VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 1941 Distributor Wire for a Ceramic Coil

I'm using the original ceramic coil on my 41 chevy sedan. I'm having trouble getting a coil to distributor ignition wire for it. I ordered a new set of spark plug wires which includes the coil to distributor wire. However, there is a male connection on the bottom of the coil. The plug wire kit comes with a connector to plug into a female end on a coil. Most newer coils have a female end. I called a major Chevy parts distributor today and he offered to have a new wire made for me but would need dimensions, etc. In other words, he had no idea what I was talking about and had never heard of a male end on the bottom of the coil. Am I losing my mind, or am I the only idiot running an original coil?

Sorry... I have never seen a "Male" end on the output side of a coil either.
The small wire at the bottom of the coil is a Male but that is the one that goes to the contact points on the side of the distributor
I am understanding that you are talking about the "thick" wire that plugs into the top of the coil and goes to the center female plug-in port on the distributor cap (high voltage output side)...If I am not understanding you I am sorry for that Good Luck......ED

I'll post pictures tonight but you have never seen the original coil for a 41. There's a armored line that comes from the ignition switch, through the firewall, and goes inside a cap on top of the coil and connects to a terminal. There's another terminal on top that has a wire that goes to the side of the distributor. On the bottom of the coil is a ceramic base that has a male end to connect the main distributor wire to then connects to the center of the distributor cap. That's how it was out of the factory.
Modern coils are not like this. Most people have had to modify the armored wire and remove the cap and just hook a wire to the coil post. Then use the female end to hook to the distributor center cap.
I've got two more NOS original coils that are identical with the ceramic base. I'll post pictures later tonight.

I'm interested in seeing your pics. I've never seen a coil with a male high tension lead connector. My '38 has a female to female wire. I see the electrolock is different on a '41 from my '38. To bad this doesn't show the area of concern better.

I viewed an original 1941 coil years ago and it was as you described.

The top picture shows the more common coil hook up the second the 41 coil with the ceramic bottom. I don't know what ends you want to have on your spark plugs and if you want to match them with the end for your coil? If it were me I would just make up my own wire with the ends I want or do as the guy suggests and tell him the length of the wire and have him make it up for you. Send me a PM if you want to buy one of my used extras. Good luck, Mike

P.S. Join the club we are all loosing our minds! What do you think of my crazy plug ends?

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Here's what it looks like. This is the original ceramic coil from my 41 Chevy. I have two more NOS coils that are also ceramic coils. It's understanding that this coil went on the 1941 and 1942 models.

Very interesting, thanks for showing it. I wonder what their (Chevrolet's) motivation was to change to that design?

The ceramic end coil(P/N #1115141)was original to my 1946 Chevy P.U.
Harold

In my quest to make my '41 as original as possible, I now have a ceramic bottomed coil as pictured above with the 2 connections on top. Today I got an NOS electrolock assembly (part # 1116351) with armored cable and switch at one end, but on the coil end it has a 2 1/4" cap that appears to lock over the entire top of the coil. A few weeks ago I saw a '41 and other 40's Chevrolets in a junk yard, and all had this style cap. Could some '41 Chevrolets have come with this larger coil cap? I also found on ebay a delco coil kit (1911441) that includes such a cap. A friend advised that '41 Oldsmobiles came with such a cap on the coil, and only one (positive) connection on the top, and the negative connection (for the bottom of the dist) was at the bottom along with the large wire that runs to the center of the distributor cap. Based on Mike's picture I have the correct coil, and I can make this electrolock appear original by swapping out the cap for a smaller one(1 1/4"). I have to take it apart anyway to put a new wire in it. Does anyone have just that part of an electrolock they could sell me? The best part about finding this NOS electrolock is I can replace my forklift ignition switch with the correct switch and GM lock cylinder and key!

The coil shown above is the correct 1941 coil. As you can see it has the shielded cable with a small top on it that matches the connection on the coil. That would be the HOT wire. The exposed connection is the wire that goes to the distributor reversing switch.

Cut off the male connector terminal and crimp on a straight spark plug terminal. It is as easy as that.

Hi Sid, I am sure I have just the top. I will post a picture of it today. Replacing the old wire is another story. I will find my old directions and also post them. There is a certain way to take the key end apart and put it back together. Don't get in a hurry I will post more this afternoon.

Good luck, Mike

Thanks for the help Mike. While we are talking about this ignition cable, which hole in the firewall is used for it, and which hole is used for the cowl vent drain hose? I think I have them reversed. I have looked at the picture on page 178 of Chevs of the 40's catalog, and I'm still not sure. I presume that the hole that is not marked in the center in the picture is the one for the drain.
Sid

Brandon, one more thing to complete your electro-lock is the "choke cable support grommet" part number 60-373 at The
Filling Station. All 41's had them most are missing.

Sid, the large hole is for the "ignition conduit cable grommet" part number 70-158.
Jay

Hi Sid, I sent you an email with the directions. Tiny sent them to me in 2009 and I added a little too them. Thanks,Tiny

Sid, The top you need is pictured below.
Good luck, Mike

I've got the choke/ignition rubber grommet installed on my car.

Quote;I've got the choke/ignition rubber grommet installed on my car.
Good, I couldn't see it the picture and it was Mike's car anyway, Congratulations on and excellant restoration.
Jay

As I indicated in an earlier part of this thread, "The best part about finding this NOS electrolock is I can replace my forklift ignition switch with the correct switch and GM lock cylinder and key!" It appears that now, thanks to Mike, everything about the coil and electrolock will look original under the hood of my '41, but now I've noticed something strange about the area where the ignition switch would mount on the dash. The hole where the switch should protrude through the dash is too small. However, the hole in the bracket behind it is the correct size to accept the switch, and the 2 threaded holes are there to secure it. The outer hole appears to be factory. There is no evidence that a washer was welded to the back side of the dash to accommodate a smaller lock cylinder. I have two '41 switch assemblies, and both are the same size. My '41 is Canadian, and maybe they used another switch? That really doesn't make sense to me that GM would not use the same switch on all Chevrolets, but I'm at a loss for an explanation. Now it seems the only solution is the enlarge the outer hole to accommodate the correct switch. With a smaller hole already there, how do I make sure the enlarged hole is neat and round and the correct size? If it were a smaller hole, I could use it as a pilot hole and use a hole saw attached to my drill.
Thanks,
Sid

If you decide to drill.. Don't use a hole saw as they will and often drift. Instead use a step drill bit, found at Harbour Frieght, For under $10.00. They will not drift and make a cleaner hole.

Good Luck!

Am I correct that there was no bezel or escutcheon around the original 41 ignition switch? It just protruded through a hole in the sheet metal?
Sid

You are correct the lock cylinder just "floats" in the hole. I went out and measured - the lock is .950 inches. the hole is 1.040 about 90 thousands clearance. Jay

Thanks Jay, I appreciate the help.
Sid

Sid, What is neat is with the dash lights on at night a light will shine around the space between the lock and the dash hole!!! Have fun, Mike

That will be neat Mike. I discovered the bulb and socket while standing on my head under the dash recently. It now works and is lighting the empty hole where my new switch will soon go after I bore out the 3/4" hole to 1" using a step drill as Ken recommended. This whole process would have been much easier had I removed the dash like Jay did. That woodgraining is beautiful Jay.
Thanks for the help guys.
Sid