Harmon Collins Ignition vs new HEDI

blucar

blucar

Well-known member
I am between a rock and a hard place:

The engine in my '36, a 59AB that is far from stock has been in hibernation for many years, getting ready to pull it out and send it off to be freshened up. The engine was last rebuilt in 1960, it has never given me any trouble.
I have a Harmon Collins dual coil ignition on the engine that has always worked very well. The cam is a Weber F-1, dual Stromberg 97's on a Offie Super manifold. Heads are 59AB, highly modified, milled, domed and flycut. Engine runs fine on 89 oct unleaded fuel.

I was gonna send my HC off to Bubba's to have it freshened up and send the Ford '42-48 coils to Skip Haney.
I now understand that Bubba's might not be doing HC ignitions anymore.
Should I consider up-grading the ignition to a modern HEI?

My Ford is still running 6v and I have no intention of changing to 12v.
 

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The word on the street is that 6 volt electronic ignitions are notoriously unreliable, especially when running a generator.
 
Sure, upgrade to HEI. And while you are at it, put in a Mustang II IFS, power discs all around, an automatic transmission, some power seats, and maybe throw in a sun roof.






Sheesh.



.
 
When dealing with the ignition needs of the flathead. The brand name of the ignition systen is nor important, A low compression engine doesn't need a very hi voltage to achieve complete combustion. What's needed tis the spark at the right time under to load on the engine, wich the load a matic provided. Most aftermarkets distributors don't.
!0 years ago Richard Kunc developed the Delco (Chevy) distributor into a unit that provided the necessary advance curver to provide this in both power and economy. bubba and now Charly Ny. provide one. There may be others but I'm not aware of any.

The converted chevy distributor has beed available since the late 60's. However untill Richard came along nobody took advantage of ot ability to control ignitiming a well as it can.
Gramps
 
If you've had good luck with your Harman-Collins, then I see no reason to not continue to use it. Given that you have a front-mount situation, you'll not be able to use the Chevy distributor that Ol' Ron is talking about. You can still get new magneto points for the H&C and as long as all the "yellow plastic" parts are in good shape, then the H&C will continue to run for a long time.
 
I sent an email to Bubba's, (Jim Linder) a couple days ago, have not had a response.
I have had no issues with the H-C on my car, as I recall I have put over 94K on the car during the time I used it for daily transportation in sub-zero Idaho temp's, blazing Nevada deserts and California freeways. According to the log book I had new points/condenser's installed in 1966 by a local tuneup shop.

I really like the look of the two Ford coils sitting back to back on the front of the intake manifold.
 
blucar said:
I sent an email to Bubba's, (Jim Linder) a couple days ago, have not had a response.
I have had no issues with the H-C on my car, as I recall I have put over 94K on the car during the time I used it for daily transportation in sub-zero Idaho temp's, blazing Nevada deserts and California freeways. According to the log book I had new points/condenser's installed in 1966 by a local tuneup shop.

I really like the look of the two Ford coils sitting back to back on the front of the intake manifold.
Click to expand...

I think you answered your own question. :D
 
Doing some research I noted that Petronix makes a Igniter conversion for the Ford '42-48 2 bolt distributors. I have a rebuilt old stock distributor in stock, been sitting in it's box in my parts stash for over thirty years. I also have a NOS '42 cap.
On two previous 6v occasions, I used a Petronix with their 12v Flame-Thrower coil, the system worked great.

I could confuse people by leaving the two, back to back, Ford coils attached to the intake manifold, with the bottle type coil mounted out of sight. :cool:
 
Letting my fingers do the walking through catalogs, I noted that SPEEDWAY Motors listed a Petronix Ignitor conversion for the '42-48 21A distributor.
I called SPEEDWAY'S Tec line, hooked up with a guy that was very knowledgeable with flathead Fords. The Tec agreed with me that the Petronix Ignitor ignition would be a very good application for a daily driver modified engine.

Petronix recommends 7mm suppessive core wires and a 6v 6 ohm Flame Thrower II coil with their system.
I would guess that the suppressive core wires will eliminate my neighbors complaining about my Ford making their TV's act up when I pull into the court where I live. For many years my previous house had an alley running behind it, the garage faced onto the alley. If I had been out with my '36 in the evening, when I came home I would hear from several neighbors complaining about the TV interference the Ford ignition caused.
Of course, all vehicles manufactured after '62 had suppression wires and bonded chassis, ground straps, body to chassis, engine to chassis/body, to eliminate interference with TV's
 
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