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I've used both 6V positive ground and 12V negative ground Pertronix ignitions in my '49 Club Sedan and both work extremely well with over 1,000 miles of trouble free operation on the 6V version before I converted to 12V. I attribute my good fortune with using it to the fact that it wasn't pairing it up with poor wiring and unstable generation. I had alternators on both versions and new wiring throughout. If you plan on running a typical generator/regulator setup with 70+ year old wiring, stick with your good "old" points and condensers!

I colorized this image for simplification. I have duplicated this drawing exactly as its seen here with the extra wire from the Pertronix. I turn the key nothing happens, I replaced the ignition with a starter trigger and nothing happens. I hook the trigger to the starter and the starter does responds slowly. I am set up with positive ground and the battery is strong.
I'm not trying to actually run the engine right now, I just want it to get it to turn over for me.
Any suggestions?

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Check your all your grounds and if any are not bright, shiny, & tight clean them up. Especially the battery to frame and the starter's ground connection. On the wire to the "coil" on the starter do you have 12 volts and is there a good clean connection?

Going with the check ground comments did you paint the block and starter? That metal to metal interface is where the starter and solenoid gets ground and has caused problems before as has the ground cable connection to a painted block.

Thanks guys. I'll double checking all the connections and planning to move the ground. I wondered about the starter housing paint myself but I found this picture below that I took right before I put it on so, I'm good there.

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Starter mount spot looks good but if the cable is bolted on the block near the normal front end spot how about the bellhousing to the block connection. If you have some jumper cables might try temporarily clamping the ground clamp onto one of the starter mounting bolts or the starter if a spot is accessible and see if it makes a difference.

Will my original Delco starter work properly if connected with negative ground?

The starter shouldn't care about polarity.

I changed my 55 Caribbean to a negative ground. Everything worked fine power windows, power seats, etc. The one item that was incorrect was the amp gauge which showed discharge when it was charging and charge when it was discharging. The polarity on the points is backwards. The car will run fine, but it be wise to change the polarity on the coil.

I'm jumping around all over the place and not really getting anything completed.

Currently trying to clean up the cabin and removing the old sound proofing/insulation that is sprayed on everywhere.


I'm looking for shortcuts by not removing 100% of it. The front sent area is cleaned but the back seat areas is still coated. I also have not removed the stuff from the seams around the firewall.

Given the choice would you use the modern paint-on stuff like bed liner or that adhesive insulated padding that are so popular in street rods today?

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