OK UKCuda [or others] I was discussing this with my friend in the US and he said this about the Cuda.. What do you think?
"If it were me - I think I’d put the 1.5 OHM coil in the ‘Cuda - and get rid of the ballast resistor (jumper it with heavy copper), go to full power. This diagram shows how they were configured as designed - they had a full voltage lead off the solenoid that gave the coil full volts when the starter was engaged. There are MOPAR controllers - like the “chrome” base unit - that probably have a chip very similar to the HEI in them."
now his is a Ford guy but it makes sense..? See attached
The ballast resistor is bypassed when the starter is engaged because otherwise the battery would struggle to turn the engine and charge the coil at the same time.
Once the engine is running the coil receives power from the battery/alternator system running at close to 14v. Without a ballast resistor a 1.5 ohm coil would be pulling quite a lot of current through the ECU. I don't think even the Mopar chrome boxes will put up with that sort of load for too long. As far as I know none of the Mopar boxes has a HEI style chip in them (unless you put one in there yourself).
I think Pertronix say that you can use their 1.5 flamethrower coils without a ballast resistor for racing, by which they mean for short periods during drag racing passes.
Also how far away can you mount the coil from the dissy? would the length in the wire help resistance[add]
It would not make any difference except maybe cause a misfire, the distributor wires go to the ECU, not to the coil, they only have a small current in them, you want as little resistance as possible in them.
In any event, a long wire would not simulate a ballast resistor, and why bother when you've already got a ballast resistor ?? Fords have a resistance wire (usually pink) instead of a ballast resistor, it's made from special resistive wire.