OK it's 2000. Unless you're trailering some concours beauty queen to an MCA National event (not that there's anything wrong with that), the last thing you should have to worry about is "When was the last time I changed my points?" Ford began installing electronic ignitions as standard equipment in all '74 passenger cars. Thus, the complete vintage years of Mustangs are equipped with standard single or dual breaker point ignition systems.
During their heyday, breaker point ignition systems worked fine, but their high maintenance and high wear make them obsolete today. The spring tension of the points, the point gap, the alignment, the pitting, the burning, and rider wear are common problems. Add moisture damage or improper adjustment to the equation and see just how bad points can become, especially for a daily-driven vintage Mustang.
Electronic ignitions, on the other hand, have little or no moving parts. Depending upon the type of system, the old-school points assembly is replaced with an armature. An armature resembles a wheel or disk with slots or tabs equivalent to the number of cylinders on it. The armature is read by a pickup assembly that is also mounted inside the distributor bowl. This armature sees the slots or tabs as they pass by the pickup and reads them as the opening and closing of the points (if they are still there). Following along so far?
With electronic ignition systems, the dwell, the base timing, the advance, and other adjustments can be accurately made, and they won't change over time since no mechanical wear is involved. Today there are several options that will help you ditch the points under your Autolite distributor cap. These options range from undercap conversion kits to complete and ready-to-run drop-in distributors. What we have amassed here is part buyer's guide and part installation guide to help you decide which system is suitable for your vintage Mustang. So read on.
Is that distributor packing...
Is that distributor packing points, or has it been updated to the reliability of an electronic ignition system conversion?
From MSDMSD has several alternatives...
From MSDMSD has several alternatives to using points-based ignitions. While none are stealthy enough to be considered for full-on show cars, these pieces work great in street-driven V-8s. The MSD Ready to Run Pro-Billet distributor for Ford V-8s is a drop-in unit that simply hooks up three wires to operate. It is a completely new distributor assembly with oversized mainshaft and sealed bearings. The mechanical advance is adjustable and has a vacuum advance to increase economy. The distributors are available for the 289-302 (PN 8352), the 351W (PN 8354), and the 351C-460 (PN 8350) engines.
If you want the zero maintenance...
If you want the zero maintenance of electronic ignition but the adjustability of a stand-alone control box, then you can use the MSD Pro-Billet Ford distributor for the 289-302 (PN 8479), the 351W (PN 8478), or the 351C-460 (PN 8477) engines with any one of several control boxes offered by MSD.
By far the most popular ignition...
By far the most popular ignition control box from MSD is the MSD 6AL unit. This unit is of the capacitive-discharge style with multiple sparks for proper combustion. The 6AL also has a built-in Soft Touch rev control that is adjusted by using different RPM chips to keep your engine from over-revving. You can use the 6AL with the distributor mentioned in the above caption or with your original points distributor, but you will still have the mechanical wear of the points and the breaker plate.
The all-new MSD Digital-6...
The all-new MSD Digital-6 Plus is a completely digital ignition control with several additions that put it a step above the 6AL. The 6 Plus comes with a standard rev limiter to protect the engine, as well as a two-step rev limiter for launch control and two different stages of ignition retard. The first stage is a start retard for high-compression engines (with the ignition retarded, the engine cranks easier) and the second retard can be wired into an RPM switch or for nitrous use. All these features are in one box. Again, you'll need an MSD distributor to have a fully electronic ignition with no points, but the Digital-6 Plus will work with a stock distributor.
For those of you who may have...
For those of you who may have upgraded your vintage Mustang to a do-it-yourself Duraspark conversion a few years ago, MSD can still help you. MSD's Ford Adjustable Timing Ignition Control is contained in a stock-sized Duraspark-type control box and even has Ford-type connectors for a plug-in installation. This increased-output ignition can be used in place of any blue-, white-, or yellow-colored, strain-relief Duraspark control and comes with a dash-mountable knob to manually control ignition timing.
When you step up to electronic...
When you step up to electronic ignition, you need a higher voltage coil assembly to fire the hotter sparks available with electronic ignition. The MSD Blaster 2 coil is a great addition to its distributor and ignition control boxes when converting your Mustang over to electronic ignition. It will drop right into your OE coil bracket-and if you desire, you can paint it black to keep it on the down-low.
From CraneCrane has a pair...
From CraneCrane has a pair of points conversion ignition systems. Both the Crane XR700 (shown) and the XR3000 allow you to convert your vintage Mustang from points to maintenance-free electronic ignition systems in about an hour. The heart of the system is the XR housing that contains the electronics. This small aluminum housing can be easily mounted out of sight (if you wanted to) and is fully encapsulated for weather resistance.
The XR700 and the XR3000 use...
The XR700 and the XR3000 use the identical optical trigger assembly. The trigger and shutter wheel take the place of the OE points to allow for firing of the spark to the cylinder heads. Simply remove your old points and install the optical trigger per the included instructions, and then connect it to either the XR700 or the XR3000.
The PS20 coil from Crane is...
The PS20 coil from Crane is the perfect addition when you upgrade to one of its electronic ignition conversions. The PS20 coil will fit in your stock bracket and deliver a hotter spark to your engine, allowing for larger plug gaps and better combustion.
The Pertronix Ignitor has...
The Pertronix Ignitor has been held in high regard in the Mustang community. And why not? The value-priced electronic ignition conversion drops in place inside your stock vintage distributor and is stealthily hidden beneath your Autolite distributor cap. To the keen eye there is one extra wire exiting the distributor, and I am sure you can hide that quite well. New releases include dual-point applications for the Mustang.
From PertronixPertronix makes...
From PertronixPertronix makes its own Flame-Thrower high-performance coils to work with the Ignitor, though stock Ford coils will work too. From left to right is Pertronix's chrome coil, stock black, and epoxy-filled black (for vibration resistance). These coils will provide 40,000 volts to your spark plugs and fit the stock coil bracket.
From HolleyHolley, a big player...
From HolleyHolley, a big player in electronic ignition components for a few years now, doesn't have a drop-in answer for ditching your points. You can use any one of Holley's Annihilator ignition systems to get a more accurate electronic ignition, but your points will still trigger it (albeit with less current running through them). The better answer is to use the Annihilator of your choice (perhaps the HP Annihilator [PN 800-100]) and the Holley Performance Billet distributor for small-block Fords (PN 890-110), which features mechanical and vacuum advance and its own performance module.
These Pertronix Flame-Thrower...
These Pertronix Flame-Thrower plug wires were introduced about two years ago and come in two types. The stock-look wires are 7 mm in diameter and are black with no lettering on them. They are low-key and look perfect at first glance under the hood of a vintage Mustang. The MAGx2 wire sets are 8 mm and come in blue, red, or black. With silicone jackets, dual current paths, and a low 500 ohms per foot resistance, these Flame-Thrower wires will get the job done for your electronic ignition conversion.
This shot of the Ignitor installed...
This shot of the Ignitor installed shows just how compact it is inside the distributor. With no moving parts it is a set-it -and-forget-it proposition. Pertronix even has applications for six-cylinder Mustangs.
From Mallory/ AccelACCEL...
From Mallory/ AccelACCEL also has a line of drop-in distributors that are designed for the typical street application of a vintage Mustang. The ACCEL BilletProof 71000 series distributors feature a CNC billet-machined aluminum housing and have a self-contained, high-performance ignition module. Just drop in the distributor and hook up the two wires. The mechanical and the vacuum advance systems, while preset for street driving, are fully adjustable.
Both Mallory and ACCEL have...
Both Mallory and ACCEL have a variety of ignition coils to fulfill your electronic ignition conversion needs. Oil-filled canister coils can be found in inductive- and capacitive-discharge models and will fit your stock mounting bracket. Simply pick up the correct coil determined by the cross-reference chart in the company's catalog or on its Web site.
Mallory has several answers...
Mallory has several answers to your electronic ignition quest, depending upon your budget and what you want to see under the hood. Mallory, of course, is famous for its Unilite conversions. The Mallory Unilite (PN 502) will fit under your stock cap and provide maintenance-free ignition with no moving parts. Unfortunately, the Unilite is available only for V-8 applications. You can also upgrade to a Mallory drop-in distributor with either a Unilite or a magnetic breakerless pickup under the cap and vacuum advance. It's perfect if your distributor is worn and has too much play. Just hook up three wires and you're done.