Concealed Electronic Ignition - Suggestions?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Southeastern PA
Concealed Electronic Ignition - Suggestions?
I'm looking to upgrade the spark after rebuilding my 454. With all of the extra flow thru my heads, I'm fearing that the car is running rich and the fuel is not burning completely. I've seen drop-in electronic ignition systems that do not require the "box". Does anybody have this distributor system, how does it work, does it perform well and finally, does it fit under the ignition shielding?
Thanks in advance.
Matt
Thanks in advance.
Matt
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 88,393
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From: eville in
Re: Concealed Electronic Ignition - Suggestions? (70454)
not sure which one your thinking of, but you can put a control box in the car and run the wiring threw the firewall to the dist., i'm woundering if the
Pertronix is what you may want????
Pertronix is what you may want????
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 4,148
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From: Roxbury NJ
Re: Concealed Electronic Ignition - Suggestions? (70454)
IMO, the aftermarket point conversions make an otherwise reliable car unreliable. If I wanted the stock look, I'd go here: http://www.davessmallbodyheis.com
Race Director
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Re: Concealed Electronic Ignition - Suggestions? (DaddyO)
You want Pertronix
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 1999
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From: Sewell NJ
Re: Concealed Electronic Ignition - Suggestions? (70454)
I've had the Pertronix in my car now for years and never had a problem. You might also want to check out the Crane XR1 system. Both fit under the cap and provide a stock look.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 157
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From: Greenbush WI
Re: Concealed Electronic Ignition - Suggestions? (vettfixr)
We've got two differant topics going here all under the heading of electronic ignition. The first one is Breakerless Ignition, which eliminates the mechanical points with an electronic device. The second one is a High Energy Ignition which applies more available voltage to the plugs.
It sounds like you want more spark which means more voltage. The problem is getting the HEI in a mechanical tach drive distributor. When GM put HEI in the Vettes they also went to an electronic tach. There are some HEI/Mech Tach distributors out there but $$$$$. I made my own using the base of an Accel dual point dist. mated to a '75 GM-HEI upper. Too complicated to go into here but it worked GREAT!! I was able to gap the plugs at 0.060 and never had a fowl out.
As a side note be sure your fouling problem is not carb related. Quadrajets are notorious for float bowl leaks into the intake manifold resulting in an over rich mixture.
It sounds like you want more spark which means more voltage. The problem is getting the HEI in a mechanical tach drive distributor. When GM put HEI in the Vettes they also went to an electronic tach. There are some HEI/Mech Tach distributors out there but $$$$$. I made my own using the base of an Accel dual point dist. mated to a '75 GM-HEI upper. Too complicated to go into here but it worked GREAT!! I was able to gap the plugs at 0.060 and never had a fowl out.
As a side note be sure your fouling problem is not carb related. Quadrajets are notorious for float bowl leaks into the intake manifold resulting in an over rich mixture.
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Drifting
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Boxford Mass
Re: Concealed Electronic Ignition - Suggestions? (geezer)
You could consider an MSD corvette distributor with tach drive and hide the box in front of the radiator for good cooling. I believe the MSD fits underneath the shield too.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
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From: Southeastern PA
Re: Concealed Electronic Ignition - Suggestions? (Jack71)
Yep...I wanted concealed but now I'm considering the MSD box and distributor and mounting the box on the passenger side firewall, inside of the car. Does anybody have a good idea of where to pass the wires through the firewall?
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Boxford Mass
Re: Concealed Electronic Ignition - Suggestions? (70454)
Why inside the firewall? You must just want to keep it looking original under the hood, I respect that... how about tucked up inside a fender?
It just seems like a lot of work to get it inside the firewall and future access would be difficult.
It just seems like a lot of work to get it inside the firewall and future access would be difficult.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Southeastern PA
Re: Concealed Electronic Ignition - Suggestions? (Jack71)
Jack:
My brother has a 71 LT1 and just ran his thru the firewall to the passenger side. I was thinking this was a good idea. I do want to keep it original looking. He's gonna give me some of the GM tape which was used to wrap wiring to hide the MSD wires. I was wondering if anybody else had done this and where the put the box and ran the wires. Thanks.
My brother has a 71 LT1 and just ran his thru the firewall to the passenger side. I was thinking this was a good idea. I do want to keep it original looking. He's gonna give me some of the GM tape which was used to wrap wiring to hide the MSD wires. I was wondering if anybody else had done this and where the put the box and ran the wires. Thanks.
Race Director
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From: Forked River NJ
Re: Concealed Electronic Ignition - Suggestions? (70454)
I have my Crane HI 6 mounted inside and run the wires through the firewall. Not a bad job at all. You can't tell I have any type of box on mine. Not that I really cared I just thought it was a clean installation.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Tucson AZ
Re: Concealed Electronic Ignition - Suggestions? (70454)
My only concern on locating the box on the passenger side inside the car is the possibility of a leak from the infamous heater core since they tend to dump the antifreeze on the floor when they go.
Race Director
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From: Forked River NJ
Re: Concealed Electronic Ignition - Suggestions? (70454)
Mine is mounted to the right hand support tube. I made a couple of brackets to hold it there. The heater core would have to explode and go through the box to get mine wet.
Le Mans Master
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From: Was New Orleans but swam to Baton Rouge LA
Cruise-In IX Veteran
Re: Concealed Electronic Ignition - Suggestions? (Mike Ward)
You want Pertronix
I think it's spelled "Per-stranded" for it's infamous reliabilty record. Also does not (by design) provide any better spark than the stock system. :cheers:
I think it's spelled "Per-stranded" for it's infamous reliabilty record. Also does not (by design) provide any better spark than the stock system. :cheers:
