C1 ignition wiring

[Matt F.]

After getting towed home yesterday, I think I'm ready to resolve my ignition issues for good. The history has been that the car ('60) will sporadically lose spark at the coil (I pull the distributor end of the coil wire, and get no arc from the coil wire to the intake manifold). My wife has had the magic touch in fiddling around with the wires at the ignition switch, but it failed her yesterday!

I've previously replaced the ignition switch, and the wiring from the switch to the starter & coil. Before I shell out the $400 for the 2nd piece of the wiring harness puzzle - the piece that includes the fuse block and all the underdash wiring and which will necessitate that I take apart the instrument cluster, is there anything obvious I may be overlooking?

thanks,
Matt

[Jim K.]

Re: C1 ignition wiring

Well I think I would check things with a mulit meeter first before replacing a major harness (unless it is brittle and cracked everywhere like my original 61 was). You may have a bad coil ($30?) or balast resistor (20-100$) Or some bad connections (free). I had a Corvair that would runlike crap once it got hot and it was a failed coil. I don't remember the test for the coil but I think it's continuity and/or resistance. Just MHO. Good luck.
Jim