modernize my 31 A

azmodela said:
I love the reliability and performance of the points and condenser my cars! I've never had a problem, and have never spent an hour chasing the problem. It may take me an hour to chase the problem I don't know, I've never had a problem to begin with!

Of course should there be a problem, I just carry an extra distributor that's timed and ready to go. I can't see why that would take an hour to change out.
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I've never spent a second on my distributor since i installed it.
 
When I installed a FS electronic module on my 31 p/u, the first thing I noticed was how quickly it started.
The other thing I noticed was an increase in gas mileage.
Herb Neumann
Concord CA
 
At the end of the day, it's still their car. Not everyone is the same. It's not like they're chopping it up and putting a flatty in it, which i'm not to crazy about, but like I said it's their car. They pay the bills. They make the decisions. I respect the work that is put into any car no matter what is under the hood or what modifications it has. In this case, they're modifying how the electricity gets from the coil to the plugs. They're not painting it like the Mystery Machine or GOD FORBID putting those "terrible white walls" on it. Each distributor has it's pros and cons and everybody has their own oppinions. It's not that big off a deal and in my oppinion it's not a topic worth fighting over. jmho
 
dew the 31 tudor said:
what is the best way to add electronic igition to my 31 A ?
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Hm, 'best way'. Well, about 6 yrs ago , I installed an electronic module setup in my model a dizzy...and have never had to touch it since. Try it, you will never regret it....IF DONE RIGHT!
BTW- for those that cry foul/fowl..whatever..don't waste my/your time!
I've driven Model As stock as ford built them 80 years ago..for decades. I changed... for same reasons as some here have accurately explained...and more.
 
Herb Concord Ca said:
When I installed a FS electronic module on my 31 p/u, the first thing I noticed was how quickly it started.
The other thing I noticed was an increase in gas mileage.
Herb Neumann
Concord CA
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With all due respect Herb, if that was the case then you likely had some issues with your points ign. system that was creating your hardship. In reality, you should be able to hit the starter and in less than one revolution of the engine it should start with either type system. If not, then something probably is not adjusted correctly however that probably is not the fault of the system IMHO. The same applies to the mileage. The electronic ign. (contrary to popular myth) does not necessarily make a hotter spark over a points triggered ignition system unless the there is a defect in that points system. Dyno tests will confirm there is not any discernable difference in horsepower between an electronic ign. system vs. a points triggered system.

I also think jcheshire makes a valid point in that it really doesn't matter which unit you use (providing you have the skills to repair it, ...which many folks don't!), HOWEVER I think the main reason why folks come to a forum such as this is to gather facts that will help them make the best decision for themselves. I would venture a guess that even the most 'purist-minded' folks here do not have an issue with modernization/upgrading if it is done for the right reason however facts --not opinions really should validate the reason for the upgrade, --and not just making a change because it "seems plausible based on someone else's opinions or beliefs".

As a FS Dealer I too have installed quite a few units over the years and warrantied/replaced some too. Many of those I have no idea why they failed as I probably never heard the accurate story from the customer. I guess that is why I subscribe to the mindset that if you want electronic ignition on your engine, that is fine with me and I will gladly promote FS and do the installation however please do not manipulate the facts with unsubstantiated opinions, --or use myths to convince others that electronic is superior in all ways, ...because as you can see, the vast experiences of many others (-including myself) just cannot substantiate that. If someone has accurate test data, or scientifically-made comparisons showing why one system is much superior to the other system, then I think we are all truly interested.
 
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Jordan said:
I've never spent a second on my distributor since i installed it.
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Whats a distributor? :)
If / when I can finally afford my own "A" my preference would be a 4 coil system with CPS and I'll relax while everyone else cleans and adjusts their reliable points or trys to find out why they have a short inside the stock "A" distributor. Is it a shorted condenser? Is it the cheesy wire in between the bottom and top plate?

Like I said previously. 200+K miles and almost 19 years without EVER being worked on other than spark plugs. I'd love to see someone get 200,000 miles out of a set of points.
 
my pickup had not been started in several months,my grandson (10 years old) ad a play Jazz theme around the 30's,we planned taking Jace to school play,he was dressed the part,went to garage model a always started with a bump of starter,well it spun several times nothing and only about 1 1/2 hours before time to be at school and had to wash model a and now would not start,it is original dist carb ect,pulled dist cap off ran piece of thin cardboard between points,put cap back on,started with usual bump,was a big hit at school took Jace to front door people gathered around taking pictures it was grandma Jace and my very proud night and our area has very few model a's and the little piece of gardboard made it
 
MrTube said:
Whats a distributor? :)
If / when I can finally afford my own "A" my preference would be a 4 coil system with CPS and I'll relax while everyone else cleans and adjusts their reliable points or trys to find out why they have a short inside the stock "A" distributor. Is it a shorted condenser? Is it the cheesy wire in between the bottom and top plate?

Like I said previously. 200+K miles and almost 19 years without EVER being worked on other than spark plugs. I'd love to see someone get 200,000 miles out of a set of points.
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Surely this is meant in jest because I would like for someone to show me where they got 200,000 miles on anything mechanical in a Model A without working on it!!

I will say that maybe we sometimes forget to consider what the 'serviceable life' is for anything Model A related. Should we really expect every original component to compare to 21st century engineering or manufacturing? If not, then why are we??

.
 
BRENT in 10-uh-C said:
Surely this is meant in jest because I would like for someone to show me where they got 200,000 miles on anything mechanical in a Model A without working on it!!

I will say that maybe we sometimes forget to consider what the 'serviceable life' is for anything Model A related. Should we really expect every original component to compare to 21st century engineering or manufacturing? If not, then why are we??

.
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Wasn't on a model A. I've had quite a few modern vehicles with electronic ignitions.

Don't know about others, but I wasn't expecting original components of the model A to compare to stuff from the 21st century, I'm simply saying why I feel electronic ignition is superior. I have seen many many people on here claim breaker points are more reliable and it simply is not true.
 
MrTube said:
Wasn't on a model A. I've had quite a few modern vehicles with electronic ignitions.

Don't know about others, but I wasn't expecting original components of the model A to compare to stuff from the 21st century, I'm simply saying why I feel electronic ignition is superior. I have seen many many people on here claim breaker points are more reliable and it simply is not true.
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See, this is my point, ....you say this because you feel like it is believable in your own mind. No where can you find facts (scientific research or test data) that can back up your statement that it is superior. Equal too? Yeah maybe. More reliable? I think in the case of retrofitting a Model A engine the statistics and testimonials would prove otherwise.

Mine and other's point is that in the grand scheme of things, by percentages there are very few electronic ignition systems in use in Model A's compared to point-styled systems that are in use today, and have been used for the past 80+ years. Therefore are we really comparing Apples-to-Apples?

Also, is it fair to compare worn out point-style ignition systems to a new electronic system? I don't think so. I also think that there are quite a few folks that have personally experienced an electronic ignition system failure that rendered their trip back home fateful. Even with a faulty set of points, or condensor, or coil, I find someone can usually limp their car back home albiet they may need to pull over a few times to allow the component to cool long enough for it to function again.



One other thought on this entire thread. I wrote this on another thread but maybe it applies here too.

The automotive engineering world began +/- around the year 1900. If we were to fast-forward about 28 years from that beginning, you had the latest technology, --the Model A Ford. Add another 28 years to that date and you experienced Ford's latest engineering for 1956. Add another 28 years and you saw 1984 technology, ...and forward another 28 years you have the 2012 technology of which many are trying to expect our Model A to be like.

By comparison to the above timeline, the Model A technology is equal to the first 25% of today's automotive engineering or technology. Our brand new modern cars should in essence be 400% better than what the new Model A was, ...but in reality if we accept the Model A for what it was in that timeframe, and return it to the exact condition it was when it rolled off the assembly line, I'm not so sure we could say that the new cars are indeed 400% better or more reliable!

So if we tell people our Model A is original, ...and we know from experience that 1927 engineering technology still gets the job done adequately and reliably, then why do we feel compelled to re-engineer our cars to be just like a 2012 car is? Is this being done to compensate for our own shortcomings or inadequacies, and not necessarily that of our Model A's?? :o

.
 
I just took my fiance's car back to the dealer this morning, had them take out the electronic ignition and put in a points system, I can't imgaine what would happen if she got stranded on the side of the road with a bad electronic ignition? I'm also going to throw away my cell phone, TV, refridgerator, disconnect my electricity & indoor plumbing, heat and A/C, wash machine and dryer, I can't take the risk that one of them may quit working at some point in time........oh my this thread cracks me up!!
 
modeleh said:
Think about this for a minute.
When you take someone for a ride in your A, they will surely ask "What are those levers on the steering wheel for?"
You can either say "The left one is to advance or retard the timing, and the right one is a hand throttle". They will say something like "Wow, that's neat!"
OR you can say "The right one is a hand throttle and the left one doesn't do anything anymore".
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Just for the record, with my pertronix ignition, I still retard and advance the spark manually, like the points system. I have the stock ford distributor body with the pertronix inside. You guys would never know the difference without opening the cap. I still tell the folks "the lever on the left advances the timing" because it does, lol.
 
Brent. With all due respect. I agree with herb, the start is quicker , better millage and more h/p . I have an original that a well known gentlemen in ga tuned it up an it does great. But nothing like with the modern stuff. An dont manipulate the facs or use myths, electronics is superior in ever way . Get the test data from the ford engineers that have changed over the years to make cars better. Ford .com and the 1927 engineering technology is not still adequate and reliability . Ask the engineers why they re-engineered our cars. We are not living in 1928 to 1931. Lol
 
jcheshire31 said:
At the end of the day, it's still their car. Not everyone is the same. It's not like they're chopping it up and putting a flatty in it, which i'm not to crazy about, but like I said it's their car. They pay the bills. They make the decisions. I respect the work that is put into any car no matter what is under the hood or what modifications it has. In this case, they're modifying how the electricity gets from the coil to the plugs. They're not painting it like the Mystery Machine or GOD FORBID putting those "terrible white walls" on it. Each distributor has it's pros and cons and everybody has their own oppinions. It's not that big off a deal and in my oppinion it's not a topic worth fighting over. jmho
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couldn't have said it better myself
 
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