Brass Top Coils

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: Brass Top Coils
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ted Dumas on Tuesday, May 01, 2012 - 10:50 pm:

The value of brass top coils was one of our lunch discussions today. What do think a used original brass top coil in good working order would be worth? What would a full set of four be worth?

I don't have any to sell, but I think our lunch bunch would like to know how our guesses might compare.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Cascisa - Poulsbo, Washington on Tuesday, May 01, 2012 - 11:02 pm:

I bought a brass top coil (with original black paint) for $5 at the last swap meet I was at. I have paid as much as $20 for one coil and $40 for four.

Be_Zero_Be


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Deron Shady on Tuesday, May 01, 2012 - 11:03 pm:

I don't know the answer, but there was a guy on eBay a few weeks ago that had a set of four with a low-low Buy-It-Now price of something like $600. He seemed a bit put off when I Best Offered him something a bit less than that. Needless to say, I didn't buy them and he didn't ever sell them.

To each his own I guess.....
Deron


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Wednesday, May 02, 2012 - 12:17 am:

If nobody at the auction knows what they are and the auctioneer calls them batteries, they're worth $1 each. The more informed the crowd, the more they're worth.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ross Benedict - Calgary, Alberta on Wednesday, May 02, 2012 - 01:43 am:

I bought one for $5.00, don't know if it works . . just wanted one to shine up and use for 'show n' tell' at Show & Shines instead of taking coil box cover off every 10 minutes or so. Goes with my other brass too. ;p))


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Karlsson, southern Sweden on Wednesday, May 02, 2012 - 04:12 am:

Here's one unrestored and unspecified sold at eBay for $27.50:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&hash=item2 c64d575ce&item=190670271950

Fun Projects has them fully restored with new wood for $85 ($330/4): http://www.funprojects.com/products/4732.cfm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Royce in Dallas TX on Wednesday, May 02, 2012 - 06:50 am:

They were selling at Chickasha for $15 - $20 apiece unrestored.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Charlie B actually in Toms River N.J. on Wednesday, May 02, 2012 - 04:57 pm:

I imagine the $15/20 range is about right for a swap meet where people know what they are. I've picked up a (very) few at flea markets where it's less likely they know. I course I ran into a $50 each guy at a local market who swore he was offered that before. No sale.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tim Eyssen - Abilene TX on Wednesday, May 02, 2012 - 05:39 pm:

At Pate last weekend, a fellow had a couple of regular coils for $25 each and a copper top for $100----I couldn't run away fast enough.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hal Davis-SE Georgia on Wednesday, May 02, 2012 - 07:41 pm:

There's an antique store about 50 miles from here that has a wood top coil locked up inside a glass showcase with $75 on it. Been there for quite a while. Maybe I should try to sell them some that have open secondaries.:-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ron Patterson-Nicholasville, Kentucky on Wednesday, May 02, 2012 - 07:41 pm:

Tim
When I see that, I remind the seller they made 75,000,000 of those coils and they are not that dear.
Ron the Coilman


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rob Heyen - Nebraska on Wednesday, May 02, 2012 - 09:14 pm:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Model-T-Ford-Brass-Top-Ignition-Coil-Boxes-/2709 66144564?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f16d73e34&vxp=mtr#ht_2 681wt_250


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Eric Hylen- Central Minnesota on Wednesday, May 02, 2012 - 09:24 pm:

This is an easy one. The value depends on whether I'm buying or selling. :-)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ron Patterson-Nicholasville, Kentucky on Wednesday, May 02, 2012 - 10:21 pm:

Guys
Just a word of caution.
I generally recommend you not buy coils on eBay.
I have dealt in literally thousands of Model T coils for over the last twenty-five years.
If I truly needed them my highest bid on the eBay auction cited above would be $34 and take my chances. Buying coils on eBay is a crap shoot. Remember coils sitting around have been sitting around for a reason.
When I buy large (100+)lots of coils sight unseen 30-40% are not usable for various reasons. In those quantities I can afford to take my chances there are sufficient good coils to make it work.
If the eBay seller would advertise the coils with confirmed good secondary windings they would bring twice higher bids from knowledgeable buyers.
But all eBay sellers know it has Ford in script and "Rare". If not, in small quantities, your bidding on an unknown article.
Ron the Coilman


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Eric Dysart - SoCal on Thursday, May 03, 2012 - 01:03 pm:

Hi Ron,

What do you think about the new (not rebuilt) coils that are offered by our regular vendors or some of the smaller guys like Bittner Engineering and Fun Projects?

The prices seem close to what the Coil Doctor charges (including core) for a complete rebuild. I know that coils don't really have operational stresses, but does it make sense to start the calendar again at zero years rather than using cores that are 80-100 years old?

I ask because my coils are a mixed set, some wood top, some metal top that went in the car around 1960. They are in great working condition. It would be nice to have a matched set and save the others as spares.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Karlsson, southern Sweden on Thursday, May 03, 2012 - 01:10 pm:

Eric, read this thread when considering where to buy your new coils - http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/257047/276261.html?1332297640


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ron Patterson-Nicholasville, Kentucky on Thursday, May 03, 2012 - 01:42 pm:

Eric
Restarting the clock will not help and probably make matters worse if the manufacturer is not a competent engineer.
There are three manufacturers of new Model T coils.
Two are of very poor quality and one is excellent.
Know before you buy!
If you want details contact me by email.
Ron the Coilman


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Leming on Friday, May 04, 2012 - 05:53 pm:

Just to let you know how far-sighted some people are, a so called auto parts collector (They have many overpriced car parts has one plain Ford coil at the Florence antique mall - offered as "Im told it might be a Model A part" for $90.00. Its been there for several years. That's how intellegent some of these dealers are! Of course that's the Florence Antique mall, and there is a large collection of "buyer bewares" there. What amazes me is sometimes like this item, the seller doesnt even really know what he is selling! (Kinda like American pickers idiots)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Walker, NW AR on Saturday, May 05, 2012 - 01:41 pm:

Here are pics of the brass-top coils made by Fun Projects:

coils

c2

As with everything made by FP, these are the good ones. They're not cheap, but top quality usually isn't. As you can see, I also used their coil box rebuild kit.


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