New Guy With 52 Plymouth

[navyboy]

Hi, new here but been lurking for awhile. I have a 52' plymouth with the 218 flathead 6. I got the car from the original owner who passed away recently and it just sat for years with only 62,000 original miles and runs awesome, looks even better with a few of my own additional touches. I have a question! I have the original 6v positive ground and looking for a pertronix electronic ignition but cant find one for my distributor on their search bar. I have read that people on here have done it by calling them up but I cant get to the number on the side of the distributor stamp allthough I know its stock. Does anyone have this part number forom them that will work for this 6v positive ground! I figured this would be the best place to ask for all those smart people lol.

This is not the greatest image but all I have to show you of her for now.

Edited July 25, 2013 by navyboy

[deathbound]

Welcome to the forum.....looks like a nice, clean car. Sorry I can't help with the elec ignition info. How about more info on the avatar pic....your car? PICS!!!!

[navyboy]

Welcome to the forum.....looks like a nice, clean car. Sorry I can't help with the elec ignition info. How about more info on the avatar pic....your car? PICS!!!!

Just got lowered as well with wheels and tires LOL! The plan on this car is to keep it 6v but with a modern take, hence the 6v optima battery, 6v alternator, twin carbs, and some (lots) of edgy parts that look purty lol, but its still sitting on the work bench waiting for next spring before hot rod nats, To keep in tune with this old school modern tech aspect I want to get rid of points and seen people have done it with these just can't figure out the EXACT one to order. I had a 51' pick up but was tired of not having the entire family go with me (paid2,800) for it, then put very very little money and sold it for a 6,000$ profit and picked up this beaut plymouth at an estate sale with some extra cash I had so the pick sale will now be funds for this baby not that it really needs anything but figured why not lol. 

Edited July 25, 2013 by navyboy

[suntennis]

Contact Pertronix tech department and give the make and model number of your distributor and they will tell you what unit they have that will work for your car. They do have a unit for your car.

[navyboy]

Contact Pertronix tech department and give the make and model number of your distributor and they will tell you what unit they have that will work for your car. They do have a unit for your car.

are you speaking of the number on the stamp plate of the distributor or are you saying simply make and model of car as well year and they should beable to pull it up, was hoping someone here knew the part number needed from pertronix. Oh here is an attachment of how my engine will look when finished for the most part. 

[navyboy]

Perhaps you guys would know what would be the factory Distributor numbers for the flathead 6 218?

[navyboy]

I read this on here but it says up to 1950 so I'm not really sure is this would work for something made after that year, but I did go ahead and looked this part number up and came up with this link but like I said don't know if it would work on a 52' as well? ok copy and paste not working but I did come up with this.

2563LSP6 from pertronix but doesn't say what years it works with and on here says up to 1950, are the distributors so different from 1950 to 1952 it can't be used?

[james curl]

They used three distributors through the years and the caps and rotators are different as well as the placement of the components inside the distributors.  They used a mirror image plate in one model number distributor to mount the points and condenser.  You have to use the model and serial number of your distributor when ordering parts for them to insure that you get parts that will work.  If you own a work shop manual for your car they are listed in the distributor section and tells you where to look on your distributor for that information.

Edited July 25, 2013 by james curl

[navyboy]

thanks, yea I know where it's located on the distributor just can't see it well enough, might have to flash a light on it and snap a phone pic see how that works lol. It would probably benifit if the distributors all that where offered where on a list with the part number to pertronix making it easy for people to see it here.

[Don Coatney]

Best way to read the numbers is to pull the distributor.

[greg g]

Tell them to start by looking in the Agricultural section of their catalog, under Massey Harris Reaper or Combine.  Yea Chrysler Industrial motors, and their part number suffix that indicates 6V + ground

[navyboy]

OK I found a downloadable file from pertronix(not on thier site) that has every single Dist. made in match of there kits part numbers, I just downloaded the file to my phone to make it easy. So this morning I'm going  to hang myself upside down in the engine bay from the ceiling if I have to lol to get this number WITHOUT having to pull the distributor out. looks like I may get it from under the car aft facing forward.

[Don Coatney]

Why do you not want to pull the distributor? One bolt. one wire, remove the cap, note the location of the rotor, and it slides right out.

 

If you convert to an Pertronix are you going to install this with the distributor in the engine?

[greg g]

Were it me, I would just grab another distributor from a swap meet or on e pay (they are still relatively cheap) put the Pertronix stuff in, drop that in the engine and put the current one in a box in the trunk as a traveling spare for if and when the Pertronix craps out. You can always put a points distributor in limp home mode, with an electroic is always call the flatbed time.

 

For as many people who have posted here that they love their conversion, and it never let them down, there have been an equal number who have complained about bing left along sid the road with electronic ign problems.  

 

And you really do need to get over your fear of pulling the dist.  While you have it out you can inspect it for wear, no sense putting new innards in a dist with sticky advance weights and or worn bushings, and maybe even do a points dress up and check the gap.  It really is a simple task and unlike a Chevy, the distributor can only go back in correctly or 180 off, as the drive gear drives a slotted fitting that drives the dist.

 

Like a forum member has said on several occasions, "If yer gonna drive on of these old things, yer gonna have to learn how to mechanic on it, sooner or later."

[martybose]

I have to agree with Greg.  Although I have never had any problem with my Langdon HEI, I do have a box in my shop that has a complete spare original ignition system, all the way down to sparkplug wires, a coil and the complete primary wiring package.  It would probably take me half an hour to change over.  If I ever take a long trip I will put it in the trunk.

 

Since I am set up for it, I don't expect that I will ever use it.

 

Marty

Edited July 26, 2013 by martybose

[greg g]

Marty, I keep a head gasket in my trunk.  A lot of people have asked me why.  I say its a prophylactic against problems on road trips.  I figure if I have one, I likely won't need one.  And so far like the distributor, and fan belt I carry, I have not needed it. 

[Don Coatney]

I also carry a head gasket. Mainley because finding one for a Desoto engine is not as easy as finding one for a Plymouth/Dodge engine.

[TodFitch]

I also carry a head gasket. Mainley because finding one for a Desoto engine is not as easy as finding one for a Plymouth/Dodge engine.

Getting a head gasket for a '33-'34 Plymouth is probably harder than getting one for your DeSoto engine, so by that logic I guess I should get a spare and bring it along with me.

 

But I dunno. What can go wrong that only needs a head gasket? Just the gasket itself and if it hasn't failed by now it isn't likely to fail. Seems if I need to pull the head its time to call the tow truck (local trips) or expect to spend a few days in a town with a decent garage (non-local trips). And with a few days lead, I can order a gasket and have it arrive nearly anywhere in the US.

 

Maybe I'm pushing my luck. But other than a small box in the glove compartment that holds some fuses and spare light bulbs I don't bother to carry parts. If you check things over pretty well before any long trip, replace or repair any suspect items (hoses, belts, ignition parts, filters, etc.) you should be good to go without having to worry about roadside repairs.

 

My old Plymouth has no trunk so finding space for luggage, tools, parts and people inside the car can be difficult. People and luggage are manditory. Tools are nice to have for peace of mind. Parts are optional.

 

Now if my car had a trunk I might be tempted to change my tune.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Your topic really should say...New Guy With 51 Plymouth! The picture shows a 1951 Plymouth belvedere. 52's have completely different rear trim as shown.

Edited July 27, 2013 by Dodgeb4ya

[navyboy]

Sweet got the new 6v positive ground alternator in.

[JerseyHarold]

Navyboy,

 

My main interest is '51-52 Plymouths and your car looks familiar....it may have been in a car magazine years ago.  Does it have a stock dash or one from a 1950 model?