Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Model A (1928-31)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 11-12-2018, 04:15 PM   #1
noyo55
Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 75
Default Mallory Dual Point/Pertronic

I have a NOS Mallory Dual point Dist that I am thinking of installing on my B engine, when Tod gets his B HI Comp head done and I get one. A couple of questions. first does Pertronic make a conversion for these distributors. If so part number? Do I need to do anything about setting the curve differently. I'm also planning on one of Pete's cams plus Different carburator.Engine has a couple of thousand mile since complete rebuild
noyo55 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2018, 12:35 PM   #2
Jim Brierley
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Temecula, CA
Posts: 4,085
Default Re: Mallory Dual Point/Pertronic

I believe they do make a conversion but I would stay with the dual-point, IMO they are more reliable. If your Mallory was made for the A/B engine, the advance curve should be fine. If it is for an OHV engine or conversion, it may have too much advance???
Jim Brierley is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 11-13-2018, 02:06 PM   #3
Purdy Swoft
Senior Member
 
Purdy Swoft's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Alabama
Posts: 8,099
Default Re: Mallory Dual Point/Pertronic

I got mine from Berts and have run it just like it came out of the box with excellent results . I would much rather run dual points than tring to get by with any electronic setup , any day !!!!!!! Dual points have been said to double the spark . As far as maintainance is concerned , the only thing that I have ever had to do was replace the condenser . Some have told me that they usually got 30.000 miles or more before they needed to do anything to their Mallory dual point distributor .

Last edited by Purdy Swoft; 11-13-2018 at 02:11 PM.
Purdy Swoft is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2018, 04:47 PM   #4
CarlG
Senior Member
 
CarlG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 9,115
Default Re: Mallory Dual Point/Pertronic

Purdy,
Does Bert’s still offer the Mallory dizzy? I don’t see it in their catalog.
__________________
Alaskan A's
Antique Auto Mushers of Alaska
Model A Ford Club of America
Model A Restorers Club
Antique Automobile Club of America
Mullins Owner's Club
CarlG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2018, 06:05 PM   #5
Purdy Swoft
Senior Member
 
Purdy Swoft's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Alabama
Posts: 8,099
Default Re: Mallory Dual Point/Pertronic

Carl ,
I'm not sure . The last one that I bought was in the mid ninties , it still runs good and the only thing that I have ever had to do was replace the condenser . If Steve doesn't have one he will probably know where to find one . Maybe try Bubbas ignition , Sorry I don't Have contact info for Bubbas .
Purdy Swoft is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2018, 06:55 PM   #6
Dick Steinkamp
Senior Member
 
Dick Steinkamp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Bellingham, WA
Posts: 1,163
Default Re: Mallory Dual Point/Pertronic

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Purdy Swoft View Post
Dual points have been said to double the spark
Say what?

The mission of dual points is to increase dwell. They do this best on a V8 due to the limits of having 8 lobes on the distributor cam. Not so important on a 4 cylinder and probably not a noticeably stronger spark.
__________________
All steel from pedal to wheel
Dick Steinkamp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-13-2018, 08:33 PM   #7
michael a
Senior Member
 
michael a's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Lone Jack Missouri
Posts: 381
Default Re: Mallory Dual Point/Pertronic

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dick Steinkamp View Post
Say what?

The mission of dual points is to increase dwell. They do this best on a V8 due to the limits of having 8 lobes on the distributor cam. Not so important on a 4 cylinder and probably not a noticeably stronger spark.
X2

Sent from my SM-J700T using Tapatalk
michael a is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2018, 11:57 AM   #8
Purdy Swoft
Senior Member
 
Purdy Swoft's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Alabama
Posts: 8,099
Default Re: Mallory Dual Point/Pertronic

Increasing the dwell increases the spark .When the dwell is increased it gives the coil more time to build up between firings for hotter spark . Ford increased the dwell on the model B engine by changing the profile of the distributor cam . Changing the profile of the model B distributor cam to allow more dwell has been said to double the intensity of the spark, dual points have a similar effect . Doubling the spark doesn't really make that much difference on the model A or B engines . The thing is that every little thing counts when a person is trying to increase performance . You REALLY can't expect a minor distributor dwell modification to make a night and day difference in the power that can be actually felt , especially if a person takes a negative attitude . The installation of a higher compression head will give instant power that you can feel . If a person expects a major power increases from minor mods they will likely be S.O.L .
Purdy Swoft is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2018, 12:25 PM   #9
Jim Brierley
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Temecula, CA
Posts: 4,085
Default Re: Mallory Dual Point/Pertronic

What Purdy says is true about a lot of things, light flywheel is an example, it doesn't add power like some think but it does make it feel like it does. More compression and a bigger carb make a noticeable difference in our Model A's. An engine only uses enough spark to fire across the plug but dual points will give more spark if needed, so can increase the RPM range of a performance engine. Same with a 'hotter' coil. Dual points do increase point-life.
Jim Brierley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2018, 01:05 PM   #10
Purdy Swoft
Senior Member
 
Purdy Swoft's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Alabama
Posts: 8,099
Default Re: Mallory Dual Point/Pertronic

Thanks Jim .
Purdy Swoft is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2018, 01:28 PM   #11
Purdy Swoft
Senior Member
 
Purdy Swoft's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Alabama
Posts: 8,099
Default Re: Mallory Dual Point/Pertronic

A lighter flywheel probably doesn't increase horsepower . A lighter flywheel is easier to spin and allows the engine to rev quicker and takes a load off the rear main bearing . When the engine can rev quicker it makes it easier to feel the power because horsepower is produced at higher RPM .
Purdy Swoft is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2018, 01:52 PM   #12
CarlG
Senior Member
 
CarlG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 9,115
Default Re: Mallory Dual Point/Pertronic

Quote:
Originally Posted by CarlG View Post
Purdy,
Does Bert’s still offer the Mallory dizzy? I don’t see it in their catalog.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Purdy Swoft View Post
Carl ,
I'm not sure . The last one that I bought was in the mid ninties , it still runs good and the only thing that I have ever had to do was replace the condenser . If Steve doesn't have one he will probably know where to find one . Maybe try Bubbas ignition , Sorry I don't Have contact info for Bubbas .
Thanks Purdy, I did some checking:

Berts:
"We no longer sell them due to quality issues.
The last time I bought 5 of them, four of them either didn't work right away , or shorted out within the first hour of use. Mallory has since been sold twice, and I am fairly confident they no longer make the Model A Distributor due to lack of sales.
Steve @ Bert's"

Bubba's Ignition:
"As of February 2018 we no longer offer a new Mallory Model A unit. We have built a few hundred and no longer have the cores....."

Now to add to that, I have access to a couple of Mallory cores (a single point, and a dual point) that I am going to send to Bubba's for evaluation. We'll see how that turns out.
__________________
Alaskan A's
Antique Auto Mushers of Alaska
Model A Ford Club of America
Model A Restorers Club
Antique Automobile Club of America
Mullins Owner's Club
CarlG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-14-2018, 02:14 PM   #13
Purdy Swoft
Senior Member
 
Purdy Swoft's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Alabama
Posts: 8,099
Default Re: Mallory Dual Point/Pertronic

Thanks Carl for the info . I'm sorry to hear about the problems with the Mallory distributors and even sorrier to learn that they are no longer available . I run a Mallory dual point distributor on my speedster and 31 standard coupe . I'm glad that I got mine when I did .
Purdy Swoft is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2018, 10:47 PM   #14
Paul Bjarnason
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Annandale, VA
Posts: 150
Default Re: Mallory Dual Point/Pertronic

Well, rats! Where can we now get a dual point dizzy for our A's?!!!
Paul Bjarnason is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-16-2018, 11:35 PM   #15
1929
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: New York
Posts: 943
Default Re: Mallory Dual Point/Pertronic

Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul Bjarnason View Post
Well, rats! Where can we now get a dual point dizzy for our A's?!!!
I was going to ask that same question.
1929 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-07-2019, 11:20 PM   #16
Speedster
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 3,764
Default Re: Mallory Dual Point/Pertronic

Any dual point options ?
Speedster is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:10 PM.