Where can I buy new plug wires for my PA?
What about the wire loom?
Is it just my imagination,or is the ignition switch really plugged into the rear of the coil?
If you just want to drive the car, you can use pretty much any universal plug wire kit from your local auto supply store.
If you are also worried looks, then you can buy cloth covered spark plug wire from places like YnZ's, Harnesses Unlimited or other antique wiring vendors and then buy the end pieces from your local better auto supply. That is what I do. To be authentic for Plymouth the cloth covering should be black.
Quote from: TodFitch on June 11, 2009, 11:31:17 PM
If you just want to drive the car, you can use pretty much any universal plug wire kit from your local auto supply store.
If you are also worried looks, then you can buy cloth covered spark plug wire from places like YnZ's, Harnesses Unlimited or other antique wiring vendors and then buy the end pieces from your local better auto supply. That is what I do. To be authentic for Plymouth the cloth covering should be black.
I'm not aware of any universal plug wire set with a coil wire that long.
The rotten wires that were on my car were black rubber,and they ran through the factory wire loom and to the coil under the dash.
I guess since my coil mounts on the firewall I did not run into that length issue. Sounds like you will want to buy a spool of spark plug wire and make up your own:
http://www.ynzyesterdaysparts.com/pdfs/p3_Wire.pdf
or
http://www.riwire.com/Catalogs/sup/pages/sparkplu.htm
Quote from: TodFitch on June 12, 2009, 12:12:31 AM
I guess since my coil mounts on the firewall I did not run into that length issue. Sounds like you will want to buy a spool of spark plug wire and make up your own:
http://www.ynzyesterdaysparts.com/pdfs/p3_Wire.pdf
or
http://www.riwire.com/Catalogs/sup/pages/sparkplu.htm
Thanks! That will do it! I just hope they know what color and what type of connectors the PA uses.
I think '32 PBs had the 1st firewall mounted ignition coil. For '28,'29,'30 and '31 the ignition coil and ignition switch were combined into one unit at the dash. Many were replaced as I believe the keys were misplaced. A 'standard' ignition switch was mounted in the dash panel and a 'standard' coil was mounted somewhere on the side of the engine. Your '31 is fairly unique in still having it's correct and original setup. Yes you will need a non-standard length coil wire because of the coil living under the dash. It was done that way for theft protection. It was impossible to 'hot wire' a Plymouth because of the fact there is one wire missing in the Plymouth system. Mainly the 6 volt supply line to the coil. It's just a connection inside the one piece unit. Six volts is always supplied to the unit regardless, it's just impossible to quickly jump it to the coil and drive away. I believe the movement of the coil to the firewall was done because of radio interference from having the coil inside the car. Not a great place to have an electrical noise generator. When it was moved to the firewall, a protective sheath was put on the wire as it now had to be 'exposed' to get from the dash ignition switch to the firewall. But you would have to have lots of time to saw through the armored sheath to get at the wire and 'jump' it to 6 volts. I suppose the thought was that by that time someone would notice the theft in progress or thieves would take an easier car to hot wire. And the ignition noise went outside the firewall and the grounded firewall became a shield in itself.
Quote from: Plymouths on June 13, 2009, 11:49:07 AM
I think '32 PBs had the 1st firewall mounted ignition coil. For '28,'29,'30 and '31 the ignition coil and ignition switch were combined into one unit at the dash. Many were replaced as I believe the keys were misplaced. A 'standard' ignition switch was mounted in the dash panel and a 'standard' coil was mounted somewhere on the side of the engine. Your '31 is fairly unique in still having it's correct and original setup. Yes you will need a non-standard length coil wire because of the coil living under the dash. It was done that way for theft protection. It was impossible to 'hot wire' a Plymouth because of the fact there is one wire missing in the Plymouth system. Mainly the 6 volt supply line to the coil. It's just a connection inside the one piece unit. Six volts is always supplied to the unit regardless, it's just impossible to quickly jump it to the coil and drive away. I believe the movement of the coil to the firewall was done because of radio interference from having the coil inside the car. Not a great place to have an electrical noise generator. When it was moved to the firewall, a protective sheath was put on the wire as it now had to be 'exposed' to get from the dash ignition switch to the firewall. But you would have to have lots of time to saw through the armored sheath to get at the wire and 'jump' it to 6 volts. I suppose the thought was that by that time someone would notice the theft in progress or thieves would take an easier car to hot wire. And the ignition noise went outside the firewall and the grounded firewall became a shield in itself.
Thank you. All that was very interesting. I was guessing the coil was mounted inside to get it away from the engine heat.
Arthur