I has a 59A flathead and I need information about magnetos. I know it needs a angle adapter, and I has the std cam cover. I found this one ( se pic ) but its not a Scintilla but a 'Vertex' it's said Made in USA. Partnumber is #101251 and my guess it can be a late production for sprint cars, but basic it's the same as the ones from Europe ( or ? ) I see angle adapter is newer made ( I might can 'live' with that ) -I like be era correct and how to know and what magneto is late 40's, if its really matters if product was the same at decades ? Some told me Vertex is 'Scintilla' made but converted in USA. Information about this would help. Is brown caps sold new now or is it possible find one used ?
I may be wrong,,,but I was thinking the original mag was designed by a Swiss engineer or company,,,,then sold the design to an American company later . Which eventually went on to making millions of units later for the war efforts and such . As far as I know,,,,,brown caps are not being produced anymore. Every so often,,,,,a good used one will be offered on the auction sites,,,,I haven’t checked lately . Black caps are the only thing new that I have seen ,,,,but they might start again with the brown,,,,,it seems the demand is high enough. Tommy
Yes so far I has read and Vertex ( in USA ) made it to the 80's. Brown caps used ( can be expensive ) Maybe a brown cap Scintilla is the way to go if one like era correct ( late 40's ) even if one got something from the 50's. I has another here but price is higher but a std angle adapter and brown cap Scintilla. But no idea when that one was made. If there 'are the same' product it might not be cr***ical more than find a brown cap.
There are awesome write-ups on Scintilla history in The Rodder's Journal #35 and #54 (with sincere thanks to TRJ for starting my journey on magneto schooling). The table below is not a bad summary:
Vertex is a modifcation to the Scintilla mag. Many of the Scintilla mags were built right here in Delaware County NY in town Sidney, by the Bendex Corparion corporation now Amphenol Areospace. Amphenol Areospace formerly the Bendex Corparion Corporation
Like this one recently serviced by Tom Cirello...? The Scintilla Vertex mag with angle drives for the Ford flathead and the Bugatti 5 L engine was available on the market already in 1934 according to my swedish Scintilla catalog and price list. That's very early speed equipment for the Ford flathead V8!
1955 So Cal Hello, We have been around for quite some time in So Cal. When it came time for the next level of performance at the drags, we had to built our original 283 SBC motor up a notch or two to 292 c.i. and add a few “go faster” parts. One was a new race prepped 671 supercharger with work done by Reath Automotive. The second was a new Joe Hunt, Scintilla Vertex Magneto as the best unit for our larger SBC motor. A relic from the Lion's Dragstrip museum floor displays. The local speed shops, Joe Reath and Joe Mailliard both recommended we get a Joe Hunt magneto for the new 671 SBC motor. As luck would have it, our friend in Los Angeles had some ties with the Joe Hunt group and got us a great deal for a specific model for our 292 c.i. 671 SBC build. Jnaki A similar motor photo from 1960. I can say that as a joke, my brother played a good one on me one day when we were ready to fire up the motor. We had just replaced the Lodge Racing Sparkplugs for some warm up plugs and I was putting on the caps while my brother was sitting in the driver’s seat. As I grabbed the Packard 440 wire and end plug, I reached down to put it on the plug. At that moment, my brother turned the key and an instant shock ran up my arm and made me swing my arm back around my body. Ha ha !!! was the sound from the inside of the Willys coupe. I had been shocked by the stock SBC distributor and other 12v forms of electricity, but this shocking sensation was so powerful that I was surprised to say the least. After a few name calling minutes, we both laughed and settled down for some serious tuning. (perhaps, the early electric shock adventures helped keep the old heart pumping for this long period of time... HA!) Much to my surprise, in researching Joe Hunt Vertex Magnetos, this popped up: https://www.huntmagnetos.com/pages/about-us.html Perhaps, they may have some information for you.
The angle adaptors I found had been short so install it on a 59 might not work as distributor goes into waterpump pulley. I seen long ones but then straight up. I like it angle. -Is this possible ? Where to find that angle adapter ?
Black cap with a coat of red oxide primer and a coat of satin clear--- this isnt pebble beach concours
I have three of the set ups. One is adjustable. Not sure I want to sell them. But let me dig them out and see what I have for parts, will let you know.
Wouldn't happen to have any of the older style rotors would you? There is a angle drive on Canadian Ebay right now. I think it was $230 USD
MojoRacing, The anglr drive went up twice in the end, and I was bidding but in convert to Sweden kr it would be ridicules pricing for a part like that plus freight. Build up a car with that kind of price of each parts make absolutly no sense. It must be a relistic price in the end from what a car can be sold at ( even if I'm not build for selling. It's a super cool 34 coupe for sale here whit all corret era parts and chop is the best I ever seen and paint is super. I know price so I can see how hard or say ”easy” a car can be sold ( not easy ) and get all that era correct parts and build cost is far far from what price is. I don't know how market can react on this ridicules high cost hot-rod parts but it seems kind of crazy ! By the way 90% do also like more kind of street rods ( maybe it just is collector stuff 2022 ? )
Do you have better pictures of the Bugatti angle drive? i have a drive from a Bugatti collection i suspect is just that.
Sorry but there's only one picture of the Bugatti angle drive in the catalog, but here's a close up pic. The angle drive casting is bolted on a separate plate that bolts on the engine.
The Jalopy Journal
