Flathead ignition Poll

[39portlander]

Original points, Mallory or MSD. What are you currently using and why. Lets spread some knowledge

[ken ct]

Original points and dist setup,easier to maintain. ken ct 36 coupe.

[George/Maine]

Well if i saw ya on the rode side broke down,should have points and condenser in the glove box.Now if i could see to gap them ya be on your way.

[fordscript]

Used nothing but original distributors and points, go good enough for me, if it went any better, I wouldnt be able to hold her on the road, or stop in time if I need to.....

[Brendan]

i got the original on my 36, coil rebuilt by Skip!

[Mr 42]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Lucas dual points four lobe distributor

[41ford1]

Mallory electronic crab on a 59A engine. It was in place when the I bought the truck. No problems with it for 5 years.

[37fatfender]

MSD in one and Bubba/Pertronix in another...............

[flathead4dr]

original points, late flathead dual carbs. works great. 6 years 18,000 miles no problems.

[4dFord/SC]

Stock distributor, points, and Skip's coil. Ran Philbin/Pertronix setup for a few years until it died. Since returning to "original" configuration, car has never run better and has added benefit of allowing connection of vintage Sun "Football" tach.

[kraken]

I ran a Pertronix for 2 years and had problems with hard starting with a cold engine. I went back to stock points, and the car runs great and starts right up

[Barry-ct]

Everything is original. Easy to work on.

Barry

50 F-1

[flatjack9]

Mallory electronic crab been in use for 18 years. Do carry a points backup, but as of yet haven't needed it.

[Dave72dt]

Original. That's what was with it and it worked. Don't plan on spending money for something it didn't need. Now, if it didn't have one.....

[JM 35 Sedan]

On my '35 fordor driver I'm using a stock distributor rebuilt with good quality points, condenser, etc., and a Skip Haney wound coil. On my '35 tradional hot rod, using a performance built 59 engine, I'm using a Harmon-Collins dual point, dual coil distributor.

[Russ/40]

An old Remund Pertronix unit. Been running it for 15 years or so. I used to do all the clean-up and rebuild work for Remund. That was before he ended up in the slammer.
Sad story

[3738]

All original in my 37 and 38. I don't technically carry spare points, but I carry a spare coil, spare condenser and a complete distributor, set up ready to go, (Can't see to change the points, easier for me to change the distributor, but so far, have not needed to).

[BILLF/TRF]

Dual Pt. Mallory. Checked by Bubba. Engine starts immediately and runs well.

[FL&WVMIKE]

All original Henry Ford here, on my two flatheads. I do have Coils rebuilt by Skip Haney.
MIKE

[Kahuna]

39 Ford distributor, converted to Pertronix trigger, 12 volt coil. Has run well for 21 years and looks entirely stock.

[Lawson Cox]

Henry's stuff is good enough for me. Many trouble free miles.

[Don]

All orginal on my 36 rd and 36 coupe, all i have do do is look at the starter sw and they start. I set them up myself .

[Mike51Merc]

Mallory mechanical advance distributor with a 6V Pertronix I installed. 40KV Blaster coil. Runs great.

Keep the spare Mallory point plate AND the original load-a-matic distributor in the trunk.

[Mart]

Crab style stock distributors. In my 40 the setup is stock, in my roadster I use a £10 "electronic ignition amplifier" That seems to work well enough, and as a byproduct does away with the potentially unreliable condensor.

Mart.

[GeoMaher]

I also am using originial points and distributor, the only way to keep my 34 Ford, all Ford.
George Maher

[FlatheadTed]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

twin points running on one ,With a back up set and condenser . .and my own rebuilt coil

[Gary in La.]

Have been running a Mickey Remund 6 Volt Pos grd Pertronix in the original Ford dist. for going on 15 years. No problems and runs better than ever. Always had trouble with point corrosion in this La. humidity before converting.

[Tinker]

Stock setups

[Lawrie]

Original and 6v in both our cars,the 33 just did a 1000klm trip and a couple of weeks before another 1000klm trip, havent looked at the ign ,but it still starts and runs great,last trip towing a camper got nearly 20mpg.
Lawrie

[Bassman/NZ]

Fully rebuilt stock crab with 12v coil.

[Lawrie]

Stock 6v with skip coils,
Both work very well on our 33 fordor and 34 3w.
Lawrie

[Bill in Al]

All original with Skip Haney rebuilt coil.

[Barlea]

'35 Two Ton, original rebuilt with Echlin bits and Skip's coil, and identical spare. Don't even have to look at the start button, just think START! and it's running, hot or cold. ..B.

[Joe AZ]

Original with Skip Haney Coil.
Joe

[felix37]

MSD,Ilove it!

[BUBBAS IGNITION]

Rebuilt 5 stockers this week for the early flathead , everyone of them had a advance problem with gummed up or stuck advance weights! Checked three new aftermarket units this week and everyone of them had the wrong advance curve or a incorrect amount of advance ( from very high to almost zero).
Its just a matter of making it right !!

See my other post on ignition coil drama.........
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...81#post6680881

[deuce lover]

Mallory Unilite 12V on my 36 5W.Had the same on a 35 sedan.Both cars had 59AB engines.No problems so far.

[Walt Dupont--Me.]

Use the stock crab, use a good coil, I recomend the MSD red crab cap, fits right on a stock crab. The stock black cap has a tendensy to crack. Send the dist with the cap to Bubba. You know my 40, I've used the crab for 35 yr's. That engine will rev 5 grand easy, starts with just a touch of the button. Walt

[Pete]

I have used nothing but Harmon & Collins mags on every flathead I have built or owned since the mid 50's.

[Bruce Compton, Canada]

Crab distributor with 8BA coil and bypassed resistor on 59L in a '36. Had some issues with the early coils and resistor, but no problems since the change.

[BillM]

HEI triggered by Mopar magnetic input (no condenser required ).



MSD cap and rotor;

[39portlander]

Great input. Will get an MSD crab cap and a set of points for the glove box. Don't have a coil to send to skip so I'll get an MSD blaster with my cap.

[ventilo]

Bubba-Chevy mechanical advance Distributor, NGK plugs, "blue" Bosch 6 Volt coil, no resistor, all running on 6 Volts in my French flattie
starts on the button - regardless whether hot or cold

[Human Fly]

Originally Posted by Pete

I have used nothing but Harmon & Collins mags on every flathead I have built or owned since the mid 50's.

I thought 'Mags' are no good for the street as they have no advance.....did i get my wires crossed so to speak??

What is this 'Skip' coil you guys speak of????

[37 Coupe]

My setup is a little different from most posted so I will try to describe it. I have a 59AB in my 37 coupe with a 4 inch crank and a NOS Mercury camshaft with front snout machined for early distributor,Red of Red's header come up with the cam few years back. Distributor is 37-41 style but uses the 11A shaft,cam and weights as 41 Ford would have for more advance which is needed for engine I have . The distributor was built and setup by a guy in Virginia named John Shelor,never see his name on this forum or V8 Club's but he has written several articles in V8 Times about distributors and coil moisture,probably has been over shadowed by Haney coil rebuilds, I think he is a retired electrical engineer,mayby in his eighties. He makes a special point plate and uses a 57 Ford point and a 74 Pinto point in his early Ford distributors,whether it is the availability or he considers them stronger and more dependable I do not know but man it sure runs good, big difference from the stock 68 distributor I first ran. Surprised John's name is never kicked around on forums,he is always busy,too busy to be blowing his own horn on internet I guess. Think he has done a few Great Race setups.

[jbrittonjr]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Original distributor with pertronix module & stock coil.

[39portlander]

Originally Posted by Human Fly

I thought 'Mags' are no good for the street as they have no advance.....did i get my wires crossed so to speak??

What is this 'Skip' coil you guys speak of????

George "skip" Haney e-mail: [email protected]. If your looking to have your water pumps done, he's the guy as well. He has a set up for pressurizing the radiator also. Ad's in the latest May/June V8 times. If your not a member yet, what are you waitin for

[Ol' Ron]

Bill M I like your distributor, This type of modification to the old Crab makes it a much better unit than the MSD unit because it still uses a vacuum component for distributo advance under load and cruise. Those that run without vacuum have a rich mixture during cruise witch waste fuel and contributes to cylinder ware, by washing the cylinder walls with excess gas

[BUBBAS IGNITION]

Originally Posted by Human Fly

I thought 'Mags' are no good for the street as they have no advance.....did i get my wires crossed so to speak??

What is this 'Skip' coil you guys speak of????

Most mags comes with or without advance. Many run the Vertex with advance and they run pretty well at fixed advance on a flathead .....

[Human Fly]

Originally Posted by 39portlander

George "skip" Haney e-mail: [email protected]. If your looking to have your water pumps done, he's the guy as well. He has a set up for pressurizing the radiator also. Ad's in the latest May/June V8 times. If your not a member yet, what are you waitin for

THanks for the e-mail.......but whats the deal with the coil?? This is the forst i have heard of it and a few seem to run it. Whats special about it?

Thanks Bubba, good to know I can run a Mag on the street and the lack of advance will not effect performance.

[coolcoupe]

Originally Posted by 41ford1

Mallory electronic crab on a 59A engine. It was in place when the I bought the truck. No problems with it for 5 years.

Did you mention you have a electronic on your 59A engine? Been looking for that set-up for awhile. Coolcoupe

[coolcoupe]

Can you still get the electronic conversion for a 6volt 59 engine? Moe

[coolcoupe]

Is your set-up on a 8ba or 59a engine ?Thanks Moe

[coolcoupe]

BillM, Where can I get that dizzy thats shown ? Thanks Moe

[Zeke...PA]

8BA with a crab distributor. Zeke

[BillM]

Originally Posted by coolcoupe

BillM, Where can I get that dizzy thats shown ? Thanks Moe

It's basically a DIY deal. Too many mods to the pickup and selective fit to bore the reluctor to fit the cam to make it kit of parts to install on any distributor. And I don't have the time to do it for others.
See my website for the details on how I did it. I tried to include enough info for others to duplicate it; although it requires the use of a lathe at the least.

[rick r]

early 1980's chrysler 318 electronic on my 8ba. $ 50 at the bone yard and a couple of hours on my old logan lathe and it works great.

[Ken Crans]

Bubbas rebuilt,Deep sea Diver style dizzy w/points and Pertronix 6 volt 50,000 volt coil. Purrs... Ken