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Reply to "Duraspark vs MSD distributor"

The MSD distributor is superior to the Ford distributor. Hold both in your hands, observe the construction of both side by side. The Ford distributor is OK, but the advance mechanism gets sloppy and sticky rather quickly. In the opinion of Ford, their distributors with vacuum advance were good to only 6000 rpm. The Ford distributor will need to be recurved and checked on a distributor tester, calibrating the MSD distributor is more simple.

The MSD magnetic pick-up is fully compatible with Ford Duraspark modules, the MSD magnetic pick-up wires even have the same color coding as the Ford magnetic pick-up, which leads many to believe it IS a Ford magnetic pick-up.

The Duraspark modules manufactured in the mid 1970s through the early 1990s lasted at least 100,000 miles or 10 years. The stuff manufactured since China entered the picture is probably not nearly as well made. I've seen modules advertised as Duraspark modules that are very small ... do not purchase one of those.

An OEM style Duraspark 1 module, having dynamic dwell, is one of the most sophisticated ignition modules you can buy. Use it as designed with the proper coil and no ballast resistance and you'll have have an ignition system that properly charges the coil over a wide range of rpm, and an ignition that can ignite mixtures others cannot.

So the MSD 8477 distributor and Duraspark 1 module (with the Duraspark 1 coil) would comprise one of the best distributor based ignitions you could assemble for your Pantera. I can provide Motorcraft & Standard Motor Products (SMP) part numbers for the module and coil if you're interested.

-G
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