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While reading the current string entitled "Car just stops, electrical?" I got to thinking about how often we are covering the same ground, talking about what parts are most prone to fail--and their modern replacements.
I realize that some, whether because they are hard-heads, masochists or into Concours, etc, like to keep things as close to original as possible, which is of course their option. Others, such as myself, do not like to fix the same thing more than two or three times and opt for parts substitutions/upgrades that increase the car's reliability, whether or not performance is improved.
So, whether to aid the uninitiated or simply as an intellectual exercise, it might be neat to compose a list of upgrades that many of us have installed--and perhaps when it is sufficiently evolved it can become a "Parked Topic".
In any case I will kick things off with things I have done over the years, in no particular order of importance, to lend more reliability and prevent annoying failures:
1. Electronic ignition to eliminate points and capacitor problems (In my case a Mallory Unilite)
2. Upgraded coil (In my case a Lucas Sports though when it fails I will definitely replace it with a Bosch Blue)
3. Removing or replacing the ignition grounding switch (I replaced mine with a Hella marine grade model with removable key)
4. Electronic and back-up fuel pump--to eliminate points (I installed a Double-header which also adds redundancy in the pump section)
5. Grose jets and modern floats in carb bowls
6. Multi-circuited fuse panels
7. Gear reduction starter
8. Modern radiator fan and/or Coolant recovery system
9. Replace generator with alternator and change car's polarity to negative ground
10. Replace stock oil filter with spin-on unit--and avoid cheap filters such as the FRAM's in favor of K&N, etc.
I'll stop here and I hope this exercise is of interest to some others.
I realize that some, whether because they are hard-heads, masochists or into Concours, etc, like to keep things as close to original as possible, which is of course their option. Others, such as myself, do not like to fix the same thing more than two or three times and opt for parts substitutions/upgrades that increase the car's reliability, whether or not performance is improved.
So, whether to aid the uninitiated or simply as an intellectual exercise, it might be neat to compose a list of upgrades that many of us have installed--and perhaps when it is sufficiently evolved it can become a "Parked Topic".
In any case I will kick things off with things I have done over the years, in no particular order of importance, to lend more reliability and prevent annoying failures:
1. Electronic ignition to eliminate points and capacitor problems (In my case a Mallory Unilite)
2. Upgraded coil (In my case a Lucas Sports though when it fails I will definitely replace it with a Bosch Blue)
3. Removing or replacing the ignition grounding switch (I replaced mine with a Hella marine grade model with removable key)
4. Electronic and back-up fuel pump--to eliminate points (I installed a Double-header which also adds redundancy in the pump section)
5. Grose jets and modern floats in carb bowls
6. Multi-circuited fuse panels
7. Gear reduction starter
8. Modern radiator fan and/or Coolant recovery system
9. Replace generator with alternator and change car's polarity to negative ground
10. Replace stock oil filter with spin-on unit--and avoid cheap filters such as the FRAM's in favor of K&N, etc.
I'll stop here and I hope this exercise is of interest to some others.
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