[Healeys] Distributor guy

[Bob Spidell]

After almost 100K trouble-free miles on a Pertronix in my BJ8 I bought 
another--'just because'--mainly so I could use the first one as a spare. 
Both are wired with spade terminals so as to be easily replaced; though 
I would have to cut some shrink-wrap I used to protect the connections*. 
The only downside is apparently Pertronix made some changes, probably to 
the base plate, and the new one required re-timing. Not ideal for a 
roadside swap, but you can time reasonably well with 'time if for best 
idle' and 'back-it-off-until-it-quits-pinging' techniques (and the small 
adjustments you can make with the 'A-D' knob). You'll need a feeler 
gauge--though I'm told a matchbook cover is about right--or, better yet, 
a dwell meter to set the points gap (the gap changes as the points wear, 
and don't forget to grease the cam). Compared to fiddling with the small 
nuts and screws, and the complex 'stacking order' of points pieces it's 
a piece of cake (though you do have a couple screws to mess with either 
way; I always carry a flexible magnetic pick-up tool in my roadside kit).

*Side note: I wired my on-the-shift-lever O/D switch with spade 
connectors, so I can get the knob off/on easily to replace rubber boots 
that don't seem to last long (enough). Last time I had the knob off I 
discovered one of the connectors had almost worked loose; it turns out 
most of these connectors, which often come in a kit, are absolute junk 
(made in you-know-where). I bought several kits until I found a brand 
that resisted disconnection. Be aware.


On 8/29/2022 7:12 AM, Jim Ryan wrote:
> Just wondering, the debate between this unit and the original points 
> has always been that you can replace the points in the event of a 
> failure on the side of the road. How difficult is it to replace this 
> unit in the same manner if you carried a spare, and what would the 
> cost be for that spare? I'm referring to a1958 Bugeye here.
>
> On Mon, Aug 29, 2022, 8:21 AM patrick williams <2x2doc at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>     It's been close to 20 years ago, but Jeff rebuilt my distributor,
>     including the vacuum advance diaphram, and put in a pertronix
>     unit.  I'm very happy with the results.
>     Pat Williams
>     1960 BT7
>
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