Spark Plug Wires

[David D.]

In recent posts discussing plug wires, there was reference to 90 degree terminations. I assumed these were for the distributor end of the wire, but the fellow at the parts house indicated the 90 degree end was the plug end. My interest in the 90 degree was to fit better under the shielding, am I off base here. Should both ends have the 90 degree boot?
Without looking in Noland or elsewhere, did original plug wires have 90 degree boots on each end?

The part number for Pertronix provided was 708101.

[Martin N.]

Re: Spark Plug Wires

DAVID-
All of the S.B.C. spark plug wires I've ever dealt with have the 90 degree ends at the plug end of the wire. The cap side is a straight shot. I just put Delco wires on my 74 last year, both ends were pre-made-up and wires were cut to length.

Marty

[Paul L.]

Re: Spark Plug Wires

DAVID-
All of the S.B.C. spark plug wires I've ever dealt with have the 90 degree ends at the plug end of the wire. The cap side is a straight shot. I just put Delco wires on my 74 last year, both ends were pre-made-up and wires were cut to length.

Marty

Yep, I agree.

[David D.]

Re: Spark Plug Wires

Thanks Martin. I am sure you are correct, I continued to think about this and pretty much decided my early alzheimers must have kicked in. I was putting the top shield on my 66 last week end and it seemed like I had to really push hard to get it down to the support screws. Then I wondered if original wires had 90 boots on both ends, apparently not. Thanks,

[Wayne M.]

Re: Spark Plug Wires

....90 degree was to fit better under the shielding, am I off base here. Should both ends have the 90 degree boot?....

David -- I believe, of all the C2 smallblocks, only fuel injected had the 90 degree boots at the distrubutor end. With production brackets and top shield, the taller F.I. distrib (even with the short tower distr. cap D-310), straight ends would be bent excessively, encouraging shorts to the shielding. On 1965 L84 cars, they used 90 degree boots for sure. Maybe early '63's had the straight ends until they rectified the problem, if memory serves.

[David D.]

Re: Spark Plug Wires

Wayne -

Thanks, so FI cars had 90 degree boots, I suppose no radio was included in that?

dd

[Bruce B.]

Re: Spark Plug Wires

FI Corvettes did have radios as an option, just like other Corvettes.
Bruce B.

[Wayne M.]

Re: Spark Plug Wires

Wayne -

Thanks, so FI cars had 90 degree boots, I suppose no radio was included in that?

dd

David -- here's my take on '64-5 small block ignition wires in production: all except L84, U69 or not, used straight boots at distributor end. Fuelies used the 90 degree boots at distr. end, regardless of U69 or not [probably a decision to rationalize the choices on the line (in theory they could have gotten away with straight boots on non-radio cars, but the FI ignition wire assy's may have been longer than base engines as well)]. This scenario seems to agree with the '65 AIM, UPC 6, sheet B3 and UPC L84, sht 7.

For '63's, probably early L84's had straight boots, but I'll defer to the '63 experts on that one.

I can't see any reference to 327 distr. end boot shapes in my '65 TIM&JG.