airtime

what do you guys think. i have an original 71 ls-5. numbers matching, very original car. 82, 000 miles. doing a tune up now. would yaw suggest reproduction wires or just an a/c delco set or after market. not sure if it really matters or not is why i'm asking. reproduction shielded wires are 135 bucks. drive the car some, not a race car. stock motor, dist. etc...

TimAT

If you're trying to stay 100% original there's not a question. If you're just wanting to keep it running, then MSD, Taylor, Accel, and Delco all make perfectly serviceable plug wires.

2nd2ja

i too have a numbers-matching 71 LS5 454. I was wondering the same thing, then realized, the cost of the metal wires were expensive. Plus, I didn't think they would add any perfromance other than looking good.

My car isn't bone-stock looking, though I like the orginal look. After many years of underhood heat, my wires were shot. Try changing plugs!

However, I'm going with a nice set of plug wires (AC or Pertronix) along with maybe some boot protectors.

I have a hard time thinking that the metal wrapped wires will repeal the heat- if anything i think it would "cook" the insides faster.

rajsid

Does anyone make stock looking performance plug wires?

PRNDL

AC Delco makes the original looking braided metal wires. I think they are the same ones that get stamped with dates to look original. They aren't cheap either, but a little less than the "dated" repros. I think they look cool, with the ground wires hooked to your valve cover bolts. The braided wire shielding was supposed to prevent radio interference, along with the shielding (chrome plated box) around the distributor, so radio delete cars (like the L-88) did not have the braided wires. So why didn't the smallblock cars with radios have the braided wires? I don't know.

Mike Ward

Cause they had the other style of shielding where the wires are routed down and under the manifolds aall enclosed in metal 'boxes', a hold over from C1 and C2 cars.

airtime

going to have to think on it and do some more looking. that is a lot of money for factory looking wires. thanks for the imput guys

airtime

who has the best prices on factory wires? cheapest i've seen is 135 bucks

2nd2ja

I decided against the metal -wrap repo's for $135. I found it hard to buy them when I got a real nice set of black AC wires set for my 71 BB for a deal.

I have an account discount, but they go for $40 retail at O'reilys if you order- came in a day.

Installed them today and saved over 100 bucks. Works for me.

If i had a complete resto that looked showroom, MAYBE I'd buy the metal-wrapped set.

2nd2ja

Buy the way, if you need pointers or secrets on changing your plugs on 454 AC cars- I'd be glad to offer my recently learned info.

The plugs are frustrating and took about 4-5 hours to complete. Now, I'd probably be able to do them in about 3 or 4 hours after what i learned!

HamadUP

I bought a set of braided repros for $120 from one of the corvette vendors, the quality was super cheap and only lasted for few months before they got cracked by the manifold heat and arc-ed all over the place!! .. my $120 was thrown in the garbage before getting MSD set which worked fine for a couple of years now.

HamadUP

If you're talking about the #2 and #4 plugs being hidden by the compressor, these are easily accessible by removing the front/passenger side tire, just move away the dust cover and you'll be able to reach them with ease.

airtime

feel free to pass on all the secrets to changing plugs. i'm doing it tomorrow night (beer party) and will be doing a compression check on each cylinder as i go. not going to do the original wires right now. maybe later on after i get the front end replaced.

CCrane65

The point of the braided plug wires was not heat related otherwise they would go all the way to the plug instead of stopping about 5 inches short. It was for blocking radio static interference. They found that with the big blocks lack of ignition shielding the radio picked up the distributor discharge to the plugs with standard plug wires.

Most modern plug wires are all radio suppression so it's not a problem. Just don't buy any racing wires without making sure they are radio suppression otherwise they assume there is no radio.

cc

airtime

what size wires will fit in the original wire looms? 7mm? looking for black ac delco maybe? any recommendations appriciated.

terry82

i just bought exact replacement wires from advance auto $33.00.they look good seems to work okay.

mudbone64

I simply fish and contort my arm in the open area behind the comporessor to get the #2 and #4 plugs. I'm about 5'8" on a tall day so if you're a big guy I can see where there could be a problem with doing this.

I've had my plugs in and out dozens of times and becuase of that experience I feel confident I could remove/install them all in about an hour.

I feel that no other wire is within a gunshot of looking as good as the steel braided wires:

I also feel that no other wire is within a gunshot of being more troublesome as the steel braided wires. I've done alot of camshaft work to my car and have had the valve covers off many, many times and the grounds that attach to the valve covers are a total bummer. Also, the grounds that attach to the shielding brackets next to the distributor can be cumbersome as well.

I think I paid about $90 for mine some years ago so obviously they have gone up. I can report that I haven't had one performance issue that I can attribute to using these wires.

Good luck.
Mudbone64

airtime

mudbone, great pic. nice clean engine. is that double snorkle air cleaner factory on a 71 ls-5? mine has the original looking (rusty) chrome open element type? thanks for the advice

rajsid

Classy

Frogday

LS-6 and LT-1 had the open element air cleaner in 1971, the others had the dual snorkle black with chrome lid.

I replaced my wires with the dated and shielded set. It just doesn't look right without those shielded wires.