MSD Distributor Install

AND NOW yet another annoying story from the old days

Working part time at the NAS Miramar auto hobby shop, two guys came in with a 55 Chev they were installing a brand new Mallory coil--the big 'ol huge rectangular coil. Now those requred an ADDITIONAL coil resistor supplied by Mallory in series with the stock resistor. I don't remember "could not get it to start" or something so I went out there. They were clear out front of the shop, don't know why. Anyway I go out there, and get maybe 10-15 ft from the car, and I "see stuff." ???? It was the brand new coil, exploded all over the engine bay.

They had NOT used the additional resistor, and had left the key "in run" Boy did THAT make a mess!!!