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Ooops! I guess I started (unintentionally) a sh*t storm.

However, my opinion stands. HEI or MSD ignition just look out of place in our cars regardless of whether it may or may not work better. 

On the braces, sorry, I only noticed them missing in the first picture. Perhaps they had not yet been installed when that was taken.

Calm down and carry on,

Geoff.

 
OK. Let me see if I can be more clear with some Ford Specific Instructions.

Your original coil wire has a resistor in it dropping the voltage down from 12 volts to avoid pitting the original points. The HEI needs the full 12 volts.

Here are two ways to wire this. I am running an HEI style distributor.

Option 1 is to bypass the resistor in the pink wire under the dash and use that to supply voltage to the HEI (not my suggestion as I don't like to cut up factory wiring).

Option 2 install a relay, use the original coil wire as the trigger for the relay, supply 12v to the relay and the output to the distributor. (this is how I wired mine and works flawlessly)

Where did you get the 12v source from that you used? You need to have voltage when the key is on but also when it is cranking.
 
Please excuse my ignorance. The relay you refer to is the solenoid? I checked the voltage and it drops to 9.6 when cranking. Could you possibly draw a diagram of the wiring? I would be so grateful. Thanks

 
They relay is added (additional item). A relay is essentially a switch. It uses a "trigger" your existing coil wire to flip the switch and send the 12v to the coil. I will take some pics of mine tonight and include the details of how it is wired and post for you. I purchased a Pertronix relay as it is very simple to wire in.

https://www.amazon.com/Pertronix-2001-Ignition-Power-Relay/dp/B004OXT3X4

 
On your starter solenoid you have a red and light blue wire that pulls the solenoid in to run the starter motor. On the solenoid there is a separate set of contacts which has a red and green wire on it - this supplies 12 volts to your coil during start up - leave this wiring alone. The second red and green wire that is on your coil is the one you use to bring in a relay to supply 12v to your HEI dist. It's the wire that drops to 9v when the key is in the run position. If you look at the attached pdf you will see how to wire in the relay. The wire going from your ignition switch to terminal 85 on the relay is the red and green wire that drops to 9v when your key is in the run position.

https://documents.holley.com/frm33565_ready_to_run_add.pdf

Hope this helps

Shane

 
On your starter solenoid you have a red and light blue wire that pulls the solenoid in to run the starter motor. On the solenoid there is a separate set of contacts which has a red and green wire on it - this supplies 12 volts to your coil during start up - leave this wiring alone. The second red and green wire that is on your coil is the one you use to bring in a relay to supply 12v to your HEI dist. It's the wire that drops to 9v when the key is in the run position. If you look at the attached pdf you will see how to wire in the relay. The wire going from your ignition switch to terminal 85 on the relay is the red and green wire that drops to 9v when your key is in the run position.

https://documents.holley.com/frm33565_ready_to_run_add.pdf

Hope this helps

Shane
The only problem with using that red/green wire for a HEI relay is that the tachometer will not register a signal.

 
On your starter solenoid you have a red and light blue wire that pulls the solenoid in to run the starter motor. On the solenoid there is a separate set of contacts which has a red and green wire on it - this supplies 12 volts to your coil during start up - leave this wiring alone. The second red and green wire that is on your coil is the one you use to bring in a relay to supply 12v to your HEI dist. It's the wire that drops to 9v when the key is in the run position. If you look at the attached pdf you will see how to wire in the relay. The wire going from your ignition switch to terminal 85 on the relay is the red and green wire that drops to 9v when your key is in the run position.

https://documents.holley.com/frm33565_ready_to_run_add.pdf

Hope this helps

Shane
The only problem with using that red/green wire for a HEI relay is that the tachometer will not register a signal.
True

But if his HEI needs a full 12 volts at run there is not much he can do without running an msd tach adapter or something similar is there?

 
On your starter solenoid you have a red and light blue wire that pulls the solenoid in to run the starter motor. On the solenoid there is a separate set of contacts which has a red and green wire on it - this supplies 12 volts to your coil during start up - leave this wiring alone. The second red and green wire that is on your coil is the one you use to bring in a relay to supply 12v to your HEI dist. It's the wire that drops to 9v when the key is in the run position. If you look at the attached pdf you will see how to wire in the relay. The wire going from your ignition switch to terminal 85 on the relay is the red and green wire that drops to 9v when your key is in the run position.

https://documents.holley.com/frm33565_ready_to_run_add.pdf

Hope this helps

Shane
The only problem with using that red/green wire for a HEI relay is that the tachometer will not register a signal.
True

But if his HEI needs a full 12 volts at run there is not much he can do without running an msd tach adapter or something similar is there?
 
That simple plug &play, all-in-one, distributor has gotten rather complicated.

There's two ways you can go

1) get the MSD tach adapter, bypass the resistor wire to get 12 volts from the ignition switch.

2) get Rocketman's tachometer conversion, bypass the resistor wire to get 12 volts from the ignition switch.

Either of these methods can use the auxiliary relay to provide 12 volts directly from the battery. Using the relay with the MSD adapter requires bypassing the resistor wire. The resistor wire does not require the bypass when using Rocketman's conversion, if the Pertronix relay is used.

 
It looks like we're not going to be able to talk you out of using the HEI distributor, so here's a couple of diagrams using the MSD tachometer adapter, one wired directly to the ignition switch, the other using a relay.





I've also attached Rocketman's wiring diagram, using his tach conversion on the OEM tach, in case you decide to use the conversion (recommended) instead of the adapter.

RocketmanOEMTach.pdf

 

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It looks like we're not going to be able to talk you out of using the HEI distributor, so here's a couple of diagrams using the MSD tachometer adapter, one wired directly to the ignition switch, the other using a relay.





I've also attached Rocketman's wiring diagram, using his tach conversion on the OEM tach, in case you decide to use the conversion (recommended) instead of the adapter.
 
Alright guys, I want to thank all of that offered help. I sent the GM stuff back and ordered a ford HEI and a 45000 volt coil. Should be easy. Thanks again.

 
Oh boy... I can't to see how this goes.  "Ford" and "HEI" are not exactly congruent terms.  :whistling:

 
Oh boy... I can't to see how this goes.  "Ford" and "HEI" are not exactly congruent terms.  :whistling:
 Glad to see I have at least a couple of members who see it my way. No HEI in a Ford. Even MSD is pushing it, but!!

It's nearly as bad as guys putting a Chev motor in a Ford Hot-Rod. Sacrilege!   

It's owners choice I guess from previous comments posted. Some like 'em stock others like 'em gaudy!

 
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Oh boy... I can't to see how this goes.  "Ford" and "HEI" are not exactly congruent terms.  :whistling:
 Glad to see I have at least a couple of members who see it my way. No HEI in a Ford. Even MSD is pushing it, but!!

It's nearly as bad as guys putting a Chev motor in a Ford Hot-Rod. Sacrilege!   

It's owners choice I guess from previous comments posted. Some like 'em stock others like 'em gaudy!
 I will keep my gaudy thank you. You know people used to be able to post their cars and questions on here without being put down or hammered. But seems lately that's all that happens when someone actually doesn't know and asks for help. WOW  Guess this site is heading down the same path as a lot of other sites.

 
Oh boy... I can't to see how this goes.  "Ford" and "HEI" are not exactly congruent terms.  :whistling:
 Glad to see I have at least a couple of members who see it my way. No HEI in a Ford. Even MSD is pushing it, but!!

It's nearly as bad as guys putting a Chev motor in a Ford Hot-Rod. Sacrilege!   

It's owners choice I guess from previous comments posted. Some like 'em stock others like 'em gaudy!
 I will keep my gaudy thank you. You know people used to be able to post their cars and questions on here without being put down or hammered. But seems lately that's all that happens when someone actually doesn't know and asks for help. WOW  Guess this site is heading down the same path as a lot of other sites.
+1

 
Oh boy... I can't to see how this goes.  "Ford" and "HEI" are not exactly congruent terms.  :whistling:
 Glad to see I have at least a couple of members who see it my way. No HEI in a Ford. Even MSD is pushing it, but!!

It's nearly as bad as guys putting a Chev motor in a Ford Hot-Rod. Sacrilege!   

It's owners choice I guess from previous comments posted. Some like 'em stock others like 'em gaudy!
 I will keep my gaudy thank you. You know people used to be able to post their cars and questions on here without being put down or hammered. But seems lately that's all that happens when someone actually doesn't know and asks for help. WOW  Guess this site is heading down the same path as a lot of other sites.
 You know, you're right. I stand corrected and I do apologise if my comments offended anyone. That's NOT what I am about. I ought to have thought about it before adding my comments about HEI. Our new friend asked for help I was unable to give or even offer constructive criticism.

That doesn't change my opinion on adding none Ford parts, but everyone has a choice and like it or not, needs to be respected.

I for one, will try to be more respectful and choose my words appropriately for the good of our Forum.

:mad:

Geoff.

 
I'll add my apologies to Geoff's, I've always liked mentoring. But I also agree with him, if you want GM parts on a car, buy a Chevy. At least the next Mustang owner that wants to put an HEI in his car will have a wiring diagram for the tachometer.

It didn't bother me much in the fifties for someone building a hot rod to put a Chevy, Buick, Oldsmobile, or Chrysler engine into a Ford, or vice-versa. I helped a guy put a hemi into his '39 Chevy coupe in the early 60s. A lot of cross breeding back then, Cadillacs and Lincoln's went into a lot of other brand cars. But, it was different then, the supply of strong running engines was limited and the supply of hot rod bodies was plentiful.

 
I'll add my apologies to Geoff's, I've always liked mentoring. But I also agree with him, if you want GM parts on a car, buy a Chevy. At least the next Mustang owner that wants to put an HEI in his car will have a wiring diagram for the tachometer.

It didn't bother me much in the fifties for someone building a hot rod to put a Chevy, Buick, Oldsmobile, or Chrysler engine into a Ford, or vice-versa. I helped a guy put a hemi into his '39 Chevy coupe in the early 60s. A lot of cross breeding back then, Cadillacs and Lincoln's went into a lot of other brand cars. But, it was different then, the supply of strong running engines was limited and the supply of hot rod bodies was plentiful.
Thank you Don.

I did get a bit carried away I'll admit. 

I have a friend with a plastic bodied 31 Ford with a Chev 350 in it. He bought it from the estate of a friend of ours who passed away last year. I rib him about the Chev engine every time it gives him troubles. I will reluctantly admit though, the Chev motor with the distributor at the back, does "package" nicer, keeping the dist. wires neat and tidy in an open motor hot-rod.

Geoff.

 
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