New Ignition for the Innocenti Spyder

Today I take a look at my Innocenti S Spyder that has been sitting on my shelf of cars for years. With a box of new parts I fix the ignition and take the first steps to getting the car back on the road.
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This Week With Cars - Episode 00364
#ClassicCars #Innocenti #willitrun

[@targetglen]

You're such a good teacher, no ego, no BS, no flamboyant excess. My favourite car channel.

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

I appreciate that!

[@jamilbocus]

This is the type of content I like to see! I'm sure you can do all these types of jobs in your sleep by now, but for amateurs like me it's invaluable to see the process step by step. Keep up the good work 👍🏻 look forward to seeing more on this car. I am the custodian of a '66 Mk3 Sprite that has been in my family since 1979, long before I was born!

[@simoncampbell-smith6745]

Your courage in working with a British designed and Italian built car is truly amazing. I would love to see this one running and the carb rebuild.

[@jimringo2569]

Only with many such experiences can you make this procedure look so routine. Way to go.

[@markmurphy3578]

The carb rebuild should make a big difference to the engine and I’d really like to see the results of that. Nice work!

[@eggybreadplease]

I can watch these classic car videos all day long 👍 I have a barn find mkIII Midget so this is very useful 👍👍

[@johnvender]

Looking forward to starting it after the carb rebuild and new fuel pump installation.

[@frglee]

Delightfully analogue stuff. I think it's been about 30 years since I last had a car with points ignition, but I well remember 45 years back as a young unmechanical amateur mechanic, having to change the plugs and the HT leads, replace the distributor car, change the points and set the gap on the roadside of my very first car, a 1969 Vauhall Viva 1600 DOHC.

[@TL243]

Awesome. Love your collection and its drivability. Important stuff

[@garyjohnson9561]

On all the A series engined cars I ever owned, I always found it it easier to pull the distributor off the engine to replace the points.

[@lanceneuman9528]

Thanks Steve

[@MrDunky48]

After all the years that have passed it seems odd now that the Italians needed to use British parts to build cars. I have just read for the first time how a company which made scooters started producing nicer looking versions of UK cars ! But inevitably it all went wrong in the end. BL and innocenti both heavily unionised and up against Fiat, so they ended up going back to scooter production. Thanks once again for reminding us how sparks and timing were once produced . Dropping tiny little bits into distributors would I am sure be my forte 😀(to use an Italian word, if it’s not French! )

[@johna1160]

8:40 Great work as always, Steve. Looks like replacing rad hoses will be coming up before long.

[@stephenricketts7764]

No you don't want to be dropping small bits into the distributor, that would not be good. I have however seen people just 'rip off' the old HT leads and then mix up the timing and wonder why the thing wont start? I have always followed your method of replacing the HT leads. Next will be the carb rebuild so she wont be spilling fuel everywhere. Good job so far Steve. 👍👍

[@johndavey72]

Hi Steve . We would all(well some ) concede that this is a more developed car aesthetically , it's still a Sprite ! And by definition is a "modern" Model T Ford ! I do find it very an a attractive alternative . But you can't beat the original ! Wart's and all ! Thanks Steve

[@BoonesMountain]

Nice work Steve! Thanks for sharing!!!

[@lloydgreen4091]

Can't Say Enough Steve about you making these videos for Us. These are the Best How To videos Going. Thank You So Much - Happy New Year

[@Simon-ry1lw]

Keep 'em coming Steve 👍

[@peteredwards9147]

Many years since changing points and condenser on any car. I can alway remember cleaning the protective flim of the points first, then applying a small blob of grease on the distributor cam which came with the points pack. Then the last thing, a drop of oil on the felt ped under the rotor arm.

[@parrotraiser6541]

A piece of cardboard (e.g.the top of an egg carton) underneath the distributor to catch dropped parts might be an idea, if it's possible.

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

The bottom of the egg carton might work even better so it catches the parts and they don't bounce away. Good idea.

[@frankagius2364]

Great stuff more please

[@-Rodders]

This video is just a tease, need more more. I like your vids keep then coming :)

[@kennethgrasing2218]

You always make it look so much easier than when I try to do it, at home in the garage or driveway!

[@johnquilter7620]

The blue wire in the distributor from the external terminal to the points is aftermarket/homemade. I would replace with the Lucas very flexible black sleeved one as the blue one is likely to fatigue and break over time as the points plate moves with engine vacuum.

[@johng7590]

What no cam lube? good work, nice stroll down memory lane.

[@Michael.Huxley]

It's a lot easier to work on changing and setting the points if the whole distributor is removed from the engine. It is then possible to get the points gap accurately set at the max cam opening. Just remember to check the position of the rotor before removal so that it can be aligned when refitting. Oh and don't rotate the engine whilst the distributor is out or the drive spigot will be in the wrong position and the timing will be way out.

[@Michael.Huxley]

An additional benefit of having the distributor out is that it can be easily cleaned and lubricated to ensure that the advance/retard mechanism works freely.

[@amplituhedron5582]

I didn't know of the existence of this car, saw the thumbnail and thought it was an Honda S600. The innocenti came first.

[@bobmanzi7712]

great stuff thanks

[@AndrewHCann]

Excellent video Steve :) yes that good updated lots parts to it and like more videos too how work on too! Plus Happy New Year 2024 To !

[@FstopPicturesByAlunDavies]

Little car is very pretty. I’m wondering if you would try and give you 124 spider I tried you might find quite a interest in videos of that fiat in follow ups when tuned up a 124 has a fabulous engine note lots of available upgrades out there

[@simon-xi3cv]

Great content, thank you!

[@dk7863]

Sure, let's see more Innocenti Spyder.

[@davidnelson6893]

Yes cool Peace out

[@trevorsmith1859]

I noticed there was no lubrication pad on that distributor so it will soon wear down the heel of those points

[@alhodge4051]

did I miss the lube on the dist cam lobes ?

[@jamesbergeron8356]

Nice series.

[@robpeabo509]

I have never seen two piece points before. Is it unique to the MG? Having said that, I haven’t touched points in nearly 40 years.

[@RobertSpitz-qs6oh]

What about your distributor cam lube?

[@808v1]

front-end makes me think of a smaller TR6

[@bladerunner6282]

i think, if i was confident of my ability to re-install the distributor correctly...to remove it completely and work on it at the bench.

[@chrischris7462]

As a 75 year old, I find it MUCH easyier to remove the whole dist. and do this on a bench>>>>>LOL

[@milliewilkie1969]

do they have Moss Motors distributors in USA W have a MGB and Morris Minor parts are easier to finfd now than back in the 70s for us in UK

[@ThisWeekWithCars]

Yes Moss Motors in the US has more British parts than anyone else in the US

[@ErikAndersen-pf5yh]

I would have skipped the points and move to electronic ignition when everything needed to be renewed anyway🙂

[@steveoh9838]

So why does this engine look like an English B series? They borrowed the design?

[@bobstark184]

It’s an A-series. The basic car is a license-built Sprite/Midget with Italian styling

[@steveoh9838]

@@bobstark184 sure thanks, I meant A series😁

[@jlwilliams]

Yes, please, would like to see the whole rehab project on this car!

[@robertcringely7348]

I would immediately add a Pertronix ignition. Why dIdn't you?