Go Back   The Ford Barn > General Discussion > Model A (1928-31)

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-16-2021, 10:52 AM   #1
jerbo
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: n. cal [Monterey Bay]
Posts: 116
Default converting to 1970 v8 points for model a

I saw in Les Andrews volume 2, on page 1-6 his comments for use of improved mechanical points used from a 1970 v8 & condenser. Does anyone know what the exact part #'s are. It looks like a good answer to replacing stock model A points which wear down so fast with teflon points contact. He discusses how to adapt the the distributor plate.
Does anyone have experience with this and know which part numbers he is talking about? Thanks, Jerbo
jerbo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2021, 11:40 AM   #2
Tacoma Bob
Senior Member
 
Tacoma Bob's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Tacoma, WA
Posts: 1,025
Default Re: converting to 1970 v8 points for model a

Well.....you have opened up a can of worms. That being said I have driven many thousands of miles over many years with this conversion. Most all the vendors sell the component parts to make the swap. Two ways to go are the new upper plate which the points and condenser mount to. The other is the lower plate. Many guys complain that the little "Z" shaped contact tang can misbehave and short. I just built a spare distributor and this time I eliminated the little "Z" tang. Like I say, I have had no trouble with this set up but many have.
Tacoma Bob is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Old 01-16-2021, 12:06 PM   #3
katy
Senior Member
 
katy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Red Deer, Alberta
Posts: 5,004
Default Re: converting to 1970 v8 points for model a

Quote:
stock model A points which wear down so fast with teflon points contact
I assume you mean the rubbing block on the points arm. Are you lubricating the distributor cam as specified?

The only time that I had the rubbing block wear down exceedingly fast was when I had installed a new "B" cam and didn't notice that the surface was quite rough, not as smooth as it should have been.
__________________
If you don't hear a rumor by 10 AM, start one!.
Got my education out behind the barn!
katy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2021, 12:33 PM   #4
Herb Concord Ca
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Concord CA
Posts: 623
Default Re: converting to 1970 v8 points for model a

The V-8 points are from a 289, 302 Ford V8 from the mid '60's thru the early '70's. Buy the best (more expensive) ones they sell, NAPA is a good place to buy them.
Herb Concord Ca is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2021, 12:37 PM   #5
MAG
Senior Member
 
MAG's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 925
Default Re: converting to 1970 v8 points for model a

Bratton's P/N
17320 Modern Upper Distributor plate with Modern Points and Condenser.
17270 Distributor Lower Plate with long wire when using the modern upper plate.
__________________
I noticed the harder I work the luckier I get!
MAG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2021, 01:22 PM   #6
shew01
Senior Member
 
shew01's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Roanoke, VA USA
Posts: 1,905
Default Re: converting to 1970 v8 points for model a

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)
Is this the correct part for V8 points that will work on a Model A?

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/ECHC...ut=ford+points


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
shew01 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2021, 01:24 PM   #7
verdirick
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Verdi, Nevada
Posts: 166
Default Re: converting to 1970 v8 points for model a

FYI Go one step farther and look for Filko 75 U Point sets. They show up on ebay once in while. Neat thing is that they have a capacitor attached that eliminates the condenser entirely...Only problem is that they are obselete, but as I found they do show up on EBay once in a while. The 75 S 's are identical to the ones from Napa, but do not have the capacitor attached.
verdirick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2021, 01:38 PM   #8
Bob Bidonde
Senior Member
 
Bob Bidonde's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 3,429
Default Re: converting to 1970 v8 points for model a

The modern points & condenser are no better performing than the original Model "A" points & condenser. I do not understand the need to convert to the new er stuff. Can somebody explain the value of using later model points & condenser?
__________________
Bob Bidonde
Bob Bidonde is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2021, 01:47 PM   #9
verdirick
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Verdi, Nevada
Posts: 166
Default Re: converting to 1970 v8 points for model a

Reliability plain and simple
verdirick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2021, 01:57 PM   #10
wwirz
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2020
Location: Corning NY
Posts: 243
Default Re: converting to 1970 v8 points for model a

I cannot tell you which is better yet. I did purchase the modern lower and upper plate with modern points and condenser.
I am making the change because of condenser problems with the original set up. I think the condenser in the original location (lower part of distributor) gets too hot and shorts. People in my club like the new set up. Others on various forums do not.
I will let you know.
wwirz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2021, 02:17 PM   #11
Ruth
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Glide, Oregon
Posts: 1,334
Default Re: converting to 1970 v8 points for model a

Quote:
Originally Posted by Herb Concord Ca View Post
The V-8 points are from a 289, 302 Ford V8 from the mid '60's thru the early '70's. Buy the best (more expensive) ones they sell, NAPA is a good place to buy them.
The V-8 points are from any Ford V-8 from 1957 until Ford stopped using points except those with dual point distributors.

I find the original type easier to adjust, otherwise not much difference.
__________________
Ruth
"Sometimes you really DO need to read the whole thread"
Ruth is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2021, 03:38 PM   #12
Chris Haynes
Senior Member
 
Chris Haynes's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Camarillo, CA and Pine Grove, CA
Posts: 2,830
Default Re: converting to 1970 v8 points for model a

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Bidonde View Post
The modern points & condenser are no better performing than the original Model "A" points & condenser. I do not understand the need to convert to the new er stuff. Can somebody explain the value of using later model points & condenser?
Easier to adjust for one. Readily available at any parts store. Better rubbing block. If they weren't a better design the '57 and later Fords would still have Model A points.
__________________
1921 Runabout
1930 Tudor
Early 1930 AA
Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go?
Chris Haynes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2021, 03:41 PM   #13
JD 1931
Senior Member
 
JD 1931's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: west coast Fla..
Posts: 311
Default Re: converting to 1970 v8 points for model a

Go to NAPA and ask for their best 1957 ford V 8 condenser and points. Alot of the condensers out there are defective and NAPA seems to have the best...
JD 1931 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2021, 04:24 PM   #14
Y-Blockhead
Senior Member
 
Y-Blockhead's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Redondo Beach, CA
Posts: 5,817
Default Re: converting to 1970 v8 points for model a

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Haynes View Post
Easier to adjust for one.
Really? I find the opposite to be true.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Haynes View Post
If they weren't a better design the '57 and later Fords would still have Model A points.
Ford had a number of point designs between the Model A and the Y-Block.
Y-Blockhead is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2021, 04:25 PM   #15
arnhemmer
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: San Jose California
Posts: 150
Default Re: converting to 1970 v8 points for model a

I have been running the modern points with the wireless contact from Bert's for the last five years since my rebuilt. Still the same set with no problems. I lube the cam with a little Vaseline about once a month. No wear on the rubbing block. It's like discussing motor oil, the pros and cons can go on forever.
arnhemmer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-16-2021, 10:13 PM   #16
Kevin in NJ
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: South East NJ
Posts: 3,398
Default Re: converting to 1970 v8 points for model a

The truth about points.

First let me point out that my brothers 31 Coupe has been running the same points that came with the car in 1970.

Yes you read right. 1970

Points can go bad, but that is rare. If the cam is smooth and properly lubricated the wear block will go a very very long time. How many guys are putting 10,000 to 20,000 miles on their cars- not likely.

I know you guys like to to fix stuff and in the old days you were supposed to change points regularly. Well you are just making extra work. New points need to be adjusted frequently as the wear block wears to the cam surface shape.

Do yourself a favor, stop playing with the points. If you have Ford and Standard points on your car run them till they actually fail. It is likely you will not ever change them.

I have a jar full of used points I took off of dist I took apart. Several were low quality stuff and the point material was oxidized. All the Ford and Standard had nice shiny point blocks. I would use any of them except I have several NOS Ford sets so I am using them.
Kevin in NJ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-17-2021, 08:00 AM   #17
Patrick L.
Senior Member
 
Patrick L.'s Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Largo Florida
Posts: 7,225
Default Re: converting to 1970 v8 points for model a

Which points to use ? Yep, heck of a question

The originals are just fine. A good quality set will last and they are easy to adjust. There apparently was a batch of poor quality condensers recently. [ I went thru 5 in a row, just because they are 'burn-proof' doesn't mean much]. I think a spare connected to the coil just in case is a good idea.

The modern plate is just fine. Its hard to find quality points and condensers today though. The expensive ones are the way to go. Unless you have a plate with an adjustment slot [ or cut/make your own] they are harder to adjust. I also recommend the 'wired' plate or just add the correct wire.

I think all that can be bought today is the Model B points cam and some are ground pretty rough and wear the points quickly until it smooths out. I've spun and polished a couple. Plus some new points have 'soft' rubbing blocks and wear quickly. The expensive ones seem better.

Ford V8 points are Ford V8 points. Just pick a year from the mid-50s to the early 70s.
Patrick L. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-17-2021, 08:04 AM   #18
Bob Bidonde
Senior Member
 
Bob Bidonde's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 3,429
Default Re: converting to 1970 v8 points for model a

The arguments for the modern points are bogus in my opinion.
__________________
Bob Bidonde
Bob Bidonde is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-17-2021, 08:50 AM   #19
Chris in WNC
Senior Member
 
Chris in WNC's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Spruce Pine, NC
Posts: 1,458
Default Re: converting to 1970 v8 points for model a

agree with Bob Bionde.
never any problems with original type points here.
30 years ago I fooled around with modern points and wireless lower plate.
more trouble than they were worth.
lots of long tour miles with original type, no problems.
never had to use the spare distributor that rides under the seat.....
__________________
our next Model A is out there in the unknown......
Chris in WNC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-17-2021, 01:42 PM   #20
100IH
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: SW Idaho
Posts: 970
Default Re: converting to 1970 v8 points for model a

What ever, don,t butcher an original upper plate, buy the one made for the later points. You will likely go back to original system. Has any one tried it? this is a 40 year old mod. that sometimes works today. Not better just different. Thousands have done it and asked Why?
100IH is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:14 AM.