Electronic ignition choices

[Smokinnjokin]

One thing I did on mine is run the ballast wires to a relay. Pick up 12 volts to feed the relay from the start relay This way you eliminate and voltage drop through bulkhead connector and key switch

I already run a 10guage piggyback wire from the alternator to the starter relay, and have bypassed my ammeter. At this point, would there be any advantage to adding the relay instead of just splicing the ballast wires together?

 

[Frank Mopar]

I already run a 10guage piggyback wire from the alternator to the starter relay, and have bypassed my ammeter. At this point, would there be any advantage to adding the relay instead of just splicing the ballast wires together?

Check the voltage after you eliminate the ballast. You can always add the relay

 

[Smokinnjokin]

Check this out, looks very promising. Full HEI kit. As far as I can find on FABO and FBBO, no one has tried one yet. Should I be the guinea pig?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MOPAR-273-...tributor-60K-COIL-8mm-Plug-Wires/232815946836

 

[Smokinnjokin]

Check the voltage after you eliminate the ballast. You can always add the relay

I have been going over the wiring diagram trying to understand the way the ballast resistor is wired. I want to cut the wires back as far as possible to splice together the connection, preferably hiding it inside the harness with heat shrink over so it looks like it was never there. Here's what I can't wrap my head around, what is the purpose of the brown wire that goes post-ballast resistor back through the bulkead (pin D) and back into the ignition switch? Is that just telling the ign switch that the coil is getting voltage (car is on, presumably?) so that it enables the starter to be turned?

 

[Frank Mopar]

One of the wires to ballast is for key in start(12v). The other wire to ballast is key in run (12v) but passes through the ballast reducing voltage in run position.

Basically if you jump the ballast you eliminate it.

Any wire to the ballast has nothing to do with the starter

On mine I took the resistor out of the ceramic and soldered a wire in its place. The ceramic ballast is there so people see it.

 

[Ranger16]

The brown wire is the ballast bypass wire that Frank is referring to.

 

[LSS&B]

Frank, I have considered the mopar HEI distributor with coil in cap, it does seem to be a simple solution but I can't find info on if it will fit in my '67 with a 360 and 4-barrel air cleaner. It is already a tight fit with the stock distributor. I do like the idea of simplifying and getting rid of the ballast resistor and control box, and don't mind the look since they are hidden behind the air cleaner anyway.
Everything I have read says "HEI is night and day over mopar factory EE with Orange box." Well, the orange box is garbage, and I can get a kit with HiRev box (modern electronics) for 1/2 the price of the HEI. Either way, I'm getting a new distributor of questionable quality. So all things being equal it comes down to price, reliability, driveability. I don't need an adjustable rev limiter or any of the advanced features.

Davis Unified Ignition on 360 in my 72 Fury, Edelbrock intake and 1406 carb, street only Old thread, but couldn't resist an unanswered question. I think it would clear with your 4 bbl air cleaner. DUI is wonderful for me. Been using over a year now.
What kit did you finally go with? How is it working long-term @Smokinnjokin ? Thanks, Ben

 

[momo]

In December 2022 I installed a Pertronix Electronic Ignition kit on my 1970 Plymouth Belvedere with a 318 V8. At the time the kit was under $100, and it has worked very well. The second wire from the distributor was wired to the ballast resistor. The install was easy and took less than 30 minutes, and does not require timing the car nor taking out the distributor. It makes the car much more reliable, almost like a modern car now. Now the next job is the power disc brake conversion.