Welcome to the forum! Pulling the distributor isn't hard, it's sometimes a little tricky to get it back in. When removing, take note and mark the location of the rotor. Watch the rotor as you pull the dizzy out as it will rotate slightly when you pull it out as the gears unmesh. Mark where it stops so you can make sure it's in that same position when you put it back. Do not bump the engine over or change it's timing position if at all possible. If you do that, it's a lot harder to put back together. Make your repairs on your wiring as necessary, reset the rotor to the pulled out position as noted above, then gently reinstall. The gears should go right back together, the rotor will spin into it's original place, and if you hold your breath just right, the oil pump shaft will reengage, the dizzy will go all the way down, and you can put the clamp back on and be good to go. If it doesn't, that's when the wiggling and finagling will begin. Whatever you do, don't force anything. Good luck. Keep us posted on how it goes.

 

[QUOTE=jhweigel;14840150]

(OK so this is the time for everyone to chime in and tell me I really need to convert it to 12 volts).

[/QUOTE/]

That is something that is talked about a lot here.
There is really nothing wrong with 6 volt systems as as long as they are set up correctly with large 2/0 gauge battery and starter cables, clean battery terminals, good grounds, a properly operating charging system, and a good battery. Some may even suggest an 8 volt system, starting with an 8 volt battery, but you will need to change the settings with your Voltage regulator and its a pain to get it right. Plus an 8 volt system will burn out your bulbs much quicker. So if you like your 6 volt and you have good, heavy, 2/0 gauge battery and starter cables, you will be fine. Unless you want to add a great sound system or other more modern things then you will have to step up to 12 volts.
About your Pertronix. A Pertronix I is a great move. If you decide to carry spare points and condenser with you, I would bring your original coil too. That Pertronix coil is lower resistance than your original coil, thus running a higher current through the roadside re-installed original points. There is a chance the points could be burned up before you get home.

 

505, welcome to FTE the best Ford truck forum on the World wide Web! I'm glad you finally "joined" us after being a reader. Now show us pictures of your 53 and tell us some history of it.

 

Repair of wire under points plate complete, better question would be how was it running at all prior to repair. Wire looks like direct short occurred, more bare wire exposed than was insulated. Have a couple tips for those that may be facing the same problem.
1- Don't hesitate to pull the distributor, if you follow directions in this thread its really simple and a whole lot easier to route wire under the points plate on the bench then in the truck.
2- Make note of firing order before pulling all your spark plug wires out of dizzy cap. I spent a couple of hours wandering in the wilderness trying to figure out why truck wouldn't fire, zero, zip, nada. Was using graphic posted in different thread on this forum depicting #1 cylinder at 5:00 o'clock position on dizzy cap. In my case #1 was @ 11:00 o'clock. I have attached graphic that was correct for my truck. Hit the starter button and immediately truck fired up once I put spark plug wire in this configuration.
Thanks to everyone for their super helpful posts in this thread, as a newbie member to the forum I encourage any other (forum voyeurs) take the two minutes necessary to sign up and contribute.
As requested will upload a couple of pics and short history of my 53 in next post

 

I mean the 1:00 o'clock position, haha