Best electronic ignition.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 225
Likes: 0
From: Greenwood South Carolina
Best electronic ignition.
I am thinking about changing over to electronic ignition. Those of you who have made the change, are you happy, and do you have any suggestions... products or gotchas either way.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 37,671
Likes: 1,115
From: CA
I have MSD and love it...fits under shielding also...a little plug wire adjusting to allow it to fit...
HERE IS THE DIST..before i took the ring off and adjusted the wires so
the shielding would go over the dist
SHIELDING IN PLACE
THIS IS WHERE I MOUNTED the 6A box...so it stays cool in the summer...
HERE IS THE DIST..before i took the ring off and adjusted the wires so
the shielding would go over the dist
SHIELDING IN PLACE
THIS IS WHERE I MOUNTED the 6A box...so it stays cool in the summer...
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58,061
Likes: 7,146
Army
I run an entire Pertronix III distributor under my '61 shielding...about $213 from Jegs...
No more points, lifetime bearings, built in rev limiter, vacuum advance and comes with a set of various strength springs for tuning the advance curve.
No more points, lifetime bearings, built in rev limiter, vacuum advance and comes with a set of various strength springs for tuning the advance curve.
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; Nov 29, 2011 at 07:25 AM.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
From: Cincinnati OH
We sell the BreakerLess kit from M&H, and I've sent many a kit out the door, as well as using them personally, and have yet to hear a negative word about one. Nice thing, it's a one wire operation that keeps a 100% stock look, with no extra wires needed other than the factory points wire. Literally as easy as it could possibly be to install.
If you're going the route of sticking with the stock look, It's what I'd reccomend. Added bonus, it qualifies for free shipping right now as well!
http://keenparts.com/pages/search.ph...20028&year=ALL
-Ian, Keen Parts
If you're going the route of sticking with the stock look, It's what I'd reccomend. Added bonus, it qualifies for free shipping right now as well!
http://keenparts.com/pages/search.ph...20028&year=ALL
-Ian, Keen Parts
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 8,017
Likes: 2
From: The problem is all inside your head she said to me.
I have all MSD stuff. The box is in the passenger kick panel. The distributor is a very nice piece and they give you springs and bushings to tune your curve. So far any time I want to change something their guide has been spot on.
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Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: Cincinnati Ohio
I put a petronix kit in my 60 with a dual point dist. The instructions were not clear, which caused a lot of hassle. The mounting plate actually had to mount upside down. It ran great for 3 years until the magnetic wheel that goes over the cam came apart. Hard time getting another one.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 14,640
Likes: 4,687
From: Mustang OK
2026 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2025 c1 of the Year - Modified Winner
2024 C1 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2023 C1 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2015 C1 of the Year Finalist
My first experience with an electronic conversion was almost 20yrs ago with a PerTronix unit, which is in the 56 Vette. It is still working great! Since then, I have installed about 50 PerTronix units with only ONE problem----------------a magnet came loose in the wheel, which was easily replaced. Never a complaint since then.
All of my other cars (4) with a point type dist have PerTronix. I personally prefer the original style (1181) with the magnet wheel.
The unit fits completely inside the dist cap, so there are no external components to be mounted. I also use the PerTronix Flamethrower coil because they recommend a HD oil filled coil. Before PerTronix introduced their own coil, I used to use the MSD Blaster II coil. It's red and I painted it black.
Tom Parsons
All of my other cars (4) with a point type dist have PerTronix. I personally prefer the original style (1181) with the magnet wheel.
The unit fits completely inside the dist cap, so there are no external components to be mounted. I also use the PerTronix Flamethrower coil because they recommend a HD oil filled coil. Before PerTronix introduced their own coil, I used to use the MSD Blaster II coil. It's red and I painted it black.
Tom Parsons
Last edited by DZAUTO; Nov 30, 2011 at 08:02 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 19,777
Likes: 4,592
From: Canada's capital
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (appearance mods)
C1 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
We sell the BreakerLess kit from M&H, and I've sent many a kit out the door, as well as using them personally, and have yet to hear a negative word about one. Nice thing, it's a one wire operation that keeps a 100% stock look, with no extra wires needed other than the factory points wire. Literally as easy as it could possibly be to install.
If you're going the route of sticking with the stock look, It's what I'd reccomend. Added bonus, it qualifies for free shipping right now as well!
http://keenparts.com/pages/search.ph...20028&year=ALL
-Ian, Keen Parts
If you're going the route of sticking with the stock look, It's what I'd reccomend. Added bonus, it qualifies for free shipping right now as well!
http://keenparts.com/pages/search.ph...20028&year=ALL
-Ian, Keen Parts
Last edited by Kerrmudgeon; Nov 30, 2011 at 10:27 AM.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
From: Cincinnati OH
The diagram is there simply to show an exploded view of the distributor itself, as to assist the customer in any other distributor parts they may need to purchase as well. The color picture accompanied with the part description is of the actual module itself, as installed.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 13,875
Likes: 1,871
From: Birmingham Mi
Approx 7 years ago, I installed a Pertronix unit (unknown which model as I am older than dirt) and it failed in less than a year. I bought a 1 wire electronic unit from Letric Limited that fits under the cap and it has performed flawlessly for over 6 years.
Rick
Rick
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 28,747
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From: Frankenstein never scared me. Marsupials do, because they're fassst…and they DART, THAT'S crazy!
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Pertronix III with Flamethrower III low impedance coil.
Rev limiter, multiple spark, living the crazy life.
Just remember to run both wires off of one post on your Ballast so you have 12v instead of ~8v and you will be irresistible to women.
HEY, Angry Birds just updated! Gotta go...
Rev limiter, multiple spark, living the crazy life.
Just remember to run both wires off of one post on your Ballast so you have 12v instead of ~8v and you will be irresistible to women.
HEY, Angry Birds just updated! Gotta go...
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
From: Cincinnati OH
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 8,897
Likes: 1,357
From: Santa Ana CA
I use a Mallory HyFire IV with their high voltage chrome coil and trigger it off of Accel points.
If the ignition box ever fails, I can bypass it in a couple seconds with a Mallory-supplied jumper plug. And yes, this has happened when the shop tried to jump-start the car once (a no no without installing the jumper).
The box is mounted to the back side of the passenger side wheel well where is is not visible.
If the ignition box ever fails, I can bypass it in a couple seconds with a Mallory-supplied jumper plug. And yes, this has happened when the shop tried to jump-start the car once (a no no without installing the jumper).
The box is mounted to the back side of the passenger side wheel well where is is not visible.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 579
Likes: 10
From: South Central Pa
