1959 Ballast Resistors

[Al R.]

Were there 2 different ballast resistors used on the 59 cars? That is 1 for 2x4 carb and 290 FI engines & another for the other engines? Could not find anything in the AIM.

[Al R.]

Re: 1959 Ballast Resistors

OK, correct me if I'm wrong .3 ohm ballast with a black dot toe the 59 290 HP engine. Let me know!! Thanks. al

[John H.]

Re: 1959 Ballast Resistors

OK, correct me if I'm wrong .3 ohm ballast with a black dot toe the 59 290 HP engine. Let me know!! Thanks. al

Al -

Everything used the 0.3 ohm resistor until the 1.8 ohm resistor was phased-in during mid-'63.

[Jim T.]

Re: 1959 Ballast Resistors

how much longer did the points last with the 1.8 resister?

[Al R.]

Re: 1959 Ballast Resistors

Thanks John, Al

[Duke W.]

Re: 1959 Ballast Resistors

how much longer did the points last with the 1.8 resister?

Depends on your climate. A 1962 GM TSB recommended replacing the 0.3 ohm ballast with a 1.8 ohm during cold winter months, which is when the points were more likely to burn because the ballast's resistence goes down with decreasing temperature. I wonder how many guys actually did swap their ballast in fall and spring. My bet is zero.

Burned points left my '63 340 HP stranded once in Seattle where it doesn't really get that cold. At the time I had no idea about the two different ballasts or the point burning, so I just installed a new set of points, which worked fine for a couple of years until I installed the TI from the "twelve-mile L-88", which stranded me twice over the next several years, so back in went the now blueprinted single point distributor with 32 oz. points and it's worked fine ever since, but has accumulated few miles.

It's always a good idea to keep a serviceable set of points in your road spares and tool bag.

Duke