Here is the mounting bracket I created to mount the Crane units to the underside of the coils. This bracket uses the mounting screws that would otherwise mount the resistors, and therefore, leaves no new mounting holes on the car. I also got a new Crane unit so that both units are the same newer style. The older Gold one did not have the LED for setting static timing. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I didn't think I would ever become one of 'Those types' who are concerned about hose clamps, however, research on an original 1977 308 revealed SURFLEX hose clamps made in France. Image Unavailable, Please Login
I was able to get some bright trim washers and slotted screws that were left over from a 206 restoration. These would need to be painted semigloss black to match the originals. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Here is the GT4 engine shot from Keith Bluemel's "Original V8" book. Quite a few differences from the USA catalyst engine. Image Unavailable, Please Login
I was not happy with the wires on this sensor so I installed the new sensor which came with the new Crane XR3000 unit. These pictures show the old sensor and the new sensor in the distributor. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Thanks for the id tag photo. So this is a S159B, a 4 post distributor, originally had 4 sets of points. This was setup as a smog USA version, so it worked with a switch to toggle between the two sets of points for more/less centrifugal advance? You now have both S159B converted to electronic pick ups, which is pretty apparent. The two Marelli still have to provide mechanical advance. This advance of both Marelli is now set at approx 18 degrees total at what rpm of the engine? did you modify the total advance of both Marelli by reducing the diameter of the nylon shaft spacer? thanks Craig
Actually I'm still at the 'testing and measuring' stage, so the 18 degrees advance is as the car came to me; I have not changed anything. No prior records on previous modifications. The nylon spacer was cracked in one unit and some small variability in the spacer is causing one distributor to be about 0.5 degrees off from the other. The spacer is actually seemed like hard rubber or something and did not seem like it would come off without cracking so I left it 'as is.' I can't tell if these are original or if they have been changed from original. No way to check on the exact RPM of maximum advance. Update on the spring wire diameters: RH = 1.0 mm diameter wire RA = 1.2 mm NH = 1.3mm NA = 1.2mm RH = Red dot/Close to hinge RA = Red dot/Away from hinge NH = no dot/Clost to hinge NA = no dot/away from hinge
I have sanded the body of this coil and it is ready for painting. The gold cad paint and tints did not come with specific instructions. I'll have to do some experimenting to see how it will look. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Coil painted to simulate gold cad. look. The only think I don't like about this coil is that the threads are SAE. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Test fit of the first finished coil/Crane module. Link back to the 'before' picture: http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showpost.php?p=136011389&postcount=72 Image Unavailable, Please Login
First full view of the car with the 205/70/14 tires and refinished wheels. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Road and Track tested a 1978 GT4 in the November 1979 issue. While visiting for the holidays, I was able to obtain my old copy of this issue which was being stored at my parents house. I scanned the engine photograph at 2400 dpi so I could analyze it in detail. Here are some thoughts on the photograph: 1) Plug wires are RED 2) No rubber covers on the coils or the distributors 3) The wire from the coil to the points travels with the HT lead; held there with some cable ties (not in a green sleeve) 4) Cam and timing belt covers are a natural aluminum finish, not polished or painted 5) the vapor cannister is more glossy than the torque bar (I did mine the other way around) 6) Air cleaner nuts are natural silver 7) HT routing rings are in the wrong place on my car 8) Air injection manifold (down by the header) is shiny 9) The main fuel line to the carbs runs with the other hoses on the top of the fire wall, held there with cable ties. Not with a metal cable bracket as I had thought. 10) The wire from the microswitch to the coils runs along the top of the far bank cam cover and is quite obvious. 11) The engine pictured has the early style rubber boots where the HT leads enter the cam cover holes. (mine was updated to the later style) 12) I cannot determine the identity of the little white circle between the coils in the B&W photograph. Perhaps it is a part of the suppression for the radio installation. The engine shot of 14582 is prior to tearing apart the ignition system. As I put it back together I will follow the B&W photograph. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Thanks for the Marelli details. i now see that we can determine how many point sets are designed into a Marelli model by the number of large holes machined into the base plate of the main body. The S159 has 2 holes to allow for rivets and hold down screws, so this Marelli is a 2 point set design. at least a S159B model is. I think, because of 2 condensors, we can also determine that the points are toggled for smog compliance USA specs.
I still have the ignition system apart, waiting for a good day to paint the other coil. I may just put the unpainted other coil in as I am anxious to drive the car with the new tires (still no snow on the ground). Here is what I am expecting. My father bought a 1977 GTB in 1977 and he used to let me drive it when it was new so I think I remember how it drove. The '77 is still around, and I drove it again last spring. My gt4 with the 225/14/60s was extremely difficult to steer and the ride was very rough compared with the original '77. Less air in the tires improved the ride but made steering even more difficult. I am expecting it to have a nice smooth ride with (relatively) light steering input. I do kind of miss the 'menacing' appearance my car had with the 225s and 'on paper' it would seem like these modern Michelin pilots would be the way to go on the original 14' wheels, but the ride is too rough. In terms of originality, no question my car came with 205's, but by 1978 they were outdated technology. The 1973/4 cars were more contemporary to the WXW. I remember when my father got the '77 308 and I was dissapointed it did not have the P7s that were state of the art in '77. Having said that, there were no chassis modifications from '73 to '78, so, my opinion now is that the car is really designed for the 205's and even though the '79 parts manual lists P7s as an option. Everything is a compromise, so the 205s probably represent the best compromise between performance and ride for a 2+2 car. This old picture shows the nice appearance of the 225s in the rear. Image Unavailable, Please Login
The first photograph shows the coils in place and hooked up. The 'pseudo gold cad' finish kind of stands out, but it is better than chrome or red coils. The second photograph shoes that the engine is getting closer to original. I re-routed the HT leads and found 2 little clips to hold the wire from the microswitch to the retarded points. I would still like to get some red plug wires. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Here is a black and white simulation of the road and track photograph, using my engine. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Good news and bad news. Good news: This is like a totally different car. The steering is very responsive now. By comparison it feels like it has power steering. Those 225s on the front were just bad news, the car just would not turn in. Now it is more like the 'go cart' that the magazine test reports describe. I seemed to be going much faster on the tight 2nd and 3rd gear twisty roads around here. I did not get a chance to take it on the highway. Ride is improved. Bad news: 1) The second set of wheels came back a slightly different color. These are the rear wheels in the picture and they are more silver and less gray. It is not that bad and I could put the shiny ones on the front and the brake dust will even them out, or swap them so one side is more shiny and the other side is more gray. Or take one of the fronts and the two rears back to them and see about re-doing the rears. Since this car is going to be more for driving fun than show, I may not make a big deal of this. I'll sleep on this one and see how I feel about it tomorrow. Image Unavailable, Please Login
I did not really describe timing the car before checking out the tires because I did not time the car. I carefully marked everything (even the location of the replaced sensor in the distributor) and put everything back exactly the way it was. It seemed to run just fine. It seemed a little smoother, probably from getting the gunk off of the advance mechanism. Just because it runs does not mean that I am going to forget about timing the car so.....
