the points any more and can usually get 50,000 miles or more on a electronic system before having to replace any parts.
I've made a good living replacing points and condensers (a real rip off but what the heck) and setting up dual point distributors. Cleaned and gapped several thousand plugs too. Then along came electronic ignition followed by unleaded gas and there goes the neighborhood. Installed my first pertronics in the barbers Cheby. Since then he's retired (me too) and I've 'retired' many points sets for pertronics. Usually buy a rebuilt distributor, re-shim the shaft, install the junk and never see the car again. My how times have changed. On my toys pull the points distributor cap and follow the wires far enough you'll find the pertronics is triggering a MSD 6A. I love old iron, just hate having trouble on the road. The electronics has never missed a beat. Tell Ryan to replace that resistor wire.
I am going to have GMC Bubba build me a electronic distributor for the 235 that is in my 37 Chevy p/u when I get some extra money,its the only vehicle that still has points.
Run the pertronix and carry a whole points distro for backup. I do this when I take one of my rods outta town.
A sharp eye will notice two wires (one red, one black) connecting the distributor to the ignition coil with the Pertronics conversion.
I built an electronic distributor for the nailhead in my 50 sedan delivery using mopar reluctor ring and pickup coil and a GM hei module. Worked fine but when I installed a Sun tach with a NOS EB9 sending unit the tach was pretty irratic. I put a points distributor back in and the tach straighten up. Might consider a Pertronix if it wont freak out my tach.
I did the same thing years back with a '65 Corvette - installed a Pertronix and was very happy with it - and while it never let me down I never had enough 'trust' in it to take the old points set out of the glove box... Glad to see its not just me...
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