Re: Why dual ignition coils?

Posted by Tim Cole On 2014/1/6 18:31:42

One theoretical advantage of the Northeast system was to double the breaker point life. Each set is running at one fourth motor speed versus one half for a single set.

Some of this experimentation may have resulted as a response to Henry Ford's system in the V-8 which was unique and extended point life up to 60,000 miles in some cases.

Another possibility is that Packard was running into high speed drivability issues resulting from poor grounding due to the distributor tower.

On the twelve dual ignition was a necessity and maybe they were just dressing up the Eights with twin coils.

The brake selector was probably dropped because its use as a sales point was ineffective. The ones I got working functioned mostly as a curiosity. When the system is working properly the wheels can go into lock up at 55 mph and so less power assist is desirable for an expert driver on icy roads. But how many people are going to understand something like that? After all the brake selector in the Duesenberg contributed to Fred Duesenberg being killed in one of his vehicles.

Today we have stupid government mandates for anti-lock brakes and traction control which results in people speeding past me at 65 mph on the motorways and then crashing because they assume these gadgets will handle everything. Every day for the past week I have witnessed an accident because of road conditions. I can feel my car sliding on glare ice and traction control is useless. You have to know how to drive to keep the car on course.