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rotorwrench · 06-10-2021, 07:20 AM

If it's wired from the coil through the switch and on to the distributor as the OEM was then it can be converted if you wish to. The conversion would be to wire the hot side of the coil through the switch then wire the breaker side of the coil direct to the points.

The switch will work either way and can be left as is. The main thing is that the circuit is broken to the ground path so the coil won't be energized if the breaker points are closed. I think Ford did it this way to keep hot wires out of the instrument panel area when the car is turned off and the engine is not running. A hot wire is vulnerable to shorting to ground if the insulation of the wire is compromised and that is not a good thing to happen when the fuel tank is right there next to it.

06-10-2021, 07:20 AM	#8
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,440	Re: Ignition switch question If it's wired from the coil through the switch and on to the distributor as the OEM was then it can be converted if you wish to. The conversion would be to wire the hot side of the coil through the switch then wire the breaker side of the coil direct to the points. The switch will work either way and can be left as is. The main thing is that the circuit is broken to the ground path so the coil won't be energized if the breaker points are closed. I think Ford did it this way to keep hot wires out of the instrument panel area when the car is turned off and the engine is not running. A hot wire is vulnerable to shorting to ground if the insulation of the wire is compromised and that is not a good thing to happen when the fuel tank is right there next to it.