You may have considered keeping your car safely stored in a garage somewhere. It’s a great way to ensure your car stays in pristine condition and doesn’t require that you upgrade or fix problems. If you’ve found yourself reading this blog post, it’s more likely that you want to drive your classic car whether it’s just around town or for traveling.

Since you’ll be driving your car, you have probably already considered the easy-to-fix problems with your classic car. While you love the look and feel of your classic car, there are mechanical elements that are “vintage,” which can mean they are no longer as reliable as you’d like. Now, you’re probably looking for other ways to improve the performance of your classic car. As part of that effort, this blog post offers suggestions on how to restore your classic car with an ignition upgrade.

Why Should You Upgrade Your Ignition? 

Your classic car probably still has a points ignition system, so you may have noticed issues with starting your car as your car gets older and the contact points have started to deteriorate. Besides the difficult time you have in starting your car, you are just not getting the fuel consumption, performance and reliability you need from your classic car. Here are some other reasons you might need to upgrade your ignition system:

• You want to increase the rev range on your classic car’s engine. Stock ignitions don’t support a fast enough saturation to keep up with high RPMs.
• You want an upgrade that’s relatively easy and doesn’t take too long to complete.
• You want your car to run as it used to years ago. It might be that your coils just aren’t functioning like they did when they were new (or newer), but you may need to look at your spark plugs, rotor and distributor cap.
• You want higher performance from your vehicle. An ignition upgrade is an easier and more cost-effective way to take full advantage of the possibility of improved fuel economy and airflow to achieve more enhanced performance capabilities.
• You want your engine to be more efficient with more power.

An electronic ignition system is an affordable way for you to improve the fuel consumption, performance and reliability of your classic car. It’s a relatively quick and easy upgrade while offering cost savings both in how affordable it is and in how much you’ll save when your classic car is so much more efficient.

Convert From Points to Electronic Ignition on Your Classic Car

Your primary goal is to improve the performance of your classic car. It’s one of the quickest upgrades and can take as little as 12 to 20 minutes if you have all the parts you need and you know how to complete the conversion. You won’t need your points anymore, but what you’ll achieve is a more reliable vehicle.

You can convert from points to electronic ignition with two standard methods:

1. Install a factory-electronic ignition system that replaces the point and distributor. This option is usually the fastest and easiest way to convert from points to electronic ignition. With this option, you’ll usually have comprehensive instructions to follow. So, it is a snap.
2. Install an after-market ignition system with components and parts from various manufacturers. There are a few after-market ignition systems that are available on the market, so you can build exactly the system you want and need. This method may take a bit more time to complete and it is best if you have some experience with conversion or consult with an expert who can help you do it right.

Whichever conversion method you select, be sure that you have a reliable source when you’re purchasing ignition parts for your classic car, as well as Land Rover, MGB, Mini, air-cooled VW and other vehicles.

Next Step: Gather Data from Your Classic Car’s Engine

With OBD2 scanners, you can monitor your ignition system to gather insights from your car’s engine and other systems. It doesn’t prevent malfunctions, but it can help you determine what is happening when you experience an issue with the ignitions system.

OBD2 scanners are easy to use, with input on what you’ll need to repair or replace. Depending on the issue, you may need a new car. With regular care and monitoring, you will have a car that will last, while saving tens of thousands of dollars. It’s a win-win.