[Rockcrusher]

A friend of mine is going through points on his 350 '74 Nova at a rapid rate. He's running an Accel Superstock coil with a stock GM single point distributor. I did some checking and found the factory resistance wire had been removed or bypassed at some point. Can we install a ballast resistor in its place to prolong the life of the points? What was the rating of the old resistace wire and what ballast resistor might work?

 

[chevy2much]

Just install a HEI and be done with it.

 

[Jim383]

Didn't 74's come with an HEI? Bosch makes coils with internal ballasts, cleaner install,I've always had problems with add on ballast resistors.

 

[Rockcrusher]

Heh, I knew someone would say junk the points because that's what I suggested. My buddy only "trust" points or HEI. He's had pertronix fail on him in the past and has sworn off all aftermarket conversions. '75 was the first year for HEI and 3rd gens are hit or miss whether the bigger HEI fits or not. In this '74s case, not without some unwanted firewall bashing. He only puts about 3000 miles a year on the car so doesn't see the need in going beyond points.

 

[wskaiser]

I don't know the value of the resister but I think I would try to find one of the external screwed to the firewall types that GM used like on the mid to late 50s before they had the resistor wires.

 

[PCPete]

Read the coil instructions

I know, I hate instructions too, but with many of the high output coils, like a blaster, want 12v all the time. I looked up a likely suspect coil, and found this one. The instructions say that if the system doesn't have a resistor, there is a 1.35 ohm resister included with the coil that must be installed.

http://static.summitracing.com/global/images/instructions/acc-140001.pdf

I did some sheetmetal work on my 72 to make room for my HEI after the po had beat the *&%* out of the firewall. Made a huge difference.

 

[pinstripe_chuck]

I have full battery voltage running through my resistance wire to the coil. Wonder why?