Happy Sunday,

I have a 72 with a warmed over 2.0L, unfortunately it has bus heads (DAPO). Current setup is Italian 40 if's with a Bosch 050 distributor. The distributor has a Pertronix unit installed. The coil is a Bosch "blue" The problem is after a 1/2 hr drive then a 20 sit, no spark. 5 minutes with a hose on the ignition = spark. I have no issues with points, they worked for close to 100 years. I am willing to convert the 050 back to points and install a new coil and be done with it. I also could buy a 009 distributor complete and install that. The question is which one is better? Also what is the consensus on the new 009's on the market? Last question. Which ignition wires to run, I see sets with 4 equal length ends and sets with short/long ends. My plan is basically to throw a complete new system at it, but I don't want to spend the money for a 123 distributor.

Any and all thoughts appreciated.

Dan

p.s. also it seems like good service parts for 050/009 are drying up.

I would also be interested in hearing people's opinions on this. My stock ignition is great but I am looking at saving it from more wear and enjoying the benefits of a 123 or pertronics.

Do you know which Pertronix model? Ignitor I and II have the magnet that goes onto the distributor shaft with an adjustable air gap. You might want to check that you are in spec there. Ignitor III does not have the magnet or adjustable air gap but I have only gotten mine to run well on a 050 distributor. When installed on the stock dizzy or a brand new SVDA, it starts misfiring badly after the engine warms up.

For a centrifugal advance only distributor, the 050 is substantially better than a 009. I've run 009 on a couple Type 4 engines and they suck because of the big off-idle flat spot they are famous for. They aren't really designed for automotive applications. Aircooled.net recommends the SVDA as a good low cost dizzy. It is basically a reproduction 009 with a vacuum advance added for smoother acceleration. You would need to add a vacuum port to one of your carbs if they don't already have them and maybe an anti-pulse valve to smooth our the vacuum signal.

I'm currently running the stock DVDA 2L distributor on my carbed engine and it runs great with the mild carb cam I have. It accelerates smoothly through the curve and also idles very low and smooth with the vacuum retard attached. My only complaint is that my Pertronix 3 doesn't work in it so I'm running points. I really hate fiddling with points.

I know you said you don't want to spend the money on a 123 dizzy (I didn't either) but if you can swing it somehow, I found it to be a big noticeable improvement over the stock dizzy, plus no more having to scrounge for NLA parts. I've been holding on to my stock dizzy just in case, but I should probably sell it because I wouldn't ever want to go back to having to use it again.