Tim /Ted - thanks for the credits, I just try to pay back what I get from the site, in kind.
Tim - the troubles with the Pertronix - I believe are mostly people troubles. Like leaving the power on and cooking one a bit while troubleshooting, that sort of thing. Some guys have tried to get them to switch too heavy a current - not enough combined OHMS in the coil and resistor to protect the transistor. Under-voltage feed to the controller. The directions you get with them are reasonably clear, but we all stumble once in a while.
I have seen several mystery problems that finally went back to having a crummy ground between the swivel plate and the distributor base. Which, when coupled with a less than perfect ground between the base and block - makes for chronic under-voltage at the controller (or a set-up that stutters when the vacuum advance operates). Running a ground wire to the pivot plate clears all that up - and it needs to be in their directions.
The little black controller can still die for all the old reasons electronics finally die - mostly heat and age - and unexpectedly leave you at the side of the road....... 'till you break out the spare points and re-invent the wiring at the side of the road. And then buy and install a new controller.
The trouble with the Ford sytem - is the same stuff. Power left on and cooked it, too small a resistance in the coil and ballast, crummy ground.....its all there.....
But- the Ford reluctor and stator set-up in the dizzy just about never ever die. The one in my Bird did 165,000 miles in an F-150 before I "liberated" it. So if the seperate Duraspark II controller conks out - you pull out your spare controller, plug it in and drive home. The controllers also have the handy dandy 6° auto-retard feature that you connect to the starter soleniod. Bumps my 12° initial down to 6° while it cranks. Parts are at every salvage yard, chain store and on the internet - and on Sunday afternoon too.
Steve Metzger Tucson, Arizona