Source for Franklin 145 Spark Plug Wires

[Bill Jewell]

Hello,

I would like to put new spark plug wires on my 1930 Franklin 145. Can someone please tell me of a good source?

Thanks,

Bill

[odyssey]

Hi Bill-

You have to make them up, there is no ready source. I prefer solid core bulk wire from Napa, or the like. You buy it by the foot. You can also buy the spark plug end terminals and distributor end terminals for the wire. Distributor boots as well, all from Napa. Then just copy each wire one at a time.

I hope that helps...

Tom Rasmussen

[Povertycove]

I use Restoration Supply. Not the cheapest, but they have a good variety of original colors, and original terminals. I've done a dozen cars using their stuff.

[f147pu]

I would add to be sure to use copper wire, not the stuff for modern cars.

[Bill Jewell]

The Restoration Supply website looks good to me. Could someone please tell me which spark plug wires and end connectors would be correct for a 1930 Franklin 145 ?

Thank you for the continued help!

Bill

[odyssey]

Hi Bill -

The original terminals at the spark plug end were straight & plain - no boot. If you want to buy from RSC, then the RAJ020, which is a solder style or the RAJ007, which is a solderless screw cap style are good choices. I believe the wire was cloth coverd in 1930 (late Franklins were plain rubber?) so you could pick just about whatever you like and no one could likely tell you it was wrong.

Personally, I greatly prefer plain rubber coated, solid core wire over the cloth covered as it stands up to heat much better and does not look bad when it gets splattered with oil blown off the engine. The heat issue does not really pertain to the sidedraft engine if you have the wires in the conduit, shielding them from exhaust heat. So it's really personal preference. But I buy solid core wire from Napa - it's new wire, plain black and the terminals from Napa are also correct style, available locally and the quality and price is good. Although the Restoration Supply Company terminals I listed are also of excellent quality.

You also need the terminals for the distributor cap - you can get these at Napa. Distributor cap boots can be had at Napa as well, but they are a vinyl boot. Rubber boots (for appearance sake) can be found at some specialty suppliers. Probably more than you wanted to know -

Tom Rasmussen

[BillDC]

So on Dad's 9B, with all the wires in a metal tube, is there a recommended wire that eliminates, or minimizes crossfire and/or leakage. In the dark there are sparks flying all over the place off that tube. I assume cross firing is not that big an issue, but hate to lose firepower if the wires are leaking a lot to the tube. Current wires are rubber with a cooper core. Do we even need to worry since it seems to run fine now. My race car-driving brother shutters at the thought of all the wires crammed that close together (haha).

Bill Eby

[odyssey]

Hi Bill-

I prefer solid(copper) core modern, plain black wire, especially for the series 9 due to the heat issues. If your wire is new (was it replaced when the engine was done?), then maybe you just live with the bit of leakage, especially if the car runs properly. If the wires are old, then you might try new...

I once tested many cloth covered wires fom different sources in a toaster oven to see at what temp the rubber would ooze through the lacquered cloth. I found some were better than others, but most oozed when modern wire was not affected. The suction cooled cars of 1910 through Series 9 are susceptible to this ooze failure, although I must say, I have not experienced running issues due to the oozing when the ignition system is up to snuff. It's just unsightly.

Tom