TECH: "Home made" ignition coil cover

This is my first real attempt at some kind of tech article. Although I didn't make all the aluminium plates myself at home it still can be done at home with some patience. I designed the parts and had them laser cut at a local profiling shop.

Here goes:

12 rings and top plate I had laser cut from 3mm aluminium. 2 of the 12 have extra tabs on to mount it to the firewall. All of these pieces however have to be spaced 10mm apart to accomodate the coil:


I cut 48 spacers using 8mm fuel tubing and a little pipe cutter:


Next I cut 4 pieces of threaded rod to hold the whole story together:

 

Here it is being ***embled.The four threaded rods get a domed nut on the one end and get stuck through the "top" plate (the one with no hole). Then a spacer is placed on each then the next plate and so on:


Here it is together with the Accel Super Coil I'll be using. This is the point where the coil must be inserted into the cover. The main body of the coil just fits through the holes in the plates:


The coil inside the cover. Here you can also see the top lip of the coil sitting on top of the last plate:

 

With the next plate was installed you can see how it cover the lip of the coil. That is what stops the coil from falling out:


In this pic you can see the minute gap between the coil's lip and the upper plate. There is a similar small gap at the bottom of the coil. I'll use some sort of gasket material to take up that play and stop it from rattling:

 

sweet.

 

Here is the ***embled coil cover with the coil now inside it. This is NOT the final look of it though. The edges of the aluminium will be nicely polished while the rest of it will be painted black. I'll most probably paint the coil red for accent.

The cover in the upright position with the coil upside down inside it.


You can see that the coil's still quite accessible from the bottom. I ran out of domed nuts though, so I must go and buy another packet.


A view from the side:

 

Very cool... thanks for the post..

 

do you remember what that shop charged for the plates? thats gonna look damn cool when your done.

 

I can't remember off hand but I'll check the quotation tomorrow on my pc at work. My copy of the invoice doesn't actually list the individual cost of the parts, just the total of the whole job. It wasn't much in any case.

 

That's really cool. Would look good on just about any car.
You gonna sell 'em? I'd sure buy one! But, I guess shipping to the states would be a killer.

 

Awesome. Goes to show there's always another twist on an old idea. The polished edge plan is a winner.

 

super nice - great job!!

 

Very nice, good job on first tech post.

 

Thanks guys! I'm glad you like it.

All these parts, which include the plates, threaded rod and domed nuts cost me the equivalent of about $30. The pollishing I'm doing myself and then I'm still putting some paint on too.

I wouldn't mind earning a few extra bucks but payment would be a bit of an issue. Via Paypal we can only send money but we can't receive. The only way we can receive is via a refund on a purchase that was paid for.

Shipping shouldn't be too much as it's fairly light but you never know.

 

Great job!! you're a "true" HAMBster, thats what this forum is all about.NOT "What kind of AC will work in my 31 coupe"!!! Looks so cool with the coil in it!!Kinda "frankenstien Lab-ish".
JimV

 

Thanks for the compliment!

I like to improvise and to put my own twist to things.

 

Have you considered painting the yellow part black?

 

I have yes and that is still an option.

As I'm going to paint the steel rims and engine block red, I was thinking of making the yellow part of the coil the same red.

 

Simple (once you have the pieces cut) and cool. I like it.

 

Let me know if you go into production, I might want one. VERY NICE!