‘52 Super, Positive or negative ground?

[PSHAW]

Hi all,  new to the forum and new to vintage Buicks.  I have a 1952 Super Estate Wagon .  I was wanting to install electronic ignition and led lights to the 6 volt system.  Is this system a positive or negative ground system?

Please excuse my ignorance,  Rog

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Negative.    A word of caution. The electronic ignition is very sensitive to voltage. If still six volt a six volt alternator is almost a must. .Same if it has been changed to twelve volt.

 

  Ben

[Frank DuVal]

All Buicks I have seen were negative ground, 6 volt included. I have not worked on ones before 1930, so I do not know those. Chevrolet also was negative ground. Cadillac was the GM car with some 6 volt years having positive ground. All 12 volt GM cars are negative ground.

[Jack Welch]

Another word of caution on installing an electronic ignition system, They can be very sensitive to temperature. I had one on my 1940 and ended up going back to a breaker point system. It would not work correctly in the cold weather and left me stranded on a tour. Those cars run just fine with points. Given how seldom most of us get to use our cars, a properly tuned Buick straight eight with good points, condenser, wires , etc is as bullet proof as it gets with an old car. If you have a problem with pa breaker point ignition system, you can pretty much always file, them or adjust them to get home. When somethings fails with an aftermarket electronic system , you are done.

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

I have never had a problem.  15,000 + miles. Hot and cold. Will I have problems down the road? Perhaps. Let you know.

  We , at one time, lived without computers , cell phones and tv.   Some more modern things are GOOD. 

 

  Ben

[Frank DuVal]

You could say the same thing if you ran points for 15k miles. 

 

Now when you hit 100 k miles  with electronic point substitute then you can brag. 😉

 

Not many points lasted for 100 k miles, but 15 k not unusual. They recommended 12 k replacement to avoid ever having an issue.

 

Ok, I do admit as the rubbing block wears the timing does change, so the big benefit of electronic points is the timing does not change from rubbing block wear. It also does not change as the distributor bushings wear, like happens with regular points. Of course, with most collector vehicles not in daily service, this is not important.

Edited December 23, 2018 by Frank DuVal (see edit history)