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65 service replacement plug wires?

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  • William B.
    Very Frequent User
    • April 30, 1975
    • 939

    65 service replacement plug wires?

    I have a 65 327/350hp driver that I want to replace the plug wires. Are the AC delco wires a good replacement (508n part #??) or should I use another brand? Do I have the correct part # or is there a newer number. Thanks, for anyone's help.
  • Gary Schisler

    #2
    Re: 65 service replacement plug wires?

    I have used the AC Delco 508N wires with great success. I had AC Delcos on my 66 and they are currently running quite nicely on my 72 LT-1. I replaced the repro wires that were not that good.

    Gary

    Comment

    • Lyndon S.
      Expired
      • April 30, 1988
      • 1027

      #3
      Re: 65 service replacement plug wires?

      Yes those wires are real good you want be disappointed with a set. I got some for around 24 dollars at my local Chevrolet dealer.

      Kelly

      Comment

      • Duke W.
        Beyond Control Poster
        • January 1, 1993
        • 15610

        #4
        Re: 65 service replacement plug wires?

        Functionallly that wire set is very good, but one "problem" in the past has been that the wires have red boots on the plug end. I don't know the current color.

        It may be possible to paint them with black tire paint so they look more like OE, but if you don't have your car judged it not really an issue, and painted boots probably won't fool most judges.

        Duke

        Comment

        • Clem Z.
          Expired
          • January 1, 2006
          • 9427

          #5
          Re: 65 service replacement plug wires?

          are these wires are long enought to reach the 2 front plugs when you go down the block inside the ignition shield and up thru the motor mounts?

          Comment

          • Gary Schisler

            #6
            Re: 65 service replacement plug wires?

            Clem,
            These wires are functionally equivalent to what came on the car. They fit properly and will run through all of the original shielding. Well, I will say that they work on the 72. My 66 did not have any shielding so I don't know but I would assume that they work too.

            Fwiw, the entire wire, including the boot, is black on my two year old wires.

            Gary

            Comment

            • Lyndon S.
              Expired
              • April 30, 1988
              • 1027

              #7
              Re: 65 service replacement plug wires?

              they have black on them now.

              Comment

              • William B.
                Very Frequent User
                • April 30, 1975
                • 939

                #8
                Thanks everyone, ordering 508N's *NM*

                Comment

                • John D.
                  Extremely Frequent Poster
                  • December 1, 1979
                  • 5507

                  #9
                  Re: Thanks everyone, ordering 508N's

                  Bill, There is a problem with the 508N's that no one mentioned. I had a post on VH's about them and thru some research we found out the following. Basically the application for 508N's was for trucks. But that's not the issue. The wires have straight nipples that plug into the distr cap. Therefore your distributor shield either won't fit or will fit with a possible short occurring. (See my last sentence)
                  Clem researched the 508N's and forgot to tell you about the straight terminals.Also now they come with these gross looking colored terminal ends. Clem is supposed to pick me up a set plus another part# set from Delco when I furnish him the number JL recommended.
                  Joe Lucia must be working as he mentioned another AC Delco set of wires which might be better so hold up on your order.
                  Joe what is that 2nd number. started with 5??. From memory I believe Joe's # was a kit comprised with various terminal ends and you have to put everything together. NAPA has a set of wires for our small blocks but you have to assemble them and therefore I wasn't interested as that is not my forte. Heard some negative feedback from Vh's on that set.
                  I have been looking for an all black set of wires with the 90 degree distr cap ends but haven't found any yet for the guys who just drive their cars. Probably only available in the flea markets. The other day Clem and I and some other Corvette nuts went out to lunch and these wires were a topic of conversation. No conclusion was made.

                  We need more info. More choices of wires. Now the 508N will work perfect if you omit the worthless distributor shield. More missfires are because of that shield. If I was driving a midyear I would leave the shield home. Jerry Bramlett once told me that if one of his customers calls and complains about a miss he tells them to call back after they remove the shielding, etc. I can remember my 63 driver having a miss and I played with the FI and other stuff and didn't get rid of the problem until the top shielding was on the workbench. JD

                  Comment

                  • John D.
                    Extremely Frequent Poster
                    • December 1, 1979
                    • 5507

                    #10
                    Joe Lucia's answer from my Vh post.

                    "Who says that the straight distributor end connectors are just for trucks? They were used for most Corvettes, although not FI.
                    If you are looking for current production,Delco original configuration wires for a 63 (other midyears also) Corvette, your're going to be out of luck. Delco hasn't had these available in years. The closest you can come in a completely pre-assembled Delco wire set is the 508N and as you know, they have the "straight" distributor end connectors.
                    Delco has another set availabled number 538D. These have 75 degree distributor ends. (so that's where those weird looking wires come from-JD note). However, the wires do not have the distributor end pre-assembled. You have to install the ends which come in a package with the wires. Older versions of this set do have the black, 90 degree plug ends. However, the currently available 538D have ORANGE silicone ends.
                    If you want wires of original configuration, you'll have to go reproduction. etc." Quoted from JOE LUCIA'S answer to a post on VH's. Joe I hope you don't mind me stealing your answer. Thanks, JD

                    Comment

                    • Joe L.
                      Beyond Control Poster
                      • February 1, 1988
                      • 43193

                      #11
                      Re: Joe Lucia's answer from my Vh post.

                      John------

                      No, I don't mind, at all. However, you did rankle me a bit when you said that I must be working! HEAVEN FORBID SUCH AN OCCURRENCE AS ME BEING CAUGHT WORKING. I'm 100% retired.
                      In Appreciation of John Hinckley

                      Comment

                      • Mike McKown

                        #12
                        Bill #291

                        Won't have a problem with the straight terminal 508N wires John, he has a carburetor engine. Not an FI. His distributor cap sits lower to the shield. That won't keep the wires from arcing to the shield though if they're defective.

                        Comment

                        • William B.
                          Very Frequent User
                          • April 30, 1975
                          • 939

                          #13
                          Sooo?? Am I using 508N's, I'm confused? *NM*

                          Comment

                          • Mike McKown

                            #14
                            Re: Sooo?? Am I using 508N's, I'm confused?

                            I'll only speak to my post. The 508N wires with the straight cap terminals should be okay for your car. Your engine came new with straight distributor cap terminals. The fuel injection distributor sticks farther(taller) out of the block so the engineers released a shorter distributor cap and 90 degree cap terminals for the wires on the FI engines to avoid crowding the wires into the shield real estate.

                            A lot of owners use the 508N wires on carbureted engines with good results and they will work on the FI engines if you change the cap terminals to 90 degree.

                            Comment

                            • Joe L.
                              Beyond Control Poster
                              • February 1, 1988
                              • 43193

                              #15
                              Re: Sooo?? Am I using 508N's, I'm confused?

                              Mike-----

                              Yes, the 508N wire set can be used for FI applications if the distributor-end connections are changed to the 90 degree type. However, for FI applications, it's much easier to just use the 538D wire set. There are no distributor terminal ends attached with this wire-set and 75 degree terminals and boots come with the wire set. These will work fine for FI but, if one choses, one can otherwise obtain the 90 degree terminals and boots and use them instead of the ones that come with the wire set. Either way, it's a lot easier than removing and re-installing terminals.
                              In Appreciation of John Hinckley

                              Comment

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