'37 Special start attempt - no spark

[BenT]

Hello and help!

I am attempting to get running the 1937 Buick Model 40 Special that my dad left to me.

He may have had it running 11 years ago then removed the carb, distributor and master cylinder for rebuild. 

I had all 3 of those done this last summer and now are reinstalled.

We hooked up a 6v battery and began cranking after installing new cap, wires, rotor and rebuilt distributor. The coil is new unused, but likely installed by my father 11 years ago.

* I am not getting spark out of the cap - seems the points are not making consistent contact. As I cranked the engine and my brother observed the rotor - the plate on which the rotor sits seems to be wobbling and loose. Should this be the case? It seems odd and likely related to loss of contact.

* I am getting power at the 2 terminals on the coil. They slowly dim sort of flash when cranking but never go all the way out when evaluated with a test light.

 

This is not easy for 2 guys born at the outset of the electronic ignition and fuel injection age! 

- BenT

[Robert Engle]

crank the engine so the points are on the rotor flat spot.  You should have 6 volts flowing through the coil.  Crank the engine till the points are open on high spot of the rotor.  there should be no current flowing through the coil.  If you have current flowing with the points open, you have a short somewhere in the wiring.  

 

Bob Engle

[Bloo]

And if you rotate the engine to where the points are closed, the light should be out. with the points open, the light should be on.

 

The plate the points are bolted to ("breaker plate") moves when the vacuum advance can pulls on it, so it should have a ground wire that connects to the plate below, or to the distributor housing. It is a special wire with strands of copper and of spring steel so that it can stand all the bending that happens when the breaker plate moves. Make sure it is there and not broken.