123 distributors.

[mycar]

I know there's been discussion about the 123 distributor for our cars here on DDk but the search function doesn't do 123 and gives 1662 results for distributor so sussing it is tricky.

Who here has a 123 in their car ? Which model did you choose and where did you buy it from ?

Do you like it ?

[Lightweight_911]

I think Neil (Bardsley) has one in his 912 ... so it will be 12v though

[butzsi]

They work on both 6v and 12v cars, just fitted one in a customer's 356.

Try http://www.123ignition.nl/ for more info and suitable models.

Chris

[Kneeslider]

I have one, but I haven't driven my car on the road yet. Seems to solve all the problems of old worn out units that cost megabucks though.

I bought the Porsche specific one, that uses the switch on the side to select different programs, and seems to be pretty plug and play. There are other more sophisticated ones that have Bluetooth that allow you to tune the car with an app on your phone as your companion drives the car.

I'm still messing about with jetting, and currently have my engine out to solve a clutch issue, but I think that my reaction is favourable so far.

[mycar]

Thanks for the replies, after about 3k on my new engine things started to stutter this week. Sure enough the points had closed up and grown a tit which is all easily sortable but it did get me thinking.....

fitting MSD to my '68 911 with it's antiquated ignition system gave an appreciable improvement. Perhaps the 123 will have a similar effect on a 356.

[inaglasshouse]

I recently bought a 123 for my alfa. Programmable via Bluetooth. You can:
- define advance curve
- immobilise
- "on the fly" advance / retard while driving. It doesn't remember the nudge, so you have to use your test findings to later modify the curve to make it permanent.
All works well so far, and is good fun.

[neilbardsley]

I have a 022 in my 356 and a 123 in my 912 which is 12v. Pretty happy with both. That said I never have to think about checking the points or the condenser failing in my 912. It's pretty easy to install. If you get one make sure you get the Porsche type as the VW one need a shim to fit well. You can get a programmable version which can can have load from the carb in as an input too so you can have a 3d map. Cliff, from the registry, loves then on his large than 1720 engines. Got mine from Southern Carb?

On the other side of the coin since my 022 was rebuilt by Bruce Smith it has run amazingly and I highly recommend that route too.

[SeanP]

I have one in my 912. Money well spent in my opinion as my 022 needs rebuilding and I could not get a stable idle and would stutter as it was advancing with revs.

Get the Porsche one. The VW one has the 022 curve programmed in it also.

Try southern carbs near Gatwick. Got a bit of a cheeky discount

[Winston Teague]

I have no direct experience of 123, So you can switch off now if you wish, but what is so crap about modern cars is f@@king electronics. I want my 356 to be reliable and mendable. When your car stops, or splutters and you have a trad dizzy, coil and condenser, a spare coil/condenser will get you home. Mine came with a Brazilian 009 Bosch. It was tired and cheesy. I bought a s/h Mallory twin contact VW 1970s dizzy, $50 on the samba, a set of new consumables for it online. Fitted it and rolling roaded the car. Bit of tuning to set the curve limits (adjustable) and, touch wood, revs clean to 5500 (I have the same on my race Austin Seven engine and that revs clean to 7000+). I've checked the points most years and they've been fine. 1 spluttery journey in 9 years and 25000 miles: new Bosch blue coil and Swiftune condenser: sorted. IMHO one doesn't need a choice of map, one only needs the right one. Interested to hear how you get on though. W

[Nick Moss]

I have one on my BMW 2002, which didn't miss an ignition beat throughout the whole Monte Historique. Highly recommended.

[Bathtub57]

I've got one on my '12 and very happy with it, runs very smoothly. My only criticism is regards aesthetics, the quality polished body looks a tad out of place, but that's being picky.

[delkel]

I have just received my 123 from southern carbs .have had a bit of a mare with the dizzy over the past couple of years. I do hope this sorts the probs out.
Are they as lovely as peeps say ? Hope so

[delkel]

Who was with the 912 at ninove ?

[mycar]

... Some time later....

Revisiting this thread is rather poignant, Chris was here to help and it wasn't that long ago.

I have a last bought and fitted one of these 123 distributors, I got it from the 123 Ignition Shop Leen APK in the Nethelands, cheaper than the UK and quicker delivery as the one I needed was out of stock at Southern Carbs.

I bought the Porsche 4-R-V which is the base model for the 356.

Before I fitted it I gave the car a bit of a service:- oil, valves and timing, just to make sure all was well and when I'd finished the car ran so well I decided not to bother with the 123 distributor and put it back in the box.

Two weeks later and I thought I'd better see what all the fuss was about and after reading the instructions seventeen times I popped the distributor in place. I thought having the wires coming out forward would be the neatest solution...



but that didn't give enough room to turn the distributor to time it so I pulled it out and and turned it a bit and this worked much better.



Cap back on and leads reattached, I checked the advance with a timing light and with everything looking spot on so I jumped in the car and went for a spin.

This is when the very, very terrible thing happened.

Speeding along, thinking this was all going very well, the bonnet suddenly wrapped itself round the windscreen.

Bugger. One moment I'm full of the joys of spring, shooting down a twisty country lane.... next thing I'm blind and can't see a thing. It was all a bit of a moment. I limped home, threw a cover over the car and went on holiday for a while. Gutted.

..... Some time later....

Despite having a creased bonnet which is a bit difficult to latch the car runs really well, the 123 distributor has made a marked difference to what I thought was a pretty good engine to begin with. Things are smoother, acceleration from low down is more assured, dare I say the car feels more 'modern'. I've only got 300 miles under the 123's belt so far so I'll report back later as things go on but for now I'm really pleased.

As for the bonnet, well it could have been worse.

It could have been better.... but no doubt it'll mend.

[210bhp]

Shame on the bonnet Mike but it could have happened speeding along on the A1 I suppose so you have to look on the positive side if you can.

Glad to hear the car is running well. There, there's another positive.


Regards
Mike