Corner Wrench: Classic car ignition — points, electronic, or something in between?

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If you’re an adult regular-vehicle owner, you’ll probably have to go back to your parents’ generation to find some drivers experienced with the pit-falls (meaning of that pun coming up) of points-based ignition systems.

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Introduced by Cadillac in 1910, ignition points were common right up into the 1970s. This simple system would control when the ignition coil supplied power to the spark plugs, and in the times of simpler engines, they did this job well. The system had drawbacks, however, such as arcing and gradual pitting (there’s your explanation) of the points’ small faces. When the pitting got bad and deep enough, the engine would cut out — usually at higher engine speeds. If you didn’t have a spare set and a screwdriver ready in the glove-box, you might have been able to borrow someone’s nail file to scrape at the pitting and buildup and get on your way.

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Corner Wrench: Classic car ignition — points, electronic, or something in between? Back to video

Pretty much any tried-and-true shade-tree tech can swap out and set up new points and condenser with little trouble in almost any conditions, but recent issues with questionable quality of replacement parts have frustrated many and driven them to look for a better answer. Full electronic ignition is usually the first consideration, but true classic purists often abhor the look of the obvious mods under the hood, and for the advantages gained, the costs might seem prohibitive.

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The biggest advantage offered by fully electronic systems is more accurate spark timing. Not only can a set of points pit, but the lobe that determines exactly when and how far they open is prone to wear. This typically leads to poorer performance on acceleration.

The answer to this might be an electronic triggering module, which can easily be mounted under the distributor cap with very little fuss. These provide the benefit of original look (save a couple of new wires coming out of the distributor), and the ability to keep the original distributor and cap. Cost savings can be substantial, too. Triggering modules from credible suppliers (such as Pertronix) can usually be found for under $100, whereas complete electronic ignition kits often start at double that price and higher. Triggering modules still use the original coil, so you won’t be getting a more powerful or hotter spark. You will, however, see more accuracy in your engine’s spark timing and more system reliability. And in the rare case of failure, you can easily swap back to the set of points and condenser tucked away in your glove-box.