Don't think an Optima can match the lead acid in some things but in others, I believe they do have an advantage. Here is one distributors propaganda page as to what some are.http://www.1st-optima-batteries.com/index.html Not a totally valid comparison I know, but I seem to have had better luck with longevity over lead acid in my mostly sit there unused car.

Third vote for the Optima. None of the repro batteries I've tried lasted too long. Others posted they have had similar experiences.

The $295 with case and battery is the best combo price I find.

Batteries run from $125 at Amazonhttp://www.amazon.com/Optima-Batteries-8010-044-Starting-Battery/dp/B00099HVN6 $160 at 5th avenuehttp://www.fifthaveinternetgarage.com/parts/parts_counter_3.html to $180 at Heinmullerhttp://packardparts.org/parts.htm

The Willard case at Antique Battery and Heinmuller --maybe others-- but his combo price appears it would be quite a bit more. The SoCal region of PI lists generic cases but don't appear to be labeled & prices may be out of date.http://www.packards-today.com/catalog.php?CID=2

I'm sure some eyes are still rolling and heads shaking but it's your car and as you said, all objectives were accomplished at once. It appears to be a lot of work with dash and all. I'm really not up on various options but any reason the Dakota chassis was picked over something else.

One of the web sites mentioned explains the reason why the plug is more efficient when spark comes from center electrode. It runs hotter than shell and since electrons flow more easily from a heated surface, it takes less effort for the spark to start.

Ign coil is an autotransformer and you have a point in that the number of coils won't change so the induced voltage wouldn't either.

My thinking was with the ground being at the bottom with the primary coils included in circuit, there would be x number of total windings but if the connections were reversed, and ground was effectively at the end of secondary winding then it would be secondary windings primarily developing the overall number with minimal input from the primary so voltage would be slightly lower.

Admittedly, my transformer theory is rusty and this application is different since you are relying on the magnetic core with the collapsing field rather than a constant excitation. Still, even though you do have the same number of windings with the primary becoming part of secondary, am just not understanding how much it will contribute since you are effectively referencing the voltage in question between a tap point and output. I don't see a clear path for the primary windings to be included unless there is feedback thru something else or ringing involved.

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Am not quite following unless my poor choice of words confused the issue. You always want the spark to jump from the plug wire or center electrode to the shell which would be the case with proper polarity is what I was trying to say.

Another old test was to take a pencil (If you do, use one with heavy wood and maybe even a glove on) and place it between the wire and plug or wire and ground. Here is an illustration from a site showing the correct polarity.

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They are a transformer with two windings. However, in most ign coils the windings are tied together at one of the terminals so essentially it becomes a single coil of wire with a connection at one end and another somewhere farther up and then the third for the plug wire.

Here's a simple sketch from an old source showing typical construction. Newer ones are on some of the how it works sites but are not as clear since they are "cut away" views with coils of wire and it's hard to see the routing.

If you change the wires so the polarity is correct as shown, you get the full effect of the entire winding between ground and the HV terminal. If you don't, then essentially the bottom or primary part is out of the circuit as far as the secondary is concerned since ground is now several hundred turns of the way up. The reverse in polarity also makes the spark want to jump from the shell to the center electrode which also reduces efficiency.

Some coils do have individual windings and the secondary is grounded to the case rather than the terminal.

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Glad of the success and guess that's an answer to PV8.

Maybe I'm just too conservative when it comes to stuff like that. I've seen so many pieces of medical equipment that one would think is well engineered and supposedly takes a lot less abuse but still comes up with stripped bolts in places you can't imagine how it could happen. I tend to overcompensate if I can when replacing and now believe if it can break, it will.

The main reason for all the threads I could see would be strength. Without the sleeve threads, all would depend on maybe 5 or 6 holding in a single nut so surface area would be rather small. I think there would be a strong possibility that a sudden heavy load could pop them and locking might still be a problem even with a locknut. Two nuts might be a possibility but still iffy and you are starting to add height. Also, there might be a tendency to try and adjust without unloading the link and a few turns of the nut might be all it takes to damage it. Acme threads might be able to carry more stress but still surface area would be small.

The different length spacers and shims would be the better approach but as you mentioned, harder to change.

I don't know if Nance deserves all the bad press he gets as he did have a vision and did embark on some good things. Maybe too much too soon, but all the articles point to the fact things were bad and something had to be done by the time he arrived.

At the same time, I also think he surrounded himself with people giving some less than spectacular advice and he acted upon it. I will never understand the move--but then I wasn't there.

As to whether the proposed cars would have sold, anyone's guess. The quality problems and recession hurt but there was still the name.

Thanks to all that mentioned turning off the T-L. Most important and it absolutely should have been in my response.

As per my usual, an attempt to be brief means I forget to mention vital info and covering all contingencies makes the reply so long people stop reading halfway thru. Writing appears to be a skill I will never master.