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Ballast Resistors

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  • Ray C.
    Extremely Frequent Poster
    • June 30, 2001
    • 1132

    Ballast Resistors

    The picture is of three ballast resistors, picture one is a resistor removed from a 1963 340HP car. Picture two was just removed from a AC tractor that was converted to a 12V system prior to my purchase. Number three is a reproduction. Notice the bracket top on resistor one and two, number one has a short flat spot and number two has a longer flat spot. The reproduction is oval with no flat spot. Resistor one and two have a indent on the sides of the resistor, the reproduction is smooth.

    What is difference between resistor one and two? What other areas should one look fore when determining the correct resistors?

    Thanks for any information!
    Ray
    Ray Carney
    1961 Sateen Silver 270-HP
    1961 Fawn Beige 315-HP
  • David S.
    Infrequent User
    • May 31, 1993
    • 24

    #2
    Re: Ballast Resistors

    I'am glad you bring that up.
    there are many different styles of that bracket.
    and different olhm readings.I have probably 5 different kinds.
    I hope that someone has done some research on this???

    Comment

    • Patrick T.
      Expired
      • September 30, 1999
      • 1286

      #3
      Re: Ballast Resistors

      FWIW, here is the correct resistor for my '67, it looks pretty close to #2 and also the applications for this one from eBay. PT

      This is a NOS (new old stock) ignition coil resistor for the following models: 1963-1964 Corvette (2nd design) (ex. Sp. H/Per., F.I.), 1965 Corvette, 1966-1967 Corvette (exc. T. Ign.). The resistor is GM part # 1957154 (Gr. 2.173) and Delco Remy # D-1110 and is in a SEALED "pull-string" Delco Remy box w/metal top & bottom.



      Comment

      • Wayne M.
        Expired
        • March 1, 1980
        • 6414

        #4
        Re: Ballast Resistors

        Two views of another that I pulled off the firewall of a mid-60's junkyard Chevrolet. Notice how the bracket shape dips and bends as it surrounds the porcelain.



        Comment

        • John D.
          Very Frequent User
          • June 30, 1991
          • 874

          #5
          Re: Ballast Resistors

          wayne,
          That makes sense. The part drawing for p/n 1931385 states "bottom bracket flat to .02 concave".

          jd

          Comment

          • Jack H.
            Extremely Frequent Poster
            • April 1, 1990
            • 9906

            #6
            Re: Ballast Resistors

            Yep, and see the 'bump' on the outer bottom edge of the mounting tab... That tells me that's NOT a Chevrolet part. The 'bump' serves a locating function for the ballast and other car lines located the ballast on/near the ignition coil vs. on the firewall.

            You'll see variations in construction of ballast resistors with different locating features a 'bump' in this case, a flared ring in that case...

            On the shape of the mounting band, there's a reason WHY it flares away from the ceramic body as it crosses over the under side. That's to provide extra space for the optional resistor winding ceramic cover.

            Some versions of the ballast had a discrete piece of ceramic that covered the wire winding and it was held in place by the 'flared' shape of the mounting band as it crossed over the bottom side of the ceramic. The cover protected the resistor's winding from accidentally shorting against either the metal mounting band or any nearby conductive metal components of the car's engine compartment.

            Comment

            • Jack H.
              Extremely Frequent Poster
              • April 1, 1990
              • 9906

              #7
              Re: Ballast Resistors

              Both #1 and #2 have 'tear-away' tabs on the extreme outside edge of the mounting band which are considered factory concours correct for early era parts. The #3 resistor lacks this construction aspect as did late era service replacement ballasts.

              I suspect the reason why the reproduction ballasts don't have these 'tear-away' tabs is because the mfgr is using the tooling that GM had for producing the later era service replacement version of the ballast resistor's mounting band...

              On the difference in geometry of the far outer edge of the mounting band on #1 and #2, that's pretty well known among senior judges. There seems to be no rhyme/reason for why some are gently rounded and others are more 'squared' off in shape.

              I suspect there was more than ONE set of tooling at GM that spit out the raw bands for these ballasts with one version of the tooling creating the rounded edge and the other making the squared edge version. The senior judges I'm familiar with accept either geometry for cars from the 60's IF the tear-away tab is present...

              Comment

              • Rick S.
                Expired
                • January 1, 2003
                • 1203

                #8
                Re: Ballast Resistors

                Okay, you fellows have me a bit confused (not difficult) with the various descriptions. What do the folks in the know think of my ballast resistor?

                Rick

                Comment

                • Harry S.
                  Extremely Frequent Poster
                  • July 31, 2002
                  • 5258

                  #9
                  Re: Ballast Resistors

                  Rick, I'm a 63 guy not a 67 guy but I think that's not original. Let's see if a 67 guy chimes-in......


                  Comment

                  • John D.
                    Very Frequent User
                    • June 30, 1991
                    • 874

                    #10
                    Re: Ballast Resistors

                    Yep it's on the drawing...
                    Attached Files

                    Comment

                    • Patrick T.
                      Expired
                      • September 30, 1999
                      • 1286

                      #11
                      Re: Ballast Resistors

                      Originally posted by Harry Sadlock (38513)
                      Rick, I'm a 63 guy not a 67 guy but I think that's not original. Let's see if a 67 guy chimes-in......
                      My '67 AIM states that the correct part # for my '67 car is #1957154, which is printed on the Delco box above. Rick's resistor above looks to be exactly the same as mine IMO. PT

                      Comment

                      • David S.
                        Infrequent User
                        • May 31, 1993
                        • 24

                        #12
                        Re: Ballast Resistors

                        How about the difference in the in the band that has the cutout to put tension on the ceramic part . there are about three versions of that .
                        1. has a square horseshoe hole like on the pics of the n.o.s one.
                        2. has a half round cutout , slightly pushed in .
                        3. has no cutout at all.

                        Comment

                        • Peter L.
                          Extremely Frequent Poster
                          • May 31, 1983
                          • 1930

                          #13
                          Re: Ballast Resistors

                          Rick - It looks just like the one on my 67, S/N 1476.

                          Interesting also is I don't see evidence of a blue stripe on the one on my car [if there was one (?)] but after 40+ years I'm not surprised.

                          Pete

                          Comment

                          • Rick S.
                            Expired
                            • January 1, 2003
                            • 1203

                            #14
                            Re: Ballast Resistors

                            Pete,
                            Many parts on my car have been found to be original and this resistor looks plenty old but I have no way of knowing if it is original. I have not seen any evidence of a blue stripe either.

                            Rick

                            Comment

                            • Randy R.
                              Very Frequent User
                              • March 1, 1983
                              • 477

                              #15
                              Re: Ballast Resistors

                              Check the October 4th, 2005 post by Joe Randolph. A good discussion follows.
                              I believe that the Corvette was one of the last GM vehicles to use a ballast resistor so they are not to be found in other GM models of the same year.

                              Comment

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