wiring idiot.

okay i admit it. when it comes to wires i am a idiot. i have a problem that i have never had before and i need someone to explain it to me like the idiot i am. my old monte was hooked up to a hei distributor. my new 71 472 has points and coil system. my battery goes to my starter and then to my voltage regulator where my ignition is wired. i now have to work in a distributor, ballast resistor, and coil. how do i wire these up? my coil has 2 wires coming out of the top. one yellow and one red. then it has a wire that is hooked up to the distributor. it also has a small piece on the side of the coil with a black wire coming out. any help would be greatly appreciated. with pictures would be the greatest help.

Well - first off, your awesome and every man's dream wife 'cause you work on cars! So, let's dispense with the "idiot" part and know that everyone on this site has lots of areas where we're lost! Don't ask me about transmission spags or front end alignments!!

Okay - here's the deal. You need 12 volts from the battery to the ignition switch. From the switch, you need to have a 12 volt source that comes "live" with the key in the "on" position (not to be confused with the terminal that come on temporarily when the key is in the "start" position). The 12 volt switched source goes to the ballast resistor and then to the "+" side of the coil. The "-" side of the coil goes into the distributor and ties into a terminal on the points as does the lead from the condenser. Set the points at .016 on the high side of one of the distributor cam lobes to get you started (fine tune with a dwell tach to 28-32 degrees with the car running).

Big fat wire goes from the coil to the distributor and you're off to the races and lookig might fine in the process!!

Good Luck!
Glenn

glenn thanks for the incouragement and your picture was a great help. but my battery does not wire to my ignition. my ignition goes to my voltage regulator as best as i can tell then a wire comes from that to my battery. how do i keep the voltage regulator in the loop?

Not to worry about the voltage regulator for the start circuit. Take a 12 volt switched lead directly from your ignition switch. Look at the attached (use "Ctrl" "+" on your browser to enlarge)

I'm running out just now but will PM you later this evening....

I would just get the HEI for the Cadillac.. just ask for the distributor for a '75+ Caddillac 500 engine, you can name whatever caddillac car you want if they need a model.

I'm a wiring idiot also.. I can make my own circuits just fine. but troubleshooting is somthing that I can't stand.. just paid $170 to have some wiring gone thru on my Beetle.. had a light that didn't work right.. in the end it was a ground issue, and a bad connection

Barb, you probably have it figured out by now, but just in case.

matt would love too but cant afford it. thanks mike that explains alot