Help installing hot spark in a 76 automatic

[madpaddler]

I have looked through the search on this subject for at least 2 hours and am now more confused than when I started. I have a 76 automatic, son (16) bought last week , with a vac adv distributor. Plan on installing the hot spark and coil that comes with the kit. I have read that in the 76 the balast resistor is a wire that appears clear and connects to positive post on coil(yellow with age) not the typical separate balast that hangs on the inside fender on earlier models. My question is what goes to the positive and negative leads on the coil? I understand that the leads from the ignitor go to positive (red) an negative (black), but do the other wires that currently connect to positive and negative, including that balast wire attach to new coil exactly as they are now? I have read several different confusing things... straighten me out before I waste the ignitor or fry the coil please. Any other tips are greatly appreciated!

[FunkyLaneO]

If the coil requires a resistor (it will say on the coil if it does) attach the ignitor wires to the coil and leave the existing wires exactly as they are (except to remove the wire that went to the points). The resistor wire should still go to the positive terminal on the coil and the tach wire should still connect to the negative terminal, the red wire on the ignitor should go to positive and the black to negative.

I am not familiar with your coil, if it is a 12v coil and does not require a resistor then you will need to run a switched ignition wire to the positive terminal on the coil and not use the clear resistor wire.

[madpaddler]

Thanks for the reply, I am getting the coil that has the resistance built in at 3 ohms...looked to run that wire you suggest to the ignition switch, but after inspecting the harness under the fuse box, there are no "empty slots to install...is there a point to wire that in other than direct to fuse #12? I am thinking to locate the resistor in the wire, cut out that resistor and solder the positive to the wire leading to fuse #12... am I thinking correctly?

[FunkyLaneO]

I would not cut it, you can just unplug it from the back of the fusebox, if you are removing all of the smog equipment then you can remove all of the wires that run in the same bundle as the resistor wire and that should open up at least one spot (I think actually 2).

[madpaddler]

ok I get it, I saw that connection in the fuse panel with the blue rubber sheath, so remove that then run my hot lead from fuse to + on coil. Thanks! Sometimes talking it out helps me make more sense to my brain...reading the old posts just doesn't work with my feeble mind

[Stevenc22]

3 ohm coil means you need to remove the resistor wire. Total resistance in the circuit needs to be 3 ohms and so if you already 3 ohms at the coil, you replace the resistor wire in your harness with a regular wire.

If i remember correctly, i have 3 wires on my '76's coil. 1 positive from fuse box and 2 negatives, one for the hotshot and 1 for the tach signal.

[madpaddler]

Thank you all for the advise, as soon as the parts come in I'll give it a shot