Amazon: Ignition system

[Sharpractice]

On my 122S I wish to change the ignition system and armour cabling to the coil by a more conventional layout. This will incorporate a start button. There are many alternative ignition switches without the satrt facility available but would anyone recommend any particular manufacturer/model. The key issue is having a thread diameter that takes the chrome escutcheon the same size as the Amazon switch.
Thank you

[Ron Kwas]

SP;

If you insist on removing/defeating the armored Ign Sys, and loosing its theft prevention feature, but want to keep an unchanged appearance, separate the armored cable from the Ign Sw, and wire its internal ign power cable to the new Ign Sys. Remainder of wiring at the quality Ign Sw...better than just about any replacement Ign Sw I expect you would find today(!), remains unchanged, and you would still use original the Ign Key...but since that is the case, it is still recommended to add a momentary Start Sw to prevent the well-known fatigued Ign Key issue.

See also: https://www.sw-em.com/Volvo%20Igniti...rmored%20Cable

I do recommend including a theft prevention provision in whatever changes made.

Cheers

[Sharpractice]

Many thanks for your reply, advice and attached article. I do understand the value of the security that the armoured cable offers but given the car is almost 60 years old [1966] there are a number of downsides of retaining the original integrated system. You mention the key issue which other Amazon owners have warned me about. As far as I am aware no MOE coils are available and my current coil won't last forever. For maintenance purposes I also want to replace the distributor with a 123 system which is much more reliable than points.[I have fitted this system to my Austin Healey and Jaguar Mark II so have experienced the benefits of this replacement distributor] It is also possible to obtain a 123 version that has a security system incorporated into the device. One final consideration that I have experienced is that I had to remove the steering wheel and driver's seat and lay on the pedals to gain access to the ignition switch and connections and at my age that was not something I want to repeat!
I accept that your suggestion to reuse the ignition switch/coil wire having broken into the armour sheath is possible, but I suspect that running a new wire between the (replacement) switch and coil is likely to be much easier. and straightforward.
One final tip I would pass on is that using the hole and bezzle from the cigar lighter makes an ideal location for the start push button. I can offer an image if that helps anyone.
Please continue to challenge other Amazon owners about these technical issues and share you experience and advice which is much appreciated.
Frank

[Rustinmotion]

I used the hole under the dash that’s there for the passenger storage shelf light switch, it’s on both sides of the dash so no need to drill more holes or re purpose another dash item
It’s out of sight so not obvious how to start the car
One idea I think would be cool is to adapt the cigarette lighter to a push button but leave it looking like the original lighter

[Sharpractice]

That sounds like a good suggestion for the location of a push start but on my car that option is negated by the fitting of the switch which operates the heated rear window.

One unrelated issue that I wonder if anyone has ideas about is why does this car have UNC threads on everything? Any other European car of this era or earlier [1950's] has UNF, BSF or in the case of European continental cars, metric. British Cars before the War also had Whitworth threads.These thread types are capable of bearing higher loads than UNC. I was under the impression that UNC was the cheap and rather simple answer to fixing things that were unlikely to be undone! Having never used UNC for the last 50 years I now find I am forwever ordering new replacements for the Amazon!

[mike gilbert]

you don't have to break into the armoured cable to fit a starter switch (no more broken keys) or electronic ignition and those coils are virtually indestructible, I have never had one fail and I've had nigh on 40 Volvo's fitted with it.