What is the purpose of armored ignition wire?

[Bill G]

First of all, my newly acquired 29 does not have an armored ignition cable. Wire goes right from the ignition switch to the distributor as a regular wire. Since the high-voltage secondary winding off the coil is what would cause radio interference and it is not shielded, and probably not carbonized, my guess is that RFI is not the reason for shielding. Besides, back in '29 not many if any cars would have had radios.

Then I read about the spring-loaded anti-theft ignition switch. Mine has an after-market generic ignition switch.

Was the reason for the armored cable to prevent hot wiring? That's about the only reason I could see for having the armor.

-Bill Geurts
Walla Walla

[J Franklin]

You are correct.

[updraught]

Sometimes the riffraff would bypass it, and even bring their own airbag.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Anti-theft is probably the main reason for the armored cable, but it also provides a good ground for the points.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

LOCKS & ARMORED CABLES are just to keep HONEST men, HONEST!!!
BILL w.

[wk2w]

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Doesn't it also act as a heat shield to prevent damage to the insulation if it laid on top of the head?

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by wk2w

Doesn't it also act as a heat shield to prevent damage to the insulation if it laid on top of the head?

Or to impersonate a Spiral Viper, to keep RATS/MICE away
Bill Scared

[Railcarmover]

The spanish popouts are so good you cant steal your own car... even with the key

[Bill G]

I guess in 1929 all one had to worry about was someone hot-wiring your car if you did not already leave the keys in it. My granddad used to always leave his keys in the ignition when he ran around in downtown Salem, OR years ago, and so I would imagine lots of people left the keys in "way back when". In fact, I remember old GM cars where you could take the key out and it would still not lock unless you locked it all the way.

[Patrick L.]

Originally Posted by railcarmover

the spanish popouts are so good you cant steal your own car... Even with the key

lol !:d

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by Railcarmover

The spanish popouts are so good you cant steal your own car... even with the key

Choo-Choo,
Know any Spanish CUSS WURDS? A family rescued a Dog that wouldn't MIND, discovered that he had been living in a SPANISH speaking home
Bill W.

[dpson]

I doubt today that a car thief would have any idea how to start a Model A even if you left the keys in it.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by dpson

I doubt today that a car thief would have any idea how to start a Model A even if you left the keys in it.

They'd steal the keys just to be jerks.

[California Travieso]

Originally Posted by BILL WILLIAMSON

Choo-Choo,
Know any Spanish CUSS WURDS? A family rescued a Dog that wouldn't MIND, discovered that he had been living in a SPANISH speaking home
Bill W.

Bill,

There was a story in the L.A. Times several years ago about a guy that had a parrot. The parrot escaped and flew away. A couple of years later the parrot came back speaking Spanish. That parrot probably knew a few cuss words.

David Serrano

[twostickmutt]

i'm trying to get a doodle bug running. there is no cable / wire running to the distributor. i want to run a wire from the coil to the distributor and would like to know where to hook the wire to the distributor. there is still the wire in side of the dist. was wondering if i can splice into that. thanks for any advice.

[Big hammer]

The opening in the distributor there is a tab that the original cable touches, I have just twisted a wire around the tab for testing. Maybe you could solder your wire there, I wouldn't mess with the wire inside because it moves when adjusting your timing.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by twostickmutt

i'm trying to get a doodle bug running. there is no cable / wire running to the distributor. i want to run a wire from the coil to the distributor and would like to know where to hook the wire to the distributor. there is still the wire in side of the dist. was wondering if i can splice into that. thanks for any advice.

I would order the emergency bypass cable the dealers sell. If you need something right away then I have used a nail and cork. Push the nail through the center of the cork, then screw the cork into the thread until the nail touches the bus bar. Now you can clip a wire from the nail to the coil, or switch.

[Sunnybrook Farm]

I bored a hole in the bottom plate near the dimple and made a wire with connectors on each end and used a small screw and nut to attach on end to the bottom plate and the other to the switch.

[twostickmutt]

thanks everyone for the replies. i got thinking about the cork idea from tom so i took 1/4 " clears plastic tubing and threaded it into a threaded nipple and just screwed it into the dist. then ground a 1/4 " bolt to a point and wound that into the tubing . i can put a connector on it and tighten it down with a nut. nothing will be touching. thanks again for the replies.

[Fred K-OR]

If you want to install one (armored cable) and you do a lot of touring, you may want to not bolt it down to your head. Because if you need to pull your distributor on a tour, it becomes a bit of a problem. Yes you can take the head nut off to remove the clamp on the cable, but be quick about it because if you are not, your cylinders may fill up with coolant. Don't ask me how I know about this. I left the clamp loose after pulling the distributor.