Show us some odd ignitions from the past

-
s-l500.jpg
 
Ok, I’ll go with some older stuff I know.

Nash twin 8 distributor, uses two coils, two condensers, two sets of points and a lot of plug wires.
715B2C74-123A-403C-9944-D4A87652C752.jpeg


Installed on a flathead V8 with 2 plugs per cylinder.

3B6AA285-6717-46D4-B671-61B53E465F67.jpeg


Lincoln V12 flathead distributor with dual coils and dual points (coils are built into the top of the distributor) adapted for and installed on a flathead V8
B3EE3EBB-E4D1-4B58-A365-CA46E1CDCFF9.jpeg


Cliff Ramsdell
 
^^So far you are at the "top" of the oddity list LOL^^

I know that some of the big old fire trucks used dual ignition, and of course aircraft do as well Some WWII jeeps were equipped with "waterproof" ignition for underwater use

NOT this: "This" is ridiculous



 
Follow along I got "all astray" in this search. Even though I'm not a pilot, I have an interest in aircraft. "I think" this came about as a kid, as my Gramps had stacks of old mechanics/ science mags with all kinds of stuff about WWII aircraft. Also as a young "ham" (amateur radio) op in the mid 60's, there was still WWII "surplus" and much of that is aircraft "stuff"

I've always been interested in "weird" AC starting systems, such as the Coffman starter made famous in "the Flight of the Phenix"---a gunpowder operated starter

The old WWI stuff and some later had a thing I've always heard was called "shower of sparks" which is used to boost the magneto for starting. These are either hand cranked or generated by a battery operated buzzer / vibrator. JUST LIKE a Model T Ford spark coil (Which is incidently, really the very first "COP" (coil on plug) ignition system----a coil for each cylinder

So, looking for "shower of sparks" I found this GREAT video on a car Jay Leno had built--a Rolls Chassis with a Rolls Merlin engine, and a HAND BUILT body from the firewall back Look at about 14:00 for the Booth hand cranked starting magneto--which is a low voltage permanent magnet magneto that boosts one of the main mags



BoothStartingMagneto.jpg


BoothStartingMagneto1.jpg


Also, "Mooney" aircraft use a Bendix built buzzer based system for starting..........same deal only a buzzer to generate AC instead of a hand cranked mag

https://www.donmaxwell.com/shower-of-sparks

From the above link:

"When starting our Mooneys the ignition switch is turned to the far right. The starter vibrator is activated in this position and can be heard as a buzzing sound. The ignition key is pushed inward to activate the starter. At the same time, the ignition switch internally grounds the right magneto so it will not operate. The right magneto is set at the same 25 degrees as the left for normal operation, so we do not want it to fire and cause the engine to “Kick Back”. So during the starting process, only the left magneto is used for starting. The ignition switch also selects the “retard points” and disables the normal points in the left magneto.


The vibrator switch is now supplying interrupted aircraft battery power to the left magneto coil thru the retard points. When the piston reaches TDC on the compression stroke, the retard points open allowing the magneto coil to charge and discharge as rapidly as the vibrator points can open and close. The result is a continuous spark that resembles a lightning bolt igniting the fuel/air mixture. This event continues for a few degrees of rotation on each cylinder until the engine starts and the switch is released to the both position. In the both position, the right magneto is enabled as well as the left magneto’s main set of points."

mooney1.jpg


mooney2.jpg
 
The first one is killer what's the story with it?
70's? Electrocution just got it at hershey it used a electric eye like a unilite. The ecu is not a mopar style pretty misleading with that plug.
 
70's? Electrocution just got it at hershey it used a electric eye like a unilite. The ecu is not a mopar style pretty misleading with that plug.
Interesting stuff....looks like the box is the same style and size also is what I like about it.
 
Last edited:
I've always liked how the 1930s stuff used uninsulated copper strips for plug wires. Like this 1930 Model A engine. lol
1930 FORD.jpg
 
-
Back
Top