Hi all,

Where am I likely to find the ballast resistor? It's a single type, I want to convert to EI but I can't find the damn wires!

Car is a 1960 Plymouth fullsize and in all honesty, the wiring is suspiciously un-original and most of it hidden behind three tons of electrical tape.

Thanks guys,

60 Ply

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1960 Plymouth Belvedere 4 door sedan
Stock 60 225
Push button 3 speed Torqueflite
Right Hooker

Should be somewhere between the middle of the firewall, and the inner fender.

Trace the coil (+) wire from the coil back to the firewall, and you will find it eventually.

~RDE~

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1984 D100 Shorty Custom
Certified Auto Appraiser - RevItUp Classic Appraisals
President - Cherry City Bombers CC
Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Is it the same size as the EI resistor? It's possible that the resistor has been taped up inside with the wiring loom, but it'd have to be a lot smaller . . .

Would the car run at all if it did not have a ballast resistor? It sure looks like it doesn't have one.

_________________
1960 Plymouth Belvedere 4 door sedan

Stock 60 225

Push button 3 speed Torqueflite

Right Hooker

They can be the same size or larger.

It won't likely be taped up in the loom. It gets way to hot and would burn up the wiring.

Yes, the car can run with out one. That is how the starting circuit works, bypassing the resistor for a full 12 volts. Then as the key returns to the run position it goes through the resistor.
Many of us have removed the resistor by running a 3 ohm coil. You might take an ohm meeter to the coil and check it.

For pictures click on the red link below my name. Mine is the HEI style coil with a MOPAR orange box (EI).

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Aggressive Ted

http://cid-32f1e50ddb40a03c.photos.live ... %20Swinger


74 Swinger, 9.5 comp 254/.435 lift cam, 904, ram air, electric fans, 2.5" HP2 & FM70 ex, 1920 Holley#56jet, 2.76 8 3/4 Sure-Grip, 26" tires, 25+MPG

Ahhh that makes sense now.

I'll have to check the resistance in the coil. If the ballast resistor isn't there I am guessing I'll have to start wiring straight back to the ignition switch (I'm not interested in upgrading to HEI at the moment, I have all the bits for Mopar EI with the chrome box and really don't want to put any more money into it).

Out of interest what would happen if the coil was not 3 ohm and it was run without a ballast? I've managed to get a whole bunch of miles without anything drastic going wrong with the ignition so I am not too bothered. The wiring is very suspect (restored by a bunch of squaddies with little knowledge of US car practice in the early nineties). The hardest part of working on this car is undoing all the stuff that was done to it incorrectly.

If I find no ballast, will I have to wire all the way back to the ignition switch? Not massively keen on trying to figure out the rat's nest behind the dash . . .

_________________
1960 Plymouth Belvedere 4 door sedan

Stock 60 225

Push button 3 speed Torqueflite

Right Hooker

If I find no ballast, will I have to wire all the way back to the ignition switch? Not massively keen on trying to figure out the rat's nest behind the dash . . .

The best link and easiest diagrams can be found here http://www.moparts.org/Tech/Archive/elec/3.html

You may be better off going back to the switch and starting over. These diagrams are great, simple and quick to do if you already have the EI unit and plugs.

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Aggressive Ted



http://cid-32f1e50ddb40a03c.photos.live ... %20Swinger





74 Swinger, 9.5 comp 254/.435 lift cam, 904, ram air, electric fans, 2.5" HP2 & FM70 ex, 1920 Holley#56jet, 2.76 8 3/4 Sure-Grip, 26" tires, 25+MPG

Hi Ted,

Those diagrams are excellent, thanks.

Presumably the yellow wire to the starter relay (solenoid?) does exactly the same job as the "IGN 2" point on the key, ie. power up in the 'start' position. That correct?


So . . . . if I only have a single wire going to the current coil (with no ballast), it must be from the 'run' position on the ignition key (otherwise the car would die when I stop cranking), meaning I can use that for running, and a lead from the starter solenoid for 'starting' on the ballast resistor.

Does this make reasonable sense? I'll do some tests with the multimeter anyway to make sure.

_________________
1960 Plymouth Belvedere 4 door sedan

Stock 60 225

Push button 3 speed Torqueflite

Right Hooker

Yes.



You got it!

_________________
Aggressive Ted



http://cid-32f1e50ddb40a03c.photos.live ... %20Swinger





74 Swinger, 9.5 comp 254/.435 lift cam, 904, ram air, electric fans, 2.5" HP2 & FM70 ex, 1920 Holley#56jet, 2.76 8 3/4 Sure-Grip, 26" tires, 25+MPG

HEI:
nothing

points:
won't last as long

Pertronix & Mopar:
Will eventually burn out the box..........

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes