My '56 T-bird (312 Y-block) has a late 1950's vintage W&H Du-point distributor (with tach drive) installed. I would really like to convert it to Pertronix innards, but it seems to be a gray area. It uses Delco-style points according to my Uncle, but would imagine that the shaft would be a Y-Block style...here's a lousy picture:


I would like to know if a kit is available, or if I will need to combine parts to make it happen.

I'm sure you guys need more information from me, just let me know what...I am heading home for lunch, and can take more pictures or get serial #'s, etc.

Thanks for the input...

Todd

Todd in Central California...about half way between Fresno and Sacramento

1956 Thunderbird - 1960 F-100 - 1961 Starliner - 1961 Imperial

The way I've always heard these work - never having seen the guts - is that it basically has two four cylinder style ignitons in the same cap. There are dual points in there - with a four lobe cam - and they are phased 45° apart. Is this the manner of operation? They are basically rigged to "take turns" firing alternate cylinders? This would let them have a nice "long" time to charge and saturate each coil before breaking the circuit and "firing" the plug.

If you wish to retain this style of operation - is there a Pertronixs four cylinder system? I haven't looked.....but a four lobed magnetic "cam cover" and two detectors located 45° apart could function in the same manner.

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Todd in Central California...about half way between Fresno and Sacramento

1956 Thunderbird - 1960 F-100 - 1961 Starliner - 1961 Imperial

"I see said the blind man" - so this is conventional dual point operation  - it just charges two coils instead of one. The overlaping breaker points gives a longer charge time - just as you would expect with a dual point Ford set-up - but it's charging two coils at the same time.

Any idea what the total "dwell" angle of the two sets of points is? Should be able to check it out with both points set acurately and a dwell tachometer. The ordinary Pertronix "Ignitor" has a fairly short fixed dwell angle and has to have a minimum 1.5 OHMs primary resistance in the single coil/ballast resistor. This protects the power transistor it uses to ground the circuit from having to carry too many amps.

The later edition Pertronix "Flamethrower II (?) has more capacity and will work with a coil that has lower primary resistance. It either has a bigger transistor, a variable dwell control - or both.

Check the primary resistance of the two coils - and are they wired in series or parallel? As long as you stay within the confines of the electrical capacity of the Pertronix control unit, it should be able to be made to work. 

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

Hi Todd,  Looks like you have the Du-point distributor, they also made a Dual-coil model.  Since your points cam has eight lobes, you should be able to use an eight-cylinder Pertronix.  But the shaft may be different in size than a standard Y-block.  If possible, try to locate someone in your area who is running a Pertronix on a Y-block.  After removing the rotor, pull the magnet sleeve off and see if it will fit on your distributor.  Since the distributor has Delco points, you may need to buy a Pertronix for a scrub chevy (or other GM 8-cylinder).  To answer Al's question, yes Pertronix does make various models for 4-cylinder cars.  I looked up a Ford Pinto application, but it appears that they used a Bosch distributor back then which would have been metric, of course.  Hope this makes sense- good luck!  Nick Brann, K.C., MO

Hello Todd,  I meant to say Steve's question (AZ28) when I said Al's question.  Boy this early-onset alzheimers is a bitch.  Anyway, do you have one coil or two?  Good luck, Nick Brann

And the plot thickens...only one coil, just a dual point distributor...

No evidence that a second coil was ever in place...My uncle owned the car since '57, and the original owner was his friend, so nothing has really been screwed around with other than original mod's to the car...

From all indications, it looks like it should be an easy conversion, I just want to make sure I do it right the 1st time...

Todd in Central California...about half way between Fresno and Sacramento

1956 Thunderbird - 1960 F-100 - 1961 Starliner - 1961 Imperial

That is odd because the points are wired in series and while one set is on a flat the other is starting on a lobe and there is no condenser, I am not sure I understand the operation of this style.

As mentioned before all the dual point ones I saw had 4 point lobes.

55 Vicky & customline

58 Rack Dump, 55 F350 yard truck, 57 F100

59 & 61 P 400's, 58 F100 custom cab, 69 F100, 79 F150, 82 F600 ramp truck, 90 mustang conv 7 up, 94 Mustang, Should I continue?

I looked around at replacement parts, and the points in my distributor are identical to Y-block replacements...it would stand to reason that W&H would have started with a Fomoco replacement distributor, right?

This would appear to be a '57-style single vaccuum diaphragm tach-drive distributor, right? Maybe I just need to pick up a Y-block Pertronix kit and be done with it...

Todd in Central California...about half way between Fresno and Sacramento

1956 Thunderbird - 1960 F-100 - 1961 Starliner - 1961 Imperial

Hey Billy, I think the camera angle is a little deceiving...they are both off-lobe in the picture...

Todd in Central California...about half way between Fresno and Sacramento

1956 Thunderbird - 1960 F-100 - 1961 Starliner - 1961 Imperial