Hi Tom,
I have a PerTronix Ignitor (PI) with a Lucas Sport Coil. The PI
istructions tell you not to use a coil with an internal resistance -
measured from + to - terminals - of less than 1.5 ohms. The Lucas HA-12
coil used in Bs without ballast resistors - my '69 for instance - is
internally ballasted, mine measures 3.9 ohms. The Lucas Sport Coil
(LSC) I have measures 3.3 ohms. Presumably, the LSC has an internal
ballast resistor or there is so much wire in it that it has fairly high
internal resistance. If you want to use a coil on the PI with a lower
internal resistance than 1.5 ohms and your car has no built in ballast
resistance, you must add a ballast resistor or the PI may be damaged.
I had a Crane (nee Allison) and the Crane coil. The coil came with a
ballast resistor for use on cars with no ballast resistance in the
wiring harness. So, you can see that it's the particular car and coil
that are the deciding factors, not the brand of ignition.
For my money, on cars with no ballast resistance, the PI and LSC are
the way to go. Easy installation with no mods to the breaker plate and
no external amps or resistors cluttering up the engine compartment.
YMMV.
Cheers,
Charley Robinson
'69 B
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