1965 GTO Wiring Question

CrateCamaro · 08-09-2012, 10:36 PM

Doing an quick once over on a 65 GTO 389 tri power and I have a question. I have converted the points distrib over to a Crane XR1 electronic ignition and their recomended coil. So no more points/condensor/bla bla bla. I just recieved my new engine wiring harness and my question is this. Should I remove the resistance wire that powers the coil right now and replace it with a normal wire? Seems like this right thing to do but im not 100% sure. Before I start un-taping the new harness I would really appriciate some input. Thanks in advance!!

Bob Bender · 08-09-2012, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrateCamaro

Doing an quick once over on a 65 GTO 389 tri power and I have a question. I have converted the points distrib over to a Crane XR1 electronic ignition and their recomended coil. So no more points/condensor/bla bla bla. I just recieved my new engine wiring harness and my question is this. Should I remove the resistance wire that powers the coil right now and replace it with a normal wire? Seems like this right thing to do but im not 100% sure. Before I start un-taping the new harness I would really appriciate some input. Thanks in advance!!

Yes.......you need a full 12 volts for the new unit. Sorry just like big letters.

CrateCamaro · 08-10-2012, 01:59 PM

HAHAHA....BIG car BIG letters. I unwrapped the new harness today....took the connector out of the new plug and soldered a new wire in place of the resistance wire...cant even tell. So now I should be able to just hook up the new wire to the coil with no balast resistor or anything correct??? The Crane coil that came with the XR1 conversion did come with a balast resistor but im hoping I dont have to run it. I was born in 1980 so points and all this stuff is French to me....im a part of the HEI generation....LOL

Rich Biebel · 08-10-2012, 07:58 PM

Old cars with points had 2 wires going to the positve side of the coil.
One wire was thru a resistor or resistor wire. It would supply about half voltage to the points to reduce arcing. That would be about 6 or 7 volts
The other wire was from the starter solinoid. It supplied the full 12 volts during cranking only. Made for a stronger spark at the slower cranking speed.

Points were pretty troublesome items in their day. They often needed service. I replaced, cleaned, adjusted a heck of a lot of them......

I wish I had a '65 GTO to play with.......Loved them cars.....Still do....Tri-Power, 4 speed.......Black bucket seats.......Red hardtop....Exhaust splitters....

I had a mint '67......but always wanted a '64 or '65

08-09-2012, 10:36 PM	#1
CrateCamaro Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 411 Likes: 1 Liked 19 Times in 7 Posts	1965 GTO Wiring Question Doing an quick once over on a 65 GTO 389 tri power and I have a question. I have converted the points distrib over to a Crane XR1 electronic ignition and their recomended coil. So no more points/condensor/bla bla bla. I just recieved my new engine wiring harness and my question is this. Should I remove the resistance wire that powers the coil right now and replace it with a normal wire? Seems like this right thing to do but im not 100% sure. Before I start un-taping the new harness I would really appriciate some input. Thanks in advance!! __________________ Tony Valerio 1968 Camaro 1700 IHRA H/CM 1701 NHRA SS/?A

08-10-2012, 01:59 PM	#3
CrateCamaro Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 411 Likes: 1 Liked 19 Times in 7 Posts	Re: 1965 GTO Wiring Question HAHAHA....BIG car BIG letters. I unwrapped the new harness today....took the connector out of the new plug and soldered a new wire in place of the resistance wire...cant even tell. So now I should be able to just hook up the new wire to the coil with no balast resistor or anything correct??? The Crane coil that came with the XR1 conversion did come with a balast resistor but im hoping I dont have to run it. I was born in 1980 so points and all this stuff is French to me....im a part of the HEI generation....LOL __________________ Tony Valerio 1968 Camaro 1700 IHRA H/CM 1701 NHRA SS/?A

08-10-2012, 07:58 PM	#4
Rich Biebel VIP Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Northern New Jersey suburbs Posts: 2,275 Likes: 25 Liked 510 Times in 200 Posts	Re: 1965 GTO Wiring Question Old cars with points had 2 wires going to the positve side of the coil. One wire was thru a resistor or resistor wire. It would supply about half voltage to the points to reduce arcing. That would be about 6 or 7 volts The other wire was from the starter solinoid. It supplied the full 12 volts during cranking only. Made for a stronger spark at the slower cranking speed. Points were pretty troublesome items in their day. They often needed service. I replaced, cleaned, adjusted a heck of a lot of them...... I wish I had a '65 GTO to play with.......Loved them cars.....Still do....Tri-Power, 4 speed.......Black bucket seats.......Red hardtop....Exhaust splitters.... I had a mint '67......but always wanted a '64 or '65 __________________ Rich Biebel S/C 1479