Goat Hill Classics Coils

[John S.]

I'm considering purchasing a 210 Delco Remy Ignition Coil from Goat Hill Classics for my 396/425HP 1965 Corvette. Does anyone have any experience with their coils, and do they meet NCRS judging requirements? Any inputs or alternatives will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
John

[William C.]

Check archives for Goat Hill *NM*

[John S.]

Re: Check archives for Goat Hill

Thanks, Bill! There are some very interesting posts. I'll wait and see what they bring to Carlisle. John

[Joe L.]

Re: Check archives for Goat Hill

John------

I fully expect that Paul will have a large selection of the coils available for purchase at Carlisle---he usually does. If he has the one you want and you like it, purchase it from him then-and-there.

I think that you will find them to be quite good. Not perfect, perhaps, but quite good. At least, they are with respect to external configuration. Paul uses original Delco coil caps with a reproduction "can" of his own manufacture. So, the tops are perfect because they are original.

As far as FUNCTIONALITY and DURABILITY goes, I know not.

[John S.]

Thanks, Joe!!! *NM*

[Wayne M.]

A few things to look (out) for

Goat Hill (2-page ad in the recent DRIVELINE) has a checklist for repro coil purchasers. I would have to assume that this means that Paul's (?) do meet this criteria. Unfortunately, no pictures are offered.

The GM-licenced restoration coils that appear regularly on eBay are a poor substitute, from what I can see in the pictures, and should do poorly in flight judging originality (IMO), but any deductions would have to be from the "unwritten yet common knowledge" category of black hats, as the '65 TIM&JG is sparse in describing these details. By deduction, I have to assume that Goat Hill's coils are NOT GM-licenced.

Here's a few items I would be looking for.
-- forget finding the original paper-backed red and silver decal (bygone era)
-- embossed numeral "2" should point vertically down at the upper left "start". The numeral 1 should not have the little hook at the top. There should be some dash (long or almost dot-like) between the "12" and the "V".
-- the decal may be opposite side to the emboss (it is on my 210 -- see pic). The font on the silver side of the decal is WAY too small on some repro decals

-- Phenolic top: note the script in the link [below the auto-load pic]; examine in particular the "y" at the end of Delco Remy. It is larger and longer (extending to under the "m") than I have seen on other non-210 originals of that timeframe. But I think Delco might have been using both variations.

[Rod K.]

Re: Goat Hill Classics Coils

John,

Just my non-expert opinion, but I purchased an 091 repro from Mr. Baker some years ago after asking whether it would meet OEM technical and performance specs. It looked great. He assured me that as an electrical engineer, he would vouch for the correctness of said specs. Later the same weekend, I happened on a real 091. When I got the two home and checked and compared the primary and secondary resistances on high level test equipment where I worked, Lo & Behold, the two coils did not come close to matching. In other words, the electrical transformer ratios weren't even close, thus the performance (output voltage) wouldn't be the same. As to whether he was an electrical engineer, who knows.

Mr. Baker apparently uses whatever original coil matches the visual details he needs, regardless of the performance characteristics, and sleeves the original with a new thin brass can embossed as required (not even sure if he does this himself as I've heard otherwise). If performance characteristics don't matter, buy on visual details.

Personally, I've had a couple of other less than satisfactory confrontations with the man (including his reaching around me to grab a part off a display table where I had just laid the part while I obviously was checkning my finances) and will never deal with him again. Draw your own conclusions.

[Joe L.]

Re: Goat Hill Classics Coils

Rod------

He told you that he was an electrical engineer? Well, he once told me that he was a master tool and die maker and "had been in the machine tool business for years". However, that's when we were talking about his then-upcoming reproduction of the 1956 "3 bolt" exhaust manifolds (which, incidentally, he did later come out with and they're quite good). Anyway, I guess he may be what one would call "multi-dimensional"----he uses his various and multi-faceted backgrounds for a variety of reproduction parts each related to one of his previous academic/industrial specialties.

By the way, his current coil reproductions are not based upon the "sleeved" design of old. He now reproduces the entire can section of the coil (perhaps, using skills learned when he was a master tool and die maker). He installs "new" innerds (perhaps, using skills acquired when he was an electrical engineer), and combines the 2 with a new cover gasket and original Delco insulator cap salvaged from "less important coils". From a rather cursory inspection, I happen to think that these coils are quite good. The re-use of the original insulator caps is a clever touch---they don't wear out and are plentiful in salvage yards. I don't know where he acquires the "new" innerds to install in these coils, though.

It would be very interesting to learn what "previous life specialties" and/or academic achievements he draws upon for his water pump and fuel pump business.

[Rod K.]

Re: Goat Hill Classics Coils

Joe, thank you for your insight. As you indicated, from my limited knowledge of the details of most of his repros, he does do a very nice job on the castings, etc. I think he may have mentioned his tooling experience to me, also, but I can believe he has that experience. It was just the way he presented the coils as being technically as original, and comments I heard later from other vendors, along with the fact that the 091 didn't check out, that led me to think he'd "sell" you anything you wanted to hear. I'm still pretty sure he wouldn't go to the trouble or expense of winding new coils and would use the innards and correct caps from whatever coil he had available to create the repro, whether hi-perf or low. And, as I said, if it's just appearance, he probably does a great job, but if I were buying a coil and wanted to be sure it performed as original, I'd be a bit cautious unless I had specs and could confirm the repro met them before I bought.

Thanks again for your comments.

[Joe L.]

Re: Goat Hill Classics Coils

Rod-----

My axiom is that, with respect to parts, FUNCTIONALITY and RELIABILITY have the absolute highest position on the list of priorities. Everything else is secondary. So, if a part is ABSOLUTELY, PERFECTLY original with respect to configuration, but compromises functionality and reliability, then it's of no interest, at all, to me from the perspective of something that I would use on a car. If an original part, it might be nice for historical reference, but that's all. If a reproduction part, then it would hold very little interest for me.

[Randy G.]

Re: Goat Hill Classics Coils

This is a picture of a part number 1115107 Coil from GM Restoration Parts. This 107 coil is for a 1957 fuelie. Will this crash in judging? (Sorry for the BIG picture).

[Bill W.]

Re: A few things to look (out) for

My 210 out of 16120 looks like yours ,same y.

[Joe L.]

Re: Goat Hill Classics Coils

Randy------

I think that it is discernable as a reproduction. Just how much of a point loss would be generated, I do not know.

[Guest]

Re: Goat Hill Classics Coils

All - do not know if the coil (66 TI 425HP) I purchased from Goat Hill will pass NCRS, but it took almost 9 months from when I paid with certified check and phone calls every other week to receive it. Looks good and works, but would never use Goat Hill again!

[Harry Sadlock]

Re: Goat Hill Classics Coils

Does anyone think this seller is Goat Hill?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1957-1967-Corvette-Chevy-Starter-ORIGINAL-DELCO-REMY_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6755QQihZ019QQitemZ290007950139QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW