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09-24-2013, 02:09 PM | #1 |
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Harmon Collins Dual Coil WOW
Sometimes you just got to stop and say WOW this is pretty cool.
You got to date stamp the object and think about the function and purpose when the part was being used etc. This Harmon Collins unit is in pretty bad ( but very saveable) shape over all. I love the twin helmet ignition coils on a home made bracket and got to believe they would have worked very well in the day !! Will show some testing as this project progresses................ Stay tuned ........ |
09-24-2013, 02:18 PM | #2 |
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Re: Harmon Collins Dual Coil WOW
Jim, you have come a long way on these old distributors. I can remember when you first started posting here, I asked you about working on HC's and you said no...you did not work on those. Looks like times are a changing . Will be interesting to follow your progress report on this one.
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09-24-2013, 02:40 PM | #3 |
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Re: Harmon Collins Dual Coil WOW
Bummer on the rotor, is that saveable? I have a couple of these that I need to send you...
Neal |
09-24-2013, 02:46 PM | #4 | |
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Re: Harmon Collins Dual Coil WOW
Quote:
In this case i think i can save the rotor with some careful epoxy work etc.. |
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09-24-2013, 08:20 PM | #5 |
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Re: Harmon Collins Dual Coil WOW
Bubba - What will the HC do that a regular Ford unit won't? Do flathead engines run fast enough for two coils to really make a difference?
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09-24-2013, 08:24 PM | #6 |
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Re: Harmon Collins Dual Coil WOW
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Makes me wonder if they were brought up from the Titanic! Sure is fun. Sometimes.
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09-25-2013, 07:02 AM | #7 |
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Re: Harmon Collins Dual Coil WOW
My understanding is that once the flathead is made to turn higher rpm's, the old ignition system can't keep up, so the HC was developed to stay with the higher rpm's. I wish someone would build rotors but I guess the high cost of making would not be equal to the demand.
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09-25-2013, 07:24 AM | #8 | |
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Re: Harmon Collins Dual Coil WOW
Quote:
There wasnt a lot of distributor offerings available. Using the harmon collins would allow the use of twin ignition coils, actually two four cylinder ignition systems. This would allow a much longer coil build up time and the coils of the day needed that extra time at higher rpms... As a kid i worked at a gas station where we had dirt track cars that ran on a local dirt track. Rules was nothing newer than 1953, that ruled out the chevrolets for sure. I trashed ( gasp) many a 32 for a racer, welded in a hook to hold the trans in second and hid the electric fuel pump wrapped in a towel in the frame rails. A local guy flycut the heads to handle the extra camshaft lift and away we went..... |
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09-26-2013, 06:59 AM | #9 |
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Re: Harmon Collins Dual Coil WOW
Bubba, thanks for that info, it always helps to know the reason for these improved items.
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09-26-2013, 04:37 PM | #10 |
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Re: Harmon Collins Dual Coil WOW
Got some more done today on this unit. Everything cleaned up pretty well and i think i can save the rotor.
I dont normally do these cases in black but this case was pretty bad even after a glass bead. I am waiting on some new harmon collins contacts .(one of these actually fell into two pieces. So this will go back to the shelf for a day or two.. Looking pretty good.... Cant wait to do up those stock coils and make some spark.... Hang in there ........ |
09-26-2013, 09:09 PM | #11 |
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Re: Harmon Collins Dual Coil WOW
Jim,
Would a regular pair of points work in that dist vs the H & C points ? Charlie ny |
09-27-2013, 07:19 AM | #12 |
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Re: Harmon Collins Dual Coil WOW
I guess you could make a set work with some time etc. The plate is set up for a dual set of Bendix aircraft # 10-357174 . Pretty pricey at $50 per set but still available thru the surplus aircraft folks. Takes them forever to ship etc...
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09-27-2013, 08:31 AM | #13 |
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Re: Harmon Collins Dual Coil WOW
I believe the aircraft point sets that fit HC distributors are made with a much higher quality point contact material than you would find on the typical points made for the Ford crab distributors.
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09-27-2013, 09:30 AM | #14 |
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Re: Harmon Collins Dual Coil WOW
I wonder if a 3D printer could nake a rotor?? I was tols by someone that the rotor hits some of the caps and usinf a dremmel to give greater clearance will solve some of these problems. I just sold my last H&C dist at Hershey last year. The rotor was in bad shape but still serviceable. I know the local High school has a 3D printer, I;ll check.
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09-27-2013, 02:53 PM | #15 |
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Re: Harmon Collins Dual Coil WOW
I would be interested in 2 if a run of H&C rotors could be made
John |
09-28-2013, 07:21 AM | #16 |
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Re: Harmon Collins Dual Coil WOW
I have been following this as I have a H.C. ste up I want to get done. It came on my 32 which I have heard was run at the Sanford Me. Drags. Walt had the engine to do over BUT the block had cracks. He has another one he is working on which will go in my 35 P.U. kc
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09-28-2013, 06:47 PM | #17 |
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Re: Harmon Collins Dual Coil WOW
I had a problem with my H-C that Hair Line Crack I see in your separator plate L-H points wire started grounding out to the housing causing a miss finally it was LIGHTS OUT.
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09-28-2013, 07:56 PM | #18 |
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Re: Harmon Collins Dual Coil WOW
At this point i have ultrasonically cleaned the plastics and will use GE Gyptal paint to seal them before running.....
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09-28-2013, 08:22 PM | #19 |
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Re: Harmon Collins Dual Coil WOW
Kerk, I used to run at Sanford back in the middle to late 50's. Had a Lincoln Zeffer dist converted to the helmet Ford dist on my 296 in a 39 coupe. Those were to good old days. Walt
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10-21-2013, 03:07 PM | #20 |
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Re: Harmon Collins Dual Coil WOW
New contacts came in today, been waiting on them. Unit came out pretty good for the shape it was in.
Coil mounting was pretty special and homemade. The carbon buttons were removed and a hole drilled in the side to allow a solid wire to be soldered into the hole. I replaced with new solid copper wire and sealed with a spark plug boot. Primary wire was reused as the coils must have mounted above the distributor housing. Rotor in all actuallity needs replacing , however i reinstalled a new carbon button and was carefull when installing the distributor cap. I then wired up the coils and ran on tester for quite a while after syncing the contacts at 2000-5000 rpm plus. It ran at 7000 rpm for some time without the slightest problem. Pretty easy to see why these were so popular in the day......... |
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