There are numerous threads on the site about installing the Duraspark II trigger into the later distributors (post 1957). If you have one of the re-built distributors based on the "three lobed" Motorcraft housing of the small block engine (and many re-mans are) - then you will be pleased to find the parts from a '74 and up 302 / 351 / 429 and so-on are a bolt in fit. Very little work to convert if you are auto mechanics inclined. As Charlie says - once you have a working trigger, all sorts of control boxes will then charge a coil and make it work reliably. When working on the units I've built, I've tried to make sure the parts I used could all be had at the local auto parts outfits on Sunday afternoon. Few of us buy aftermarket electronic conversions - with a spare. So when it quits on the way home from a Sunday show - roadside repair isn't often an option. On a y-block with a rear distributor, many swear words and burned fingers may be the after effect of trying to re-fit the points. Personally I'd hate to see my bird on the end of a recovery strap - but I sure wouldn't leave it on the freeway in Tucson....... The system I have installed on there now can have a new (plug in) control box in about five minutes without a wrench or even a screw driver. It could have been carefully hidden too - but I didn't.  

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Túlio Lazzaroni "FORD", Florianópolis SC Brasil.

'74 Ford Galaxie 500 292 V8

'82 Ford Galaxie Landau 302 V8

'98 Chevrolet S10 4.3 V6

'01 Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec

The first thing to do is to ensure that your distributor is in like new condition.  An electronic conversion will not fix a worn out distributor.I've tried the Pertronix Ignitor 2 and matching Flamethrower 2 coil.  As an "upgrade" I was not impressed.  I could not tell a difference between it and the points.  As simply a points replacement, it did an excellent job.  I also managed to fry it when I left the key on though that one is suppose to have the protection.  For the money, I'd stick with points.
Another thing to be aware of, I'm sure you've heard in regard to electronic conversions "carry a set of points around and if you do have a problem, you can just swap them right back in."  This is only partly true.  If you've done a proper upgrade, then you also have a better coil than stock, matched to the electronic ignition.  These coils are not designed to be used with points.  Depending on the primary resistance, it may very well get you home but it may also only get you a few miles before the points are toast.  If you do a conversion and plan to fall back on this "just in case," I advise you to get a good quality set of points to carry around ($10-$20), install them with the electronic coil and see how long they last.  This way you know how far you can go and you can make a decision as to whether you also want to carry a spare points coil around with you "just in case."My opinion is that you should rebuild and convert your distributor to a Duraspark trigger and use an external box.  It is only when I did this that I got better mileage and slightly better throttle response off idle.  When you do it this way, you can choose between aftermarket parts or oem parts (Ford Duraspark box, Chrysler box, GM HEI Module, etc), the latter of which meaning that you can get parts for it just about anywhere.  Of course, this is more difficult to hide if you want it to appear original.



Lawrenceville, GA

Don’t consider this a rebuttal but simply another point of view.

Where originality is a concern for those cars that don’t get driven a lot, then points and condenser can stay.  For those older cars that originally came equipped with points and condenser and are driven all the time, retrofitting them with a quality electronic ignition is a logical upgrade.  Where the distributor is at the back of the engine and is hard to service like on the Y engines, then converting to electronic ignition is also a plus.

Just a few of the reasons to convert to electronic ignition would be to reduce the propensity for the burnt exhaust valves, cleaner oil, reduced cylinder wall wear, improved starting and fuel effieciency, much longer spark plug life (500% is a conservative number), and in general, double the engine life. Electronic ignition was one of those milestone improvements that came along that is a normal upgrade to those older cars that simply had points and a condenser.

 

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Call me a radical, but those things, at least for me, "kill" the experience of driving a 40 + year old car.

Túlio Lazzaroni "FORD", Florianópolis SC Brasil.

'74 Ford Galaxie 500 292 V8

'82 Ford Galaxie Landau 302 V8

'98 Chevrolet S10 4.3 V6

'01 Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec

I bought my first Pertronix in 1985 and used that one in 4 different Fords over a period of 25 years and over 200,000 miles with no problem.I'd still be using it if I hadn't had a little brain fade one day and left the ignition on overnight.In the mid 80s,I was a U-Haul dealer and service shop and all of their older Fords were converted with Pertronix.Some of them had close to a million miles on them with no ignition problems.Other conversions may be as good(or better) but I don't see how.

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

Been running the original Pertronics for many years in my '57 Bird without a hitch,

Pertronics is the way to go, easiest conversion to electronics in your application. Have used in my last 3 Fords, and using their high voltage coil is a must to get full benefit from electronics. You can bypass the ballast resistor, the setup now can take full voltage. Also increase spark plug gap by .005 for bigger spark.

1957 Thunderbird 312 Fordomatic

This article may help a bit. Chuck

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire

I put a Pertronics 2 in my 56 Bird with a 57  distributor last spring.  So far, so good.  Made a trip to Springfield, MO this summer with the Bird and it gave me the best mileage ever and seems to start better.  I used the Pertronics coil, so I didn't need a resistor.  But like a lot of things that I carry around with me, I have the old set of points, condensor and rotor as well as a spare module


54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ