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Folks Of Interest What’s wrong with points and other “upgrades”

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by VANDENPLAS, Apr 9, 2019.

  1. An EMP will take out anything that conducts electricity. Your points will be the least of your worries! :(:D
     
    tb33anda3rd and lothiandon1940 like this.
  2. railcarmover
    Joined: Apr 30, 2017
    Posts: 777

    railcarmover

    I'm not a luddite or reactionary,I run many modern improvements on my 90 year old car..electronic ignition isn't one of them.Matter of preference more than anything else.
     
    427 sleeper likes this.
  3. 62rebel
    Joined: Sep 1, 2008
    Posts: 3,232

    62rebel
    Member

    It's all about a choice. I won't make a judgment on what your choices are. Well, maybe that haircut. That's odd.
     
    VANDENPLAS and Truck64 like this.
  4. I ran points in stock cars as late as 1984. They were good to 7k as long as they were Blue Streak or Accel. Recurve the distributor, toss in a weight kit... good to go. The unisets that came out made the points & condenser a single piece, that was an improvement. If I got an old car with points, I'd be tempted to keep the points but use good tune up parts all the way. We used to save the old tune up parts in the glove box, at least those might get you home if the new set failed. Which would never happen unless it was 3 AM and it was 40* and raining...
     
  5. Truck64
    Joined: Oct 18, 2015
    Posts: 5,325

    Truck64
    Member
    from Ioway

    Between the crappy parts now generally available and lack of knowledge of ignition systems it's easy to see why many folks ditch the points. Even if everything is in good shape setting the points accurately is a bit of a stretch for some. What I realized reading different automotive forums and the ignition troubles usually described is the fact that an original distributor is usually wore out three ways to Sunday and therefore cannot be tuned or curved properly, the dwell will be unstable regardless of the quality of the replacement parts installed. Crappy condensers, rubbing blocks made of soft plastic and the rest of it and the electronic conversions look pretty inviting.
     
    Truckdoctor Andy likes this.
  6. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,942

    squirrel
    Member

    yup, it kind of separates the men from the boys
     
  7. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,829

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

    upgrading from points just makes good sense. used to drive old Datsuns as my regular car cuz I'm a cheap bastard. had to tune the things up every 10,000 miles or so. last driver I bought was a "late model" 1993 and I put close to 100,000 miles on the tune up I gave it when I bought it. it had lost power over time but I didn't really notice. eventually it became hard to start on cold wet mornings so I took a look at it. the electrodes on my plugs were worn down so far my gap was like 3/16 inch! cap and rotor were all shot to hell as well, but it still started and ran pretty good until the very end.
     
  8. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    I only have one with points,it would have electronic ignition if I could swap it over with OEM parts in the original distributor. I am going to try to get NOS points at swapmeets since quality has went away from most ignition parts manufactures.
     
  9. winduptoy
    Joined: Feb 19, 2013
    Posts: 3,331

    winduptoy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I see your point, but if you would move your hat over a little it would cover it up. Rant over

    on to the smart ass comment...
    Points seem to work fine on the 6 volt system..... no way, don't tell me you didn't stay 6 volt
     
  10. Truck64
    Joined: Oct 18, 2015
    Posts: 5,325

    Truck64
    Member
    from Ioway

    Don't forget the Bay that is E, tons of NOS ignition parts. Fun to just kind of browse distibutors, ignition coils, clear distributor caps, all kinds of stuff.
     
    Stogy likes this.
  11. F&J
    Joined: Apr 5, 2007
    Posts: 13,222

    F&J
    Member

    It just dawned on me that every car/truck I have had for a true "only car" daily driver since 1995 was & is still points. That proves nothing at all........ except I guess I never think about what ignition I have.
     
    lothiandon1940, Stogy and squirrel like this.
  12. I was able to get nos parts for my 261 Chevy and in-line 6 Chrysler east

    My 69 Lincoln I got all my time up pars right from ford.

    The merc has a 69 302 and I got all nos stuff for it as well.


    Easy and cheap, never had an issue ever with points.
    My point was that, points are not antiquated junk that NEED replacing .
    If parts are affordable and readily available then I really see no reason to change, unless tour system is hard to get parts for or is inherently a bad design.
     
    egads and Unique Rustorations like this.

  13. People that don’t understand points DO NOT need to ever never if they get an electronic ignition that they couldn’t possibly ever understand. The thing is you can get by a lot longer without understanding if you shit can the points.
     
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2019
    VANDENPLAS likes this.
  14. DSCN0719.JPG
    I use a Mallory dual point distributor with a Pertronix kit.
     
  15. BamaMav
    Joined: Jun 19, 2011
    Posts: 6,714

    BamaMav
    Member
    from Berry, AL

    As to the access problem, that's what I love about my FORD, the distributor is right up front where you can get to it, not hidden behind the carb in the dark recess under the hood by the firewall.

    My 302 or 5.0 or whatever you want to call it was born with efi and computer controlled electronic ignition, I tossed all that and went with what I know best, a simple carb and points distributor. The last one I did this way served me well, so I expect this one to also. If I do have to change it later, I'll go with a factory Duraspark triggered with a GM module and use the early small cap for looks. I'm not trying to squeeze every fraction of HP out of it, it's a cruiser, not a bruiser.

    I've used Standard ignition parts for years with no problems. I haven't really noticed any decline in them although some are now made in other countries.
     
  16. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,942

    squirrel
    Member

    It's a good thing the Ford distributors are up front, it's easier to chisel them out when they get stuck!
     
  17. Partsguy57
    Joined: Apr 19, 2016
    Posts: 8

    Partsguy57

    Lol certainly not antiquated junk. But most certainly antiquated....

    Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
     
    X-cpe likes this.
  18. Partsguy57
    Joined: Apr 19, 2016
    Posts: 8

    Partsguy57

    Lol certainly not antiquated junk. But most certainly antiquated....

    Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
     
  19. BamaMav
    Joined: Jun 19, 2011
    Posts: 6,714

    BamaMav
    Member
    from Berry, AL

    Been there, done that before!
     
  20. Elcohaulic
    Joined: Dec 27, 2017
    Posts: 2,212

    Elcohaulic

    One of the coolest tricks to smooth out a lumpy motor was to remove the mechanical advance springs and run straight timing. With the points distributor you get the additional advantage of start retard.. Now plug in a Mark 10 CD box and your set. The MSD6AL also works nicely too....

    I'm removing the HEI in my 454 and running a stock iron single points distributor with the Mark 10 box.. The HEI runs well but damn is that thing ugly! I'll report back on what (if any) performance issues turn up..

    [​IMG]
     
    HEMI32, egads and tb33anda3rd like this.
  21. FORD
    Force Only Removes Distributor
     
  22. jimmy bruns
    Joined: Jun 21, 2011
    Posts: 81

    jimmy bruns
    Member
    from Chatsworth

    sorry i forgot most of you guys on the hamb don't drive your cars.
     
  23. Our 392 HEMI-powered Deuce 5wd Coupe has been running a Delta Mark Ten Capacitive Discharge unit since 1975.

    It is a bit ugly, but it’s mounted up under the dash on the passenger side of the firewall (i.e., out of sight).
     
    Elcohaulic likes this.
  24. squirrel
    Joined: Sep 23, 2004
    Posts: 55,942

    squirrel
    Member

    You really should try to find one from the mid 60s. There were a bunch of different brands being made, even back then.
     
    Elcohaulic and Montana1 like this.
  25. I remember the Radio Shack Archer CD Ignition Systems back in the late 60's. A friend had one on his '64 Rambler flathead 6.

    Archer CD Ign.jpg
     
    Elcohaulic likes this.
  26. krylon32
    Joined: Jan 29, 2006
    Posts: 9,397

    krylon32
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Nebraska
    1. Central Nebraska H.A.M.B.

    All 5 of my deuces run early Chevy points style rebuilt distributors from Bubba's. No problems to date?
     
  27. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    Since Elcohaulic posted a picture of his Mark 10 module,here's one of my "Videolizer". Found it on Ebay and it was NOS. Definitely from the early '60's. Came with instructions on switching your car to positive ground and how to polarize your generator. Like the fact that it was made in Canada. Looked up the address on Google Maps and it looks like there isn't much chance of a lifetime warranty. Like using funky old stuff just because I can.
     
  28. The Chevy in a Ford is probably one of the “and other” upgrades - isn’t it?
     
    62rebel likes this.
  29. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    Hit the send button too soon. IMG_1214.JPG
     
    Elcohaulic likes this.
  30. 57JoeFoMoPar
    Joined: Sep 14, 2004
    Posts: 6,138

    57JoeFoMoPar
    Member

    I don't hate on points, but I will say that from personal experience I've had points cars that have been hard to start, especially cold. On the other hand, my MoPar breakerless "orange box" hasn't been touched in about a decade, fires immediately even on the coldest of days, and has never been anything other than bullet-proof reliable. I think they can both be very good and reliable. I will say though, when electronic ignition is working right, it works better. You could never get a spark that hot through points, they'd burn up. Nor would you have that kind of control over the spark and timing. One of the things that help us in 2019 to get the most performance out of these old engines and cars. If the goal is to just make it run, or make it reliable, then sure, points can be just as good. But the ceiling is higher with the electronic set up.
     

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