How To Install A Pertronix Igniter Electronic Ignition on 1970 Buick Riviera Video V8TV

We're Hiring! v8speedshop.co...
www.v8speedsho...
How To Install A Pertronix Igniter Electronic Ignition on 1970 Buick Riviera Video V8TV
314.783.8325 - Contact the V8 Speed & Resto Shop today! www.v8speedshop...
Our 1970 Buick Riviera is an all-stock and original ride, and we don't plan on restoring this car anytime soon. However, we do like driving it, so we elected to install a Pertronix Igniter electronic ignition module and Flame Thrower ignition coil our original distributor to eliminate the mechanical breaker points and enjoy smoother starts and better performance. The Buick 455 engine is all original, so adding an Ignitor to the 455 will make it run smoother for sure. The Buick 455 made 370 horsepower and 510 ft-lbs. of torque in 1970, making it one of the most powerful V8 engines GM ever produced.
www.v8speedsho... - 314.783.8325
www.v8speedsho...
See more at www.pertronix.com
See more of the 1970 Riviera at v8speedshop.co...
SHOP FACEBOOK PAGE: / v8speedshop
#pertronix #v8tv #riviera
~-~~-~~~-~~-~
Take a tour of our restoration shop!: "Muscle Car Restoration Shop Tour V8 Speed & Resto Shop November 2018 V8TV"
• Muscle Car Restoration...
-~-~~-~~~-~~-~
How To Install A Pertronix Igniter Electronic Ignition on 1970 Buick Riviera Video V8TV
V8 shirts, hats, and more:
v8speedshop.co...

[@LasseHuhtala]

I put an Ignitor/Flamethrower on my 302 Ford years ago and I can just second what you said, it made the engine run much steadier on any rev. Very nice, cheap upgrade for older vehicles.

[@JoshLit]

Super helpful. Appreciate the pace of your explanation, and the right level (for me anyway) of context of "why" you're doing what you're doing. I'm mechanic like a golfer who takes out the clubs and goes once ever three years: real danger of disaster off the tee. Without every-day currency, I can make a bad mistake by missing some small step a frequent, experienced mechanic takes for granted. Watching your vid, I'm now confident to remove the distributor from my 1967 Firebird 400, and do the mod. The prior three vids from others I read on this subject did not leaving me feeling like they'd shown me ever step. Thank you.

[@erichite4871]

And you have the speed sentinel on yours too! When I first bought my '69 LeSabre I wasn't aware what it was and the previous owner had it set to 60, so I'm driving down the highway and I get it up over 60 and it just starts buzzing at me and scares the living piss out of me! Spent the entire ride home going 45 before I figured out what it was. Great vid. I'll have to look into this for my Buick's 350.

[@progx8679]

I love Buick Riviera's and Wildcat's !!!!! My Fav's are the 1967' Wildcat Custom Spt.Cpe with the 430-4Bbl and Riviera of the same year but like the 68-70' Rivs also ! Nice car. Semper Fi

[@darrrenbetker4266]

i had the same one. amarican edition. brown buckets leather....fully loaded. loved it.

[@loydisham6492]

In 1976 I installed a Prestolite unit similar to this on a 1963 Buick Special 215 aluminum V-8. It fixed a lot of engine related power issues and points problems, my points seemed like they only lasted about a couple of months. They would burn and the cam follower would wear down quickly. My unit had an external control box that needed to be wired in and mounted to the body for ground. Didn't think to remove the unit from the car when I traded it for my 1969 Chevelle. It would have been nice on that Car.

[@roberth4688]

Put one on my 70 Nova with a 350 years ago. Love it.

[@titanicwhiz]

My Dad has a 70 Buick GSX, Saturn Yellow.. The engine would break up at high speeds sometimes.. until the he switched to electronic!

[@brianorfant1125]

Thanks for the info. BTW, the Muscle Car Of The Week is awesome. I look forward to each new episode.

[@terribelbliss9646]

Nice job on the ignition, I find the 455 needs some gas to start. I have a 72 Riviera with the detuned version of your engine, and it's Been sitting in my garage for two years, not run. unfortunately the alternator failed and the battery eventually went dead. So i buy a new battery and I try to start it. First I gave a couple cranks without gas to circulate some oil. Then once to the floor and half way down when cranking the engine came alive like it ran yesterday. It's quite the engine, especially the Buick version. It feels like you take off starting at five mph. 👍

[@MrRightwingextreme]

You left out running a full 12 volts to it. I believe that hot wire is a resistance wire (to the coil) and is not twelve volts when it starts only when cranking and then drops to approximately seven volts.

[@V8TV]

That's a valid point, I checked this wire and was not a resistance wire in my case. Makes full 12 all the time. But some are. Thanks for the feedback!

[@scottkleeman2745]

Beautiful original ‘70 riviera,Kevin.have a ‘70 riviera too.they are unique!

[@realmaindrianpace]

Nice car, Kevin. Unusual distributor design with the advance weights on top. In my experience, the Pertronix likes a full 12 volts powering it up, and as most breaker point ignitions had a resisted (7-8 volts) power supply wire, I run a switched 12V from the ignition switch to the unit, and to the coil if a new internally resisted coil is used. I run the original resisted wire to the coil if it is the original one that requires the lower voltage.

[@V8TV]

Great point. Pertronix notes in their instructions that if you do have a resistance wire, you need to put full 12 volts to the Ignitor as you mention.

[@kloner]

great looking cars. classy with power.

[@rayward100]

Great video Kev! Would love to see you do some suspension mods to firm up the ride. Keep the vids on your Riv coming please.

[@V8TV]

Thanks Ray, that's a possibility!

[@w41duvernay]

@@V8TV How about slipping in a more modern cam as well?

[@V8TV]

@@w41duvernay That's a tricky one. To get all the benefits in this case, we'd probably opt for a cam, aluminum heads, intake, exhaust... you know how that goes. The engine is all original, so if we were to work on it, we'd be compelled to pull it, clean it, check / refresh bearings, re-gasket the whole thing.... next thing you know, the car is off the frame! It's not a race car by any stretch and it's pretty peppy now. Not saying we WON't do those things, but we have to have a good approach so it isn't off the road for years in the process.

[@hectorzapata4295]

Loved the video tutorial, beautiful car.

[@kgroombr]

Nice car. I think you ought to showcase oddball cars every now and then.

[@mitch6642]

Great video! Very helpful. Thank you!

[@scottkleeman2745]

Interesting video too.my ‘’70 is still on the points/condenser system.

[@craiganderson3170]

Mertens Chevy of Kennebec SD belonged to my Uncle David Mertens. My mom owned Sladek Buick in Chamberlain. Her dad was John Sladek who started both of these dealerships. I might have done burn outs in this car. Don't tell anyone. I watched this vid because I am putting the original 389 back into my 66 GTO and want it to look stock but run modern.

[@V8TV]

That is too cool! I've connected with D.J. Mertens on Facebook, perhaps your cousin? I'd love to see some old pics of the dealership if thy exist. And the car does some pretty good burnouts!

[@telluride4017]

Well done

[@Billyd4Reel]

Great vid!

[@orange70383]

Very nice'

[@AutoYoung]

That's one pretty car.

[@grabir01]

Use the LS version. No need to remove the distributor.

[@johnneilan2306]

I'm putting this in my 72 El Dorado with the 500 The stock spark plugs are gapped .035 In 75 they went to HEI and the plugs were gapped .060 I am also getting the flamethrower ignition coil should I re gap the plugs or just replace them all together with the plugs from the later models with the HEI. Thanks

[@billthompson5644]

that's awesome I never heard of it I didn't know you were a Gearhead when you put that in and you get bit closer then 25 or wider than 25 does it make a difference in the performance

[@ListeningPoint]

I recently had new cam bearings and camshaft put in a 304 V8, the valves and lifters aren't back in yet but the cam doesn't turn by hand. Is that normal?

[@retired_engineer5354]

Did you by chance bypass the resistor wire as recommend by PerTronix? I am installing the Ignitor II on my 1972 Corvette and the instructions recommend bypassing the resistor wire for maximum voltage. Or does it really matter?

[@dfuller968]

Would Richmond custom build a ring a pinion to work in the Riv?

[@RAMCO840]

When installing this electronic ignition, does this eliminate the use of the ignition amplifier box?

[@christophermunoz7125]

what one do i need for a 69 rivi with 430

[@GTVAlfaMan]

Why did you keep the weights on the distributor? Will the Pertronix ignition work without the weights installed?

[@V8TV]

The weights are for the distributor advance mechanism. They provide the centrifugal advance. They need to remain in place.

[@colinrolerkite7302]

Does the Pertronix unit mess with the factory tach?

[@V8TV]

Good question! This car has no tach, so we didn't have a problem. We've not heard of any issues, but factory old wiring can pick up some RF noise if the coating isn't shielding the wire properly any longer. If there is RF noise, there are ways to reduce and block it.

[@GlassTopRX7]

Aside from ascetics doesn't function any better than the factory HEI by GM?

[@V8TV]

It's basically an under-cap HEI, and performs the same function. You also don't have to change the plug wire style to HEI-type terminals. For pre-HEI cars, it keeps everything hidden and looking original.

[@GlassTopRX7]

V8TV Thanks for the info. HEI while cheap is an eyesore. It was just one of those things, that was worth it if you drive the car a lot.

[@V8TV]

Yep. Buick HEI's are getting hard to find these days, too.

[@brianorfant1125]

Did you do anything special to make the paint look as nice as it does?

[@V8TV]

Gave it a bath, clay bar treatment, then used some DFT products on the car. You can get them here: www.v8gear.com I followed the steps in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h2aXgp9jh7x4iLM

[@rontee7965]

+V8TV what's the difference between a GS 70 riviera and a regular riviera

[@V8TV]

ronald williams not much, really, the GS badges, a chrome air cleaner lid, and a limited slip rear differential with a 3.42.1 gearset.

[@mfsb8473]

The brothers want to add it to their collection?

[@V8TV]

I think we're keeping this one!

[@dugcurr]

#

[@paulcopeland9035]

Dang, I was hoping you would replace the vacuum advance while you had the distributor out (hint, hint). After 46 years, that little guy is due to spring a leak. It is a real pain in the rear when you develop a vacuum leak plus an advance problem from one pesky part. Great survivor car! My dad had a variety of these Riviera's from 67 to I think 76. I remember them as loaded with every option ( my first experience with a FM stereo radio!). I thought that was what the Riviera was all about. I like the idea that yours is basic, very unusual. That 455 is a hard running engine. Back in the day, more than once, I was "that guy" who dusted my buddies hot rods with dads car. I had my own hot rod (57 Chev 2 door) but every once in awhile it was fun to take out the "Riv" and let her run. Nice find. Good luck with it. Paul