I finished my Electromotive install a few weeks back and wanted to post some photos. I did this install without any mods to the car...no hole drilling, no wire cutting (including no cutting of original crimp connectors), and no bending of brackets, etc. It is easily reversible to stock condition in just a few hours if a restoration is desired. I made up sheet aluminum "distributor covers" to try and make it look a little closer to original. I also made a cover for the mag pick up (mounted on a plate to avoid drilling the cam belt cover) to hide the obvious modern pick up in a more period correct looking aluminum housing. The MSD tach adapter and power relays are mounted on a plate attached to the old coil mounts. The reverse side of the plate holds a screw terminal strip to interface all of the wiring connections required. I have to say that this system really smooths out the '78 308. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
That a very clever install. I like the bracket for the crank sensor that fits the existing belt cover bolts. Where did you get the four way lead separator fitted on the end of the cam cover?
Plug wire separators came from local auto parts store. They are hot rod parts. Mounts were fab'd from sheet aluminum - drilled, bent, then edge rolled down at 45 deg. angle to get more of a factory look. BTW: here is a photo of the rear side of the relay mount plate showing terminal strip set up. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Ken, This is a very nice install. I have a 77 GTB awaiting my XDI install, wondering if you may be interested in making another set of mounting aids for me. The sensor mount bracket and the tach adapter/power relay bracket specifically. Where did you mount the XDI (or equivalent) brain? Thanks, Greg
XDi is mounted on new plate in rear trunk directly in front of the driver side tail lights. Plate is attached with tail light ground screw and clips over trunk belly to tail light panel flange. Again, no holes drilled to install. I have paper templates for the DFU and mag pick up mounting plates. They are a actually pretty easy to make. Just hours and a bit of material. I can walk you through it and provide templates. The template is the hard part. Mill work I did on the plates is purely for cosmetics. Does the 77 also have an air pump?
Clever install again, Ken. I like how you've avoided drilling new holes, something I'd also like to emulate. I'd love to have the paper templates, however I'd have to still bring them to a shop to have them made. I have no access to machining tools. Would you be interested in accepting payment to make one more set? You can PM me details if so.. I have a coil bracket already--had it made by a guy on here--Sport Classic Comp I think. It'll mount on the OE coil mount frame tabs. The holes don't quite line up, however. Looks like I couldn't mount the coils there anyway if I use that location for the tach adapter/relay plate. Maybe your way is the answer. (coils hidden on the end of the heads) My 77 GTB had the air pumps removed by the previous owner... The pulleys are still there, but the pumps are long gone. The PO bent off the injection tubes, but I have a set of plugs I want to install in place of them.. Thanks, Greg
If anyone is thinking of making a mounting plate, or having one made, I REALLY like this design and would like to get my hands on one!!! I'm going the Electromotive route over the winter... JIM
I did the Electromotive install over last winter, and it does make a big difference in the way the car runs. It is an outstanding upgrade and well worth it. Nice job on the install. I like those covers you made. Very different than what anyone else has done. My only comment about the install though is the routing of the 1 and 2 wires on the rear bank across the top of the valve cover close to the carbs. The Electromotive system generates a very high voltage spark. I would not want to run the risk of possibly having a spark jump from the wire to the carbs. Having a stray spark around the carbs is not a good idea. I would re-route those two wires down below the rear engine support bracket. Why risk a potential problem? Car go Kaboom = No fun. I'll post a couple of pictures of my install later.
The photos are a little deceiving. There is actually ample clearance between the wires and the carbs or anything else that the DFU's may be capable of hitting with an arc. However, if this is a concern, flip brackets. One other little detail for this mounting set up is that I used an 1/8" thick phenolic sheet between the adapter plates and the DFU's for a little thermal insulation (as done by previous F-Chatters). Also, "distributor covers" are totally open on the front (of front cover) and the bottom (of the rear cover) for cooling. You can't tell this unless you reach in and feel it. Otherwise the covers look like they wrap all the way around due to the shape of the end plates. Another tip is to add a stick on label strip marked in 5 degree increments to the vibration damper (35 BTDC to 10 degrees ATDC). This makes setting up the initial timing and timing advance curve really easy. Just use ((Pi*d)/360)*5, 10, 15 and so on to get the increments, measure with calipers, mark with a pen, set engine at TDC and stick it on so it is aligned with the index point of your choice. As for the adapter plates, these do not require any special machinery (unless you want the pretty milled cut outs for esthetics) If you are careful, these can be made with nothing more than a hand drill, an electric recip (jig/saber) saw with metal cutting blade, some metal files, a tap and die set, a countersink cutter and a good bench vise. All material is available from McMaster.
