Hey, I'm looking at getting either a pertronix ignitor or ignitor 2 kit to replace my points in my car. Any advice on either kit would be appreciated on which one I should get. Would the ignitor with the blaster coil be good or should I step up to the blaster 2 set up? Also, should I bypass the resistance wire on each of them or just the ignitor 2?
What kind of improvements over stock (if any) did you see? Thanks...

 

Electronic ignition will give you more reliable starts, requires zero maintenence, and provides a more consistant spark. The Ignitor II also provides variable dwell (better spark at higher rpm's), an automatic shutoff to save the coil if you leave the key on with the engine off, and an option of using a high-voltage aftermarket coil to give you a better spark.

If you use the standard Ignitor, you can leave the stock ignition resistor alone. Jonward found out the hard way that using an aftermarket low resistance/high voltage coil with 12V to a first generation Ignitor will fry it in short order.

If you run the Ignitor II, you have to bypass the ignition resistor wire for the unit to function properly. This also requires buying either a coil with an internal resistor or a high voltage/low resistance aftermarket coil.

Another option is to pick up a Summit CDI box. You turn your points into the trigger for the box, which controls the spark. Not a bad deal for the $.

 

See Tads response. I just wanted to add:
i have the pertronix II flamethrower and the matching flamethrower coil. I ran this couple with resistor still in place as I was afraid to fry my rally pak tach. no problems. when I changed engine i thought I'll give it a try with 12V, works fine as well. Probably better spark with 12V I can imagine.
Can't guarantee it as what Tad says above there were problems, but I had this pairing run on 8V for at least one and a half years

 

I have the pertronix II and flamethrower coil. Works great.. No issues..

 

I installed Ignitor I and Flamethrower and left the resistor wire in place. Starts right up and runs good. (hasn't been driven yet though!)

 

ignitor I will need resistor wire. So don't remove that ;-)

 

I have the Ignitor II and Flamethrower and its running great, easy to install and you can leave the resistance wire connected if you want, or just run the 12v for a better spark.. It works both ways. Its a great $110, never worry about your dwell again once you adjust it with the little plastic feeler gauge that comes in the kit. The start and idle are much smoother than my old point were.. (Because they needed replacing).. Good luck.

 

Both the ignitor and the ignitor II need 12V to the module. If using the stock coil, the ballast resistor needs to stay hooked up to the coil and the red wire from the Pertronix module ties in on the other side of the resistor. An aftermarket coil depends on if the coil is designed for a ballast resistor. It is all in the instructions. Bottom line is that the coil gets what it needs and the module gets 12v. In the past I have had Pertronix systems on several cars. All were the original ignitor since the last one I installed was pre-ignitor II. They all worked flawlessly. However, if I were to get one today, I would go ignitor II because of the additional features that were mentioned.

 

The standard Ignitor does not need 12V. It will run fine on 8V, and last I looked, that's what the instructions say. Also, there is no ballast resistor on Fords; the ignition resistor is actually the pink wire coming out of the back of the ignition switch.

The instructions for the Ignitor II say it needs 12V to work properly. Without 12V, it may or may not work properly. I've run into sporadic misfire problems with Ignitor II's fed 8V.

 

I had the Ignitor I and I burned up a flamethrower oil in 3 months. Put a cheap $10 replacement on and it worked great. I now run the DSII setup on my 6.