I have just bought a 68 Camaro and of course it has points and condensor in the distributor. I want to know if there is an easy change to electronic ignition, if any one could help I would be appreciative.... Thanks in advance.....

I did it in my camaro I think that the best buy would be the jacobs electronic Ultra-Pak
It really isn't that expensive if you think about what you get summit has it and so does PAW. It is about 369.99 but you get a coil computer ignition wires stuff like that. It increased my horsepower and giving me like 22 mpg which i think is great

I wouldn't even get anywhere near the Jacobs stuff, way overpriced, not that much gain for the bucks they will steal from your wallet.

For a sensible system, go stock, recurved to match your engine, HEI, GM High Energy Ignition. These systems can be bought complate for under $40.00, gone through with remote coil and curve for under $60.00, making the whole ball of wax way under the Jacobs wallet robber.

Last thing to consider, the Junkobs has parts that are fairly expensive and only available from Jacobs, in Texas (read long shipping time to you).

The HEI has parts available from ANY auto parts store on the planet.

Another point I'd like to make, if anybody cons you into buying the Pertronix Ignitor, then make absolutely sure you DO NOT get the latest high-zoot Lobe Sensor Technology (LST) unit, they have many hot start and cylinder drop-off problems. Make sure if you use one, to use the stock coil, and LEAVE THE BALLAST RESISTOR WIRE IN PLACE AND CONNECTED, no mater what the ignition gurus say. Don't run the Ignitor or the coil from full battery voltage, shortens the life radically.

Your choice.

Check out Crane's XR700. Its a conversion to electric ignition with the stock distributer, cap and rotor. Uses a photo cell. Replaces the points and condenser, a snap to install. The control module looks pretty cool to, looks even better next to a HI-6 digital capacitve discharge unit and a crane PS-91 coil. But if its a stock look you are looking for just use the XR700 and hide the module under your dash. I have not had any problems with mine.

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Tim (http://www.geocities.com/sixt7ssrs/CAR2.jpg)
67 ss/rs (http://www.geocities.com/sixt7ssrs2/Mvc-562f.jpg), MODIFIED (http://www.geocities.com/sixt7ssrs/main.html)
Tim's Homepage (http://www.geocities.com/sixt7ssrs)
AOL-IM = sixtsevnss

Hey, Ignition Man, tell me what I DO want if I'm looking at a Pertronix Ignitor. Is the LST a new option? I understand the ballast resistor/resistance wire requirement. Can I still buy a plain old vanilla Pertronix Ignitor? Is there any reason I wouldn't want to if I could stay away from the LST thing? Thanks, Steve Laabs

If your not concerned about original appearance, you can use any OEM High Energy Ignition for an 8 cylinder GM. Truck, car etc. which are readily available from salvage if you want to go that route. You may have to put in new weight and springs to match your engine and RPM range if your looking for real performance. One thing to remember is that with the points and condenser distributor they use what is called a ballast resistor wire that cuts down the voltage to the coil depending on engine load. The HEI system uses full battery voltage so you need to run a new wire from your ignition side of the fuse panel. Its real easy to install. Get new plug wires as the old ones likely have the carbon core in poor shape. Also take the white connector that feeds battery power to the distributor. These are real reliable units and parts are available anywhere at reasonable prices.

if you want to go hei, but still retain the stock look, ask IgnitionMan about the product he makes. i've got one and i'm very happy. search my archive post about small body hei.


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To see a pic of my car, click here... pages.prodigy.net/mtbmtb/rf396ss.jpg (http://pages.prodigy.net/mtbmtb/rf396ss.jpg)

Hey guys, I just had this expience this week with the Pertronix Lobe Sensor Ignitor. I installed it over the winter but didn't get to drive the car. I got my elky out on Tuesday and was taking it from my grandfathers house (where I store my car) to my house to get it cleaned up for the summer. Well, the car would barely idle, took longer to start up and worst of all had absolutely no power. It would barely build enough r's to shift and it hardely could make it up a few hills. I thought I was driving a F*rd http://www.camaros.net/forum/rolleyes.gif My father and I reinstalled the points and condensor and it worked great.

I installed the ignitor correctly and used their coil. I am very disappointed in their product and I'm going to call them and complain today.

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Bryan Shook
Favorite Quote - Some people have shrinks. Some people have their garage.
My Father's 1968 RS 327! (http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/6673/camaro.html)
My First Generation Camaro site (http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/6673/firstgen.html)

Lobe Sensor Pertronix system is designed on the company's units they make for four and six cylinder systems on fork lifts and induatrial engines. These engines have point cams that have very pronounced lobe noses (the lobes have high bumps) and the lobe sensor can read them easily. On an 8 cylinder point cam, the lobe noses are very subtle, and the LST doesn't read the differential in the nose to heel (lower flat) easily, and everything suffers from it, cold and hot starting, performance (what little there is on any Pertronix Ignitors). If the bushings in the distributor are out of spec and looser than normal, the LST will just fail big time.

Pertronix Ignitiors, both kinds, do elminate the need for point naintenance, but do nothing more than that. They do not like running without the ballast resistor or resistor wire, or any other coil than stock. When run as designed, the earlier system will give fair performance for you if all you want is point system output (6000 volts max) to the plugs and no maintenance.

The very best bang for the buck you spend is the stock large cap HEI, recurved, using a remote mount MSD of Accel round coil.

Don't get fooled into wasting your money on overpriced junk like Jacobs, Mallory or Allison/Crane, there are much better, affordable alternatives out there.

What is incolved with "re-curving" the HEI unit. I assume you are talking weights and springs but is there a standard kit avialable or do you take it to a specialty shop for this work.

I ran a pertronix ignitor for with a blaster two coil for years without a resistor had excellent performance I guess all you other guys were doing it wrong.

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72 RS 327 700R-4
4.56 gears
blue with white rally stripes

I have been using the Pertronix Ignitor and wired it just like the directions ie 12v to red wire before the ballest resistor I noticed an immediate improvement in idle and the timing light was much steadier and had consistant 'flashing'.... I thought I was happy with this unit until I read all the stuff about "a breakdown waiting to happen" experiences..... WHAT IS THE REAL SCOOP???? Have I just been lucky so far??

You have been indeed, lucky. first time the regulator has a surge (usually from grounding on alternator going away), you will lose the Ignitor, first time the coil hads a layer shorting problem, you will lose the Ignitor. They are designed for fork lifts and industrial engines, BALLAST RESISTED, not to be used full 12 volts for extended periods of time.

As I said, in the last 12 month period, I have removed over 150 broken Pertronix Ignitors, both models, from distributors that just plain quit with that system in it, run with and without ballast resistance.

Just what I have had hands-on experience with, none of them were installed "incorrectly" or "wrong".

Good luck.

I want to thank you for the information Igntnman.... I have just started this project and you have helped me out. I'm sure I'll need your help in the future.

It's really simple, folks, the Pertronix Ignitor was designed to be used with a ballast resistor or resistor wire, and stock coil, it should be run that way, plain and simple, to ensure proper operation. It is only a point eliminator conversion, not a performance system. Run it that way and the chances it will live long will go up exponentially.

Over-voltaged, over-worked units may give some slight performance improvement, but will eventually fail. Just a matter of time.