CUTLASS Semi-Rare Sight- Factory Spark Plug Wires

[69hurstolds]

Shown below is a pile of factory spark plug wires from my 85 442. They only had about 25K miles on them when I pulled them and swapped them out for new ACDelco ones. I kept them for some reason. They're a bit different than the Delco replacements in the plug boot is a bit different and not as thick, as well as no manufacture date, only a cylinder position number on them. Did an ohm check on them and they're all good. Might clean them up and reuse them. I used them to modify an NOS ACDelco set from another V8 I got dirt cheap to the same size set as this one.

Also, never noticed this before either, the factory distributor boot retainer has cylinder position number on it as well. The NOS ones do not have the numbers. Strange. Early versions may have, but I got my NOS ones in the early 90s, so...

Original factory unit on left, NOS retainer on right.

Anyway, thought I'd share. Not too often you find original equipment that are typically considered consumables.

 

[Clone TIE Pilot]

Shown below is a pile of factory spark plug wires from my 85 442. They only had about 25K miles on them when I pulled them and swapped them out for new ACDelco ones. I kept them for some reason. They're a bit different than the Delco replacements in the plug boot is a bit different and not as thick, as well as no manufacture date, only a cylinder position number on them. Did an ohm check on them and they're all good. Might clean them up and reuse them. I used them to modify an NOS ACDelco set from another V8 I got dirt cheap to the same size set as this one.

Also, never noticed this before either, the factory distributor boot retainer has cylinder position number on it as well. The NOS ones do not have the numbers. Strange. Early versions may have, but I got my NOS ones in the early 90s, so...

View attachment 247665



Original factory unit on left, NOS retainer on right.

View attachment 247666

Anyway, thought I'd share. Not too often you find original equipment that are typically considered consumables.

Those wires are iffy, at that age the insulation may be breaking down regardless of mileage.

 

[69hurstolds]

Those wires are iffy, at that age the insulation may be breaking down regardless of mileage.

I hear ya, and considered that, but I doubt they're bad. Ohms check out. Soft as room temperature butter, living in the closet, humidity and temp controlled. I inspected them and found no cracks or hard/squishy spots or any areas of concern. They're in better shape than the replacements that are on there now. Still running the OEMs on the 87 as well and it runs just fine. Only reason I changed them out was because I was doing a total tuneup at the time with rotor, cap, plugs and wires and all new belts. It was a might as well, not a have to.

There's only one way to find out for sure. And it won't cost me a thing to find out. I made another set the proper length, so if they don't work out, I still have a new set of correct length Delcore wires.