Coil Swap

[MarkPick]

Today I decided to take my M on my usual trip home from work instead of my daily driver. It didn't start out too well, bout a mile from work it sputtered then died, down shift, pop the clutch, started back up, but only for a quick minute. Drift off to the side of the road. Gas gauge says 1/2 a tank, put a stick down the fill tube just to make sure. Good to go. Fuel in the filter going to the carb. Pulled the #1 spark plug to see if I was getting spark. NO SPARK. The only thing I hadn't replace during my tune up was the coil. I just happen to have one in my parts kit. I had read enough on this site from the guys having the coils go out to know to have a back up. Switched it out and we got fire! Drove home the rest of the way with no problems.

I did learn a few things on the way home.
People do not understand how hard it is to stop 5,000 lbs of steel when they pull in front of you!
Hills are not your friend.
16 miles is a lot longer when you are shifting up and down just to get to 45 mph.

But the best thing, not a single leak once I parked it!

The BEAST is road ready!

Mark

[T. Highway]

Hi Mark,

Good thing you had the extra coil with in the truck. Do you have the vent lines hooked up to the distributor and the proper vent ends in the intake elbow?

Bert

[MarkPick]

Hey Bert,
Yes, I checked and rechecked the vent lines. The shot coil was from the looks of it, the orignal back from 1963. I knew it was going to happen, just didnt know when. Drove it back to work this morning with no problems at all. Took me a year or so to get it road ready but now she is good to go. Now that the mechanical is compelet, time to start the body work.


Mark

p.s. Thanks again for the reminder about the vent lines. the little stuff will getcha every time.............