Corvair Forum

Has anyone installed a pertronix ignition on a 60 or 61 with mechanical and vacuum advance? If so what kit did you use I have now ordered 2 different kits and neither one works.

I'm no expert but am willing to bet you are attaching the 12v+ from the module to the + on the coil that only has 5 or 6 volts for the original breaker points ignition. Find and connect the module to a 12v source that is switched with the ignition switch and see what happens. Hopefully solves your problem. Good luck.

I haven't even been able to test wether it works or not . It wont even.fit in the distributor.

There was a significant difference in the design of the earliest (1960-61) Corvair distributors and the 1962-69 version. I believe that they are interchangable, so if you were to obtain a 1962, 1963, or later distributor from a similar engine you should be able to install it in your 1961 Corvair. Doing so and eliminating that obsolete design in your current distributor would make it easier to obtain parts also.

I have included pictures of the two distributor designs below. You will note that the centrifugal advance assembly on the early design was above the points, and under the large rotor assembly. In the later design, the centrifugal advance was relocated to a location underneath the points and breaker plate assembly. The design of the early 1961 distributor, with the large rotor and centrifugal advance assembly positioned above the points will probably prevent the pertronix ignition module from being installed. Please note that the cap and rotor for the early distributor will not fit on the late distributor design.

Used Distributors:

California Corvairs
http://www.californiacorvairparts.com/c ... ory=42&p=3

Clark's Corvair Parts
http://www.corvair.com/user-cgi/catalog ... age=NOS-12

Corvair Underground
http://www.corvairunderground.com/dist2.htm

Corvair Ranch
http://www.corvairranch.com/

So any 62-69 distributor will work? If not what would work for my application?

brad/bbodie52 is right that your ignitor wont fit your 60-61 dizzy & any vair dizzy can be installed in any vair engine. your ignitor will only fit in a 62-69 dizzy. but you need to get a dizzy that will have a advance curve close to your dizzy.

do you know what hp your engine is? or tell us the number on your dizzy & what is your engine code number is.

-Scott V.

It is a 145" i think 80 hp. Ordered one on ebay reman. For 50 bucks. It said it was for the same motor. The seller had good feedback and alot of replies

Got the ignition and the distributor today and man it is super easy to install the pertronix ignition when you have the correct one for the distributor...

It is always good to have a happy ending! Is your Corvair up and running yet?

Back to that source of 12 volts thing, what is the best way to do that other than running a wire all the way back from the ignition switch? Probably one of the few things harder to do on a Corvair because the engine is back here and the ign switch is way up there.

Mime is a trike so it gonna be pretty easy for me