273 Commando ignition wire question

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drewmac

drewmac

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I am moving from stock type wires to MSD 8.5 spark plug wires. On my Commando there are small plastic grommets that hold the wire to the valve cover. I love the way that looks. Does anyone make these? I have them circled in the photo.

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drewmac said:
I am moving from stock type wires to MSD 8.5 spark plug wires. On my Commando there are small plastic grommets that hold the wire to the valve cover. I love the way that looks. Does anyone make these? I have them circled in the photo.

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For stock sized wires but not for 8.5mm wires.
 
You *COULD* try using stock ones, since they snap around the wires; gently clamp them in a machinist's vice and slowly, gingerly, drill them out to an acceptable inner diameter- but I can't vouch for how much meat that'll leave you when you're done.
Another option would be to go to the hardware store and get some appropriately sized electrical grommets and slip them around the wires. They'd be black instead of white, but I don't think anyone would hold that against you since originality isn't a big factor when you're running 8.5 MSD wires.
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Professor Fate said:
You *COULD* try using stock ones, since they snap around the wires; gently clamp them in a machinist's vice and slowly, gingerly, drill them out to an acceptable inner diameter- but I can't vouch for how much meat that'll leave you when you're done.
Another option would be to go to the hardware store and get some appropriately sized electrical grommets and slip them around the wires. They'd be black instead of white, but I don't think anyone would hold that against you since originality isn't a big factor when you're running 8.5 MSD wires.
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Brilliant Professor!!!
 
8.5 wires are no better than 7mm. They just have a thicker jacket. They may just fit in the metal slots without the grommet being so fat but all kinds of grommets are available.
 
I’ve drilled them out to fit larger wires. I just held them in channel locks and drilled away. Think I went a couple sizes smaller than the wire diameter for a snug fit.
 
BTW those round grommets are not correct for a 67 Commando. It should have rectangular white plastic inserts that snap into place on the valve cover tab, with slots for each wire. If you had those you might be able to just cram the 8.5mm wires right in. I believe these are also available as repro, just harder to find.
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mvh said:
BTW those round grommets are not correct for a 67 Commando. It should have rectangular white plastic inserts that snap into place on the valve cover tab, with slots for each wire. If you had those you might be able to just cram the 8.5mm wires right in. I believe these are also available as repro, just harder to find.
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It's not a '67, it's '66 or earlier- see the hood torsion rods in his original pic? Assuming everything is original...
 
I think the wire holders are the same, all years... I just said 67 because that is the extent of my personal knowledge. The round grommets are for the plain covers.
 
mvh said:
I think the wire holders are the same, all years... I just said 67 because that is the extent of my personal knowledge. The round grommets are for the plain covers.
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The round grommets are also for Charger/Commando covers for 65 and 66 as well as Hemi covers of that era. In 67 they started using the double plastic holders.
 
Professor Fate said:
It's not a '67, it's '66 or earlier- see the hood torsion rods in his original pic? Assuming everything is original...
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Sorry I did pull that pic from the internet so it may not be a '67. Mine is a 67 BUT it does also have the round plastic pieces not the ones MVH posted. Those would be perfect I think.
 
drewmac said:
Sorry I did pull that pic from the internet so it may not be a '67. Mine is a 67 BUT it does also have the round plastic pieces not the ones MVH posted. Those would be perfect I think.
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You need to show us your valve covers so we can see if they are 67's or not. Take a couple pics of the passenger side cover and the oil fill/pcv pipes on both.
 
If someone can take measurements I can draw it up in CAD and 3d print and test fit on my commando valve covers and put the model in thingiverse. Or I guess I could just buy one and do that. ha
 
I can do that, if you tell me what dimensions you need?
bigrobsRT said:
If someone can take measurements I can draw it up in CAD and 3d print and test fit on my commando valve covers and put the model in thingiverse. Or I guess I could just buy one and do that. ha
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