Early 1946 Ford 5W Coupe Start

Conrad Rossi

Conrad Rossi

Senior Member
Hello --

I need your help to verify the wiring for a hot wiring the engine to fire it up.

It has been 15 years since I purchased this car and I have time now to start enjoying it. If it starts and runs for a few minutes without any concerning noises, I will add to the generator and complete the wiring. And reinstall the radiator. I promise lots of pictures and keeping you updated.

Engine is a 59B Engine that isn't locked . I installed a rebuild and tuned 94 carburetor, new plugs, new wires, rebuilt starter, new 6V battery, new coil (even I have a fresh rebuild from Skip) and rebuilt and tested distributor.

Here's the diagram on my best attempt to see if I understood the wiring diagrams and did it right. Thanks much! All feedback is welcome :)
 

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Positive or negative ground? If it's positive ground, like it came from the factory, you have the coil wires backwards. The power feed should be hooked up to the negative terminal on the coil. The wire to the distributor should go to the positive terminal. (This is assuming that you are using a modern "can" coil, and not the rebuilt from Skip.) Also, for the initial start-up, I would bypass the ballast resistor.
 
Thanks Tubman!

Yes, positive ground and using for now a “can” coil. What’s the wiring for using the stock coil rebuilt by Skip?

I’ll update the drawing in the evening and remove the old one to avoid any confusion.
 
And condenser? Good condenser needed for good spark. The old condenser probably can't be trusted; I understand they can go bad over time just sitting. Tubman is our resident expert on condensers, so he can advise on that.
 
New Condenser as well. Distributor was tested in a Sun machine. Has one either bought from Napa or Third-Gen automotive. Can't remember which one I installed.
 
There is nothing wrong with using the "Skips coil". I was just responding to your drawing. Actually if that setup was running in the past, I would change as little as possible.
 
Hello Tubman,

Because as mentioned above that you are the resident expert on Condensers.
I have a question, how do you test a condenser to check if it is good or bad.

Bruce in Ca.
 
In the last few years, inexpensive multi-meters with a capacitance test function have come on the market (they used to be quite expensive). Other than one of these meters, it's just trial and error. I've read of guys who would go to their FLAPS and by 5 or 6 and just try 'em. (My partner in the condenser project always had an expensive meter.)

The only "shade tree" test I know of involves an analog multi-meter. Here's a "YouTube" video showing how to do it : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF2uI7HVyWE
 
tubman said:
There is nothing wrong with using the "Skips coil". I was just responding to your drawing. Actually if that setup was running in the past, I would change as little as possible.
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Tubman,

I just had a "duh" moment while wearing my glasses and looking into the stock coil. It's marked with "Dist" and "Batt" at the each post so that explains how to wire it.

Thanks for your help.
 
Thank you tubman,

I have a 1936 Simplex Servi Cycle with maqneto and get no spark from the spark plugs. Proper gap is set for plugs and points at 0.020". To get to the condenser, points and coils I need to remove the cover housing, remove the driven gear then pull the flywheel. I am just going to replace with new the condenser (I will check to see if good first), points and coils (ignition and lighting). That way hopefully it will take care of the problem. Correct way would be to replace one thing at a time to see what was the bad item, but too much hassle to keep removing cover housing, driven gear and flywheel for each item tested.

Bruce in Ca.
 
Last edited:
Hello -- Updated the diagram with the corrections provided by Tubman. Thanks.
 

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SUCCESS! I'm happy to report the enginer fired-up on the second attempt.

During the first run, I smelled something not familiar with firing an engine up. It was burnt ... acorns. Pix attached. Also, I realized I had not one but two obstructions on the right tail pipe. I saw off the one you can see on the picture. The second one located under the passanger side was submitted into compliance. I decided not to saw it off so I could have a template when rebuilding the exhaust sometime.

Next step is to rebuild the two water pumps. One already has the bolt in the water jacket broken off. Be prepared for me asking more questions if I can't figure it out by myself.

Before links to the videos, I'd like to thank you for sharing your knowledge over the years. Specially, I'm grateful to those from the Barn that are no longer with us.

Here are two YouTube videos for your enjoyment:

https://youtu.be/9smDs02d6-Q
https://youtu.be/hQqVjfitfdQ
 

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Conrad Rossi said:
SUCCESS! I'm happy to report the enginer fired-up on the second attempt.

During the first run, I smelled something not familiar with firing an engine up. It was burnt ... acorns. Pix attached. Also, I realized I had not one but two obstructions on the right tail pipe. I saw off the one you can see on the picture. The second one located under the passanger side was submitted into compliance. I decided not to saw it off so I could have a template when rebuilding the exhaust sometime.
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525578


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love the nut storage option. OEM or dealer installed?
When the time comes for you to address that nasty exhaust system issue, you may want to consider going with a simple, always in style, dual straight pipe ensemble. Just a single caveat', not recommended, if you have been sentenced to live in some gated fossil farm setting.
On my '47, 59 A-B, I recently retired the Smitties and filled the vacancy with just such a system. 24 inches of, straight out of Bach's organ, 2" pipe.
"Now that's what I'm talkin' about!".
 
47topless -- The Smitties are there and I thbink they're just a shell based on the amount of rusted iron coming out of the tailpipes.
 
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