1 As you can see here, this...
1 As you can see here, this is a '68 Mustang with the stock dual-diaphragm style distributor. The owner has improved the engine with exhaust, headers, carb, and intake, but was still using the stock points and coil.
It's been over three decades since a Ford vehicle rolled out of an assembly plant with a mechanical points ignition system and at least a decade since Ford last stuck a distributor in anything at all. So we find it surprising to discover that people with regular-use vintage Mustangs are still using a points-type ignition. You have a concours-type car and want to keep it stock for the judges? We understand that, but for the weekend cruiser or modified vintage Mustang owner, running an electronic ignition system of some sort just makes sense. Spark plugs last longer, the combustion chamber sees a hotter spark for a more complete burn and less emissions, and acceleration and overall performance is improved. So what's stopping you?
We've installed the PerTronix Ignitor in many vehicles over the years. It's a great under-cap replacement for the original points, which are mechanical and they do wear. Points are a service item, and it's common to replace them annually in your tune up regimen. Having the PerTronix in place of the points means no more wear, easier starting, and more complete ignition/combustion. However, if your stock distributor is past its useful service life (and many of them are), adding a PerTronix unit to a worn out distributor isn't going to be as beneficial. Your previous option was to buy an aftermarket distributor, usually whittled from a hunk of billet aluminum with a big red cap on it. While they work great, they stick out like a sore thumb on a near-stock engine bay. Not to mention their higher cost.
Even though PerTronix itself sells billet distributors, they felt a stock-look cast distributor with all of the same benefits would be of interest to vintage Mustang owners. Currently, PerTronix offers their stock-look distributors for the small-block Ford engine family with either Ignitor or Ignitor III electronics under the cap. The new cast housing is molded like the original Ford unit and is setup with a performance advance curve right out of the box. Vacuum advance systems are adjustable and the high-strength cap comes in stock-look black with brass contacts.
The new PerTronix stock-look distributors are CARB EO approved and legal in all 50 states and come with a one-year warranty (30 months on electronics).
2 Generally, distributor...
2 Generally, distributor removal is aided by marking the body of the distributor for reinstallation, but in this case we're replacing the whole unit. Therefore, the engine is carefully rotated by hand to TDC and the distributor unbolted and removed.
3 The PerTronix stock-look...
3 The PerTronix stock-look distributor ships with a cast-iron gear for use with your typical flat tappet cam. If you have a roller cam, it is best to check with the cam manufacturer to determine if it is a billet steel core or something else to determine the best gear to use, then change the gear on the distributor so the materials are compatible.
4 Before dropping the distributor...
4 Before dropping the distributor into place, be sure to lubricate the gear teeth and the distributor's O-ring seal with a light layer of oil or assembly lube.
5 Using the distributor cap...
5 Using the distributor cap terminals as a reference, determine which terminal will be cylinder number one and mark it on the body as we have done here. When lowering the distributor into the block, rotate the rotor/shaft so that when the distributor is fully seated in the block, the rotor points to your cylinder number one mark.
6 The PerTronix ignitions,...
6 The PerTronix ignitions, whether it is an under-cap replacement or pre-installed in a new distributor, rely on full 12-volts to the module. As such, the stock pink resistor wire between the ignition switch and the coil must be bypassed. We removed the ignition switch from the dash and ran a length of red wire from the PerTronix to the ignition switch, connecting it to the red/green stripe wire at the ignition. The connection here is temporary, as a new ignition switch wiring connector was on order to replace the damaged wiring you see here.
7 When installing a PerTronix...
7 When installing a PerTronix Ignitor electronic ignition system, it is best to pair it with a matched coil. There's a very real possibility the coil you are currently using has the wrong resistance value for the Ignitor system, so why not play it safe and install the right coil too. This is a Flame-Thrower 40,000 volt coil, which allows larger plug gaps for increased performance and better throttle response. PerTronix offers their Flame-Thrower coils in chrome and black bodies with 1.5 or 3.0 ohm primary resistance (we're installing a 1.5-ohm model) and are CARB EO legal in all 50 states.
8 It wouldn’t be a proper...
8 It wouldn’t be a proper ignition upgrade without a fresh set of plug wires too, and boy this ’68 coupe really needed them. We’re using PerTronix’s 7mm stock-look plug wires, which offer low resistance, high-temperature silicone jackets, two current paths for reliability, and a lifetime warranty. If you’re nervous about firing orders, you can change your wires one at a time, but just know that the Ford small-block (260, 289, and 302) is 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8 in a counter-clockwise rotation, while the 302 HO late-model Mustang engine and 351W use 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8 in the same direction.
9 Lastly, the ported vacuum...
9 Lastly, the ported vacuum switch hoses are removed and just a single vacuum hose is run from the spark port on the carburetor to the vacuum advance canister. To clean up the engine bay, the owner will be installing a plug in place of the vacuum switch.
10 Overall, the '68's engine...
10 Overall, the '68's engine bay doesn't look that much different than before, but after checking and setting the base ignition timing, the owner tells us the car starts easier than ever before. Best of all, we upgraded our distributor, coil, and wires all for the price of just the typical billet distributor and achieved the same, if not better, benefits.