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MG TD TF 1500 - Crane Electronic Ignition

I have a new one of these, given to me by a fellow car enthusiast. Designed for point distributors before 1975. Any comments on their worth? Appears to be for negative systems only.PJ




Paul S Jennings

If you're talking dollars, then just have a look at the Moss site for a price. If you're talking worth as in reliability...light years ahead of the pertronix in my book. I've had one in my B now for twenty years with zero issues. I'm assuming you have the optical trigger that goes with it. This unit will eliminate the points and condenser just as the Pertronix, but has a robust box as shown.
MG LaVerne

Been running one of these in my 1951 positive ground TD for at least 12 years with no problems at all. IIRC it took some minor work to get on of the components to fit in the distributor OK but its been a number of years. I mounted the box shown in the photo under the battery tray inside the car.
John Quilter (TD8986)

Paul,
Check out the Crane web site. It is designed for positive ground. I would suggest calling them first.
Mort

http://www.cranecams.com/view.php?s_id=17
Mort 50 TD

I ran that for years until switching to the Petronix. I believe it used to be the same unit for pos/neg ground but the wiring/connections were different? I have the directions somewhere, will try to find them. The pickup mounting bracket was really flimsy and I had to modify that. For a driver it is fine, if going original or for show, there are obviously a bunch of wires that are impossible to hide. George
George Butz

Being from the old school and not into electronics, I would assume timing would be the same as the point setup, correct? PJ
Paul S Jennings

I'm reactivating this thread. Can someone post pictures of the install of a Crane unit? "It took some minor work to get some of the components to fit" ... I'd like to learn more about exactly what has to be done to install this unit. Mine is a neg ground car.
Geoffrey M Baker

Yes, Timing is the same.
..CR
C.R. Tyrell

I have a description of my installation in a bugeye Sprite at http://www.nonlintec.com/sprite/ignition/. I was not happy with the fit of the shutter, so I made my own. The ignition worked nicely, though.

I'm not sure how easy it would be to fit it into a TD, though.
S Maas

And for Geoffrey Baker. Here is a photo of the inside of my TD distributor with the Crane ignition system installed.


John Quilter (TD8986)

Thanks John!
Geoffrey M Baker

Had a Crane in my B.
When I got the TD the distributor bushings had some play so I used Pertronix. First three units sent me, failed, no real support from them at all, sort of golly too bad.
Dug out the old Crane and it worked perfectly, it is now in the Volvo.
The Crane is more fussy to install than Pertronixs but, in my opinion, far more robust.
Norm Peacey

This thread was discussed between 16/10/2014 and 04/02/2015

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.