"I have a black wire connected to the top of the resistor going to the negative side of the coil"

Shouldn't that be the + side? The negative side of the coil should be going to the black pertronix wire.

Maybe someone asked this a ways back - but the Red wire to the Pertronix module is supposed to be getting full battery voltage to feed its electronics. So you've ended up with it on the "high" side of the coil resistor to get the full 13.5 volts from the ignition switch, Correct? The + side of the factory coil then gets the stepped down voltage from the low side of the resistor. The Pertronix controllers do not like low voltage - period.

The negative side of the coil is wired to the control module (black wire) - and when the system is operating, it is switching the coil ground on and off - just as the points did. The plate to which the Pertronix controller is mounted must have a very good ground to the engine block. Be sure about this - it can cause all sorts of problems as well. The additional resistance that might exist between the point plate and the block, can also be reducing voltage inside the controller. On the Duraspark outfits - I add a specific grounding wire from the distributor to the block.


 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

why all the noise about the problem,the cure is the forddura spark conversion,with the later 57 disy it is verry simple.go to the local wrecker ,get a302 duraspark box and coil with the dist. you have all the parts for30 cn. mark and i have converted 3 so far. the 1 on my 57 ranchero works great,increased the  plug gap. the only isue was forgeting the wire from solenoid to the coil,as pointed out by ted the ford ignn has no run power at the start position. instant startand beter go. Repair parts where ever you go