Electronic Ignition Help

[Mark Roe]

Hi guys--
Though I wanted to stay original with Mallory duel Point ignition in my Shelby 427--I've had points fail, condensors fail and just not good performance with the mechanical system.
So, what is the best electronic ignition system for this motor--Shelby aluminum 427, 535 HP at 5200 rpm, mostly street use (though my foot does get stuck in the carb ).
What does the complete system entail and are there installation issues??
Thanks in advance for the help!!

[Turk]

Mark,
I am going to recommend the
MSD 6AL box. Part NO 6420
MSD Billet Distributor Part NO 8594
MSD Blaster II coil
MSD Heli-Coil Spark plug wires

I believe the only installation issue is whether to use a bronze or a steel distributor gear. They are both avaliable from MSD (Summit).

As much as I still don't know how to use a timing light, I was able to do the mechanical installation, and wiring of the components and had a friend adjust the timing for me.

I believe others will give you more valuable information than I, but I thinkl you will find out the concensus to favor MSD.

TURK

[Randy Rosenberg]

Hey Mark,

I agree with Turk, however you might want to take it a step further and have the distributor custom curved.

I recently had my stock Ford distributor swapped out for an MSD (I already had an 6AL box installed). I had Craig custom curve the distributor to match the rest of my engine, and WOW! what a big difference that made.

Yes, I believe that you will enjoy the freedom from points and condensor failure when switching over to MSD, but you might want to investigate the added benefits to custom curving the distributor to match the rest of your engine.

Have Fun,
Randy R...

[427 S/O]

Me three except for the MSD distributor, it's an exact copy of the Ford duraspark. Your paying a lot for the pretty billet aluminum, the duraspark is easily recurved and it's all ford.

[Mr.Fixit]

They give you the springs and bushings in the box when you buy an MSD distributor. You curve it yourself. Basic guidline: 20-25 degrees mechanical advance in distributor, bring it all in by 2600 rpm. NO vacuum advance on distributor. Try 28-34 degrees total timing This is a starting point

[Jack21]

MSD is not a duplicate of Ford Duraspark, it is an improved version of a Delco (aka Chevy) distributor on a Ford stalk, and is fully tuneable. Nice piece of work, except for the non-adjustable vacuum advance. Vacuum advance, if you use it, has to be replaced with Accel, Crane, or Moroso ('57 - '73 Delco) adjustable vacuum advance. Then set vacuum advance to 8 - 10 degrees.

Actually, the best coil to use is not the MSD, it is the Accell 14009, or Crane PS91. These are specific to CD ignitions. Standard ignitions take a 9 volt input and spike it to 30k - 40k volts to fire the plug. CD ignitions take a 460 - 480 volt input and spike it up to 40k - 50K volts to fire the plug. Ignition coil windings are entirely different.

[Mark Roe]

Turk, Randy, Perry, Mr. Fixit and Jack21--

Thanks for the responses--I've made an appointment will Craig Hill (our local hot rod/Cobra/engine building guru) to have an MSD system put in the car the week of Feb 10th.
Until then, I'm still trying to get these points/condenser/timing right------and my back hurts............

[Excaliber]

Remember,,,the MSD6AL, not the MSD6A. "L" is for rev limiting, a MUST have! Comes with a few rev "chips" but you will probably have to buy additional ones for your specific rpm need. Figure another $50 for chips.

Ernie

[Turk]

I have seen Mark's car.
He should only buy the
3000
3200
3400
chips.
Too beautiful a car to be driving any higher than that.

I am kiddding of course.This is the kind of Cobra ownership we can all hope to experience. Here it was temperatures in the 40's, and raining. Mark shows up driving his beautiful Shelby CSX4000 Anniversary car.

He already had 3500 miles on it in a short time, and rain or weather didn't stop him from enjoying it. He did need a lot of hot coffee when he here though.

TURK

[SCOBRAC]

Bring it over we can curve it here.. Then go drive it on turks lawn..
I suggest 10 degrees initial advance.. limit your advance to 34 total. Go with a blue spring and a silver spring first that will get all the advance in below 2800..

[SCOBRAC]

Bye the way.. what were you using as a ballast resister in the Mallory.. (long silence..) you need to drop the voltage through those points to 6v.. Bring it over we can do that too.. Then we can go ride on turks lawn..

[Mark Roe]

Hi guys--

Just an update on what's happenin'. Took the Cobra to Craig at Top of the Hill and he installed the new MSD ignition. Mounted the box inside the passenger foot box--and the rest of the installation looks great.
Performance improvement was great--but I couldn't fully flesh it out because the clutch slips--at 3700 miles!! Craig said it was installed improperly--so back down to XK's to get fixed.
Talked to them today--they said the fly wheel was burnt--like the car had been racing. My thought is that the clutch has been sliping more than I was aware--and fried the fly wheel.
Anyway, they are re-surfacing the fly wheel, installing a new clutch, pressure plate and throw-out bearing. I should be back together this week (next day or two?!), and I'm flying down to pick it up and drive back up the coast

So, with any luck--I'll see ya all this Saturday morning--unless..............................

[Tony Ripepi]

Hi Mark,

I have the exact recommended set up on my 427...runs great.

Missed you these last few weeks, BTW did you notice that we have SAI as the guest speaker at the BACC dinner ?

Tony R.