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Hello all once again. Different project entirely.

Has anyone installed a solid state ignition on a 33 standard 8.

I haven't looked too deeply into this yet, but am hoping someone might know which parts interchange.

Before I upset anyone, I am looking into a solid state ignition due to longevity. Unfortunately, points for a 33 have become harder and harder to find, and I have seen too often stranded cars due to burnt out points.

I have been trying to restore this car to original, with a few unseen upgrades, to make this car more drivable in modern traffic. I hope to post some more photos soon.

Yeah, those NorthEast point have been expensive for many years and are harder and harder to find. There have been several sets on Ebay over the last year at about $100 a set, and of course you need two sets. Assuming your 33 has the standard NorthEast dual-coil, dual point and double-ended rotor ignition with a four-lobe distributor cam for 8 cylinders, I'd guess you'd need dual electronic ignitions. A much easier and cheaper way is to just convert the distributor to use dual Chrysler points by just making a couple of little adapter plates. Max Merritt sells a kit based on a paper I published years back, buy the kit from him or send me a PM with your email and I'll send you the the procedure.

You can do a cheap electronic solid state ignition with a Ford TFI module and use the points as the trigger. Only works on 12V though.

Thanks guys for the suggestions, they have been helpful!

My father recently informed me that someone has begun re-producing those sets again; apparently this was posted in Packards International (I don't subscribe yet).

There was a gentleman in St. Louis (local to me) whom I remember growing up around his 1933 restoration. He was almost done with converting to a solid state ignition. Unfortunately, due to personal reasons, he moved to another state entirely and his project was never finished. I have been hesitant to contact him.

But this does indeed lead me to believe it could be done.

I was unaware of the chrysler point adaption, and will definitely be requesting that information and let everyone know how it turns out.

I did briefly browse Max Merritt's website, but did not run across the kit.

Once again...thanks to all!!

My suggestion is to use Owens points conversion set up. Probably the most reliable and cheapest way to go. EZ to diagnose/fix problems on the road too.

OWEN. Does the Chrysler points conversion eleminate the dual contact rotor button???? What rotor is used as a replacement????

OWEN. Does the Chrysler points conversion eleminate the dual contact rotor button???? What rotor is used as a replacement????

No, you can't change to a single-ended rotor because the rotor fires at alternating ends, for example #1 fires from coil 1 to the correct position on the cap, then the second set of point fires the second coil to the opposite end of the rotor to the next cylinder to fire, #6, etc., so the firing order around the cap is not the firing order of the engine. You still maintain the original cap with dual carbon brushes, the dual-ended rotor, the twin coils, and two sets of points/condensors working off the 4-lobe distributor cam. You just make (or buy) two little adapter plates that screw to the existing distributor plate, bush the post to hold the Chrysler points, and retime the ignition (because the pivot to rubbing block distance is a bit different on the Chrysler points).

Here's a picture of the commerical conversion kit, and also the conversion I worked out years back and installed on my spare NorthEast unit. I'll be glad to provide a copy of my article on making the conversion kit to anyone who sends me a PM with an email address.

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That's some nice work!

That certainly solves the ingnition points availability/cost problem. What about availability/cost of rotor and/or cap????

Does the original cap have TWO positions for TWO coil wires in the centre???? If there is something special about the cap makeing it difficult to obtain then is there any other more readily available cap that will FIT the distributor with minimal or NO modification to the cap????

When one set of points is closed then the other set of points is open ????? If that is correct then a fleeting idea i had to make it run on ONE coil would not work. But even using just one coil would still require the double ended rotor button.

The caps and rotors have been in reproduction for at least 10 years and originals also show up occasionally on Ebay so supply really isn't a problem, though cost isn't exactly modest. I'm well-fixed and not in the market and don't recall recent numbers, but I'd guess at about $500 for a new cap and rotor. No, there is no simple or even complicated way to adopt a different cap. Folks insufficient desire in maintaining the correct system just go to a later series senior 8 distributor which uses a conventional cap and rotor.

One coil wire enters the cap conventionally at the center of the cap with the usual carbon brush completing the circuit to one end of the rotor. The second coil wire enters the cap at the top also, off-center, and connects to a brass ring imbedded in the bakelite outboard of the center, and this connects via an off-center carbon brush to the opposite end of the rotor. Firing of the plugs then alternatives between opposite ends of the rotor.

It's an elegant system and as trouble-free as any - points last twice as long (though you need 2 sets) and the dwell angle is that of a 4-cylinder conventional distributor giving a really nice, fat, hot spark. Engine usually starts with less than 1/2 a revolution.

Original condensors were mounted vertically in holes in the base plate but as you can see there is enough room to mount modern universal condensors in the conventional mode.

Here's a scan of the rotor, outer carbon brush missing. A very similar rotor was used on the Twelve, and quite a few other makes used the same or similar rotor. NorthEast was purchased by Delco Remy in 1934 or 1935.

My scanner seems to distort, but here's a lousy scan of the inside of the cap and you can see the brass ring for the second carbon brush on the rotor. The "ears" top and bottom are the dust cap on the top of the cap. Wires protrude from the sides under the dust cap.

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