What 1/2 inch Pipe Thread Spark Plugs Work in a Model T ?

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StevenS
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What 1/2 inch Pipe Thread Spark Plugs Work in a Model T ?

Post by StevenS » Tue Nov 17, 2020 1:28 pm

The title says it all; What 1/2 inch Pipe Thread Spark Plugs Work in a Model T ?
Has anyone developed a list for the antique and modern plugs that work in a Model T?
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1930 Model A Pheaton
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Re: What 1/2 inch Pipe Thread Spark Plugs Work in a Model T ?

Post by Steve Jelf » Tue Nov 17, 2020 1:44 pm

Champion, Autolite, and Motorcraft all make new ½" T plugs There may be more I'm forgetting. There are dozens of old plugs made for Model T. Here's a partial list:
AC
Air Friction
Aldor
Benton
Bethlehem
Blue Crown
Bowers
Challenger
Champion
Defiance
Edison
Fan Flame
Firestone
Full Spark
Gold Crest
Gold Medal
Jordan
M (in oval)
Mosler Spit Fire
PAF
Reflex
Rentz
Splitdorf
Sta-Rite
Stitt
Superior
Tiger
Titan
Trojan
Wards
Western Giant
Wizard

There are others.
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Re: What 1/2 inch Pipe Thread Spark Plugs Work in a Model T ?

Post by Steve Jelf » Tue Nov 17, 2020 2:01 pm

IMG_0506 copy.JPG
Of course, these are OEM.

http://dauntlessgeezer.com/DG95.html
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Re: What 1/2 inch Pipe Thread Spark Plugs Work in a Model T ?

Post by StevenS » Tue Nov 17, 2020 2:45 pm

Thanks Steve for the information, but I was looking to see if anybody had a detailed list with spark plugs and the number on the plugs (example like Edison #14, Champion X, and so on).
I have read what is on the MTFCA website about spark plugs, but was wondering if there was a detailed list. Because I run across a different brand of an old 1/2 pipe thread plug every once in a while and would like to know if it would work or if it is any good to run. I do run Champion X, and Edison 14 in my Model T and TT truck
1924 Model T Touring
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1930 Model A Pheaton
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Re: What 1/2 inch Pipe Thread Spark Plugs Work in a Model T ?

Post by Steve Jelf » Tue Nov 17, 2020 3:07 pm

Did any other mass produced car use ½" pipe thread plugs? I suspect any plugs you find with that thread were made for the Ford aftermarket or will work in a T if they're still good. Many of the old plugs do still work. I've been running a set of the cream colored Splitdorfs (the green ones are usually no good).
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Re: What 1/2 inch Pipe Thread Spark Plugs Work in a Model T ?

Post by CudaMan » Tue Nov 17, 2020 3:10 pm

I like Edison 14s, but they are hard to find. Edison 13s will also work but are even harder to find and have dual ground electrodes if you prefer that feature. :)
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Re: What 1/2 inch Pipe Thread Spark Plugs Work in a Model T ?

Post by John.Zibell » Tue Nov 17, 2020 3:16 pm

1926 Tudor


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Re: What 1/2 inch Pipe Thread Spark Plugs Work in a Model T ?

Post by Terry_007 » Tue Nov 17, 2020 5:02 pm

I've collected old spark plugs for over 40 years and probably 75% of them in my collection are 1/2" pipe thread. It was the most commonly available thread style used in the early days. That thread pattern fit the vast majority of early automobiles. The other popular thread type was 7/8." I'd venture a guess that any one of the over 4000 different plugs manufactured over the years, in 1/2" pipe thread would fit and work in a Model T. (work WELL is another matter however). There were a lot of automobile accessory manufacturers who sold plugs made for use in Model T Fords, and some even have the unauthorized use of the "Ford" name on them. While there are a lot of plugs that would fit/work in a T, the best recommendations seems to he Champion X, Edison, and Firestone. I've heard some of the one-piece plugs made by Autolite and Motorcraft are not as good, but I don't know from personal experience. The Champion X is what I've always used and have had no issues.
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Attachments
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Ford 2.jpg
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Ford 1.jpg
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Last edited by Terry_007 on Tue Nov 17, 2020 5:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: What 1/2 inch Pipe Thread Spark Plugs Work in a Model T ?

Post by Tim Rogers » Tue Nov 17, 2020 5:04 pm

All of them...
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Re: What 1/2 inch Pipe Thread Spark Plugs Work in a Model T ?

Post by Humblej » Tue Nov 17, 2020 5:54 pm

New production, or good used Champion X plugs.


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Re: What 1/2 inch Pipe Thread Spark Plugs Work in a Model T ?

Post by big2bird » Tue Nov 17, 2020 6:45 pm

The best price I have found on Champion X, new stock, is.....
Rock Auto. :shock:

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Re: What 1/2 inch Pipe Thread Spark Plugs Work in a Model T ?

Post by TRDxB2 » Wed Nov 18, 2020 12:51 am

More history on plugs for t he Model T https://modeltfordfix.com/model-t-spark ... nthusiast/
Lots of additional pictures of plugs. Ends with ". A good rule of thumb is to tighten them finger tight (no wrench) then using a wrench tighten an additional one half turn. This is not very tight, and that is what you want.
I see soot escaping around the threads? What should I do? This is not a problem, but it alarms some folks. What you can do is use a conductive anti seize product. Some common brands are Nickle – Eze, KW Copper Coat, and C5A Copper Anti Seize. Again be certain that you don’t over tighten the plugs.
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Re: What 1/2 inch Pipe Thread Spark Plugs Work in a Model T ?

Post by Steve Jelf » Wed Nov 18, 2020 12:59 am

The best price I have found on Champion X, new stock, is.....Rock Auto.

True, but still ungodly expensive. Originals that are just as good can be had for a fraction of the price.
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Re: What 1/2 inch Pipe Thread Spark Plugs Work in a Model T ?

Post by StevenS » Wed Nov 18, 2020 10:16 am

Thanks Frank, great link to plug history
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1930 Model A Pheaton
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Re: What 1/2 inch Pipe Thread Spark Plugs Work in a Model T ?

Post by Steve Jelf » Wed Nov 18, 2020 11:54 am

IMG_2515 copy.JPG
Here are a few more ½" NPT spark plugs.

IMG_4332 copy.JPG
Champion X plugs found at Hershey. I believe I paid $2 each for these. Most are quite restoreable and usable.

IMG_4334 copy.JPG
Cores found at Hershey. Most of these too are usable and only need cleaning.

IMG_4336 copy.JPG
More ½" NPT plugs from Hershey. Some will be OK to use, and some will be for parts.

IMG_0230 copy.JPG
I agree with Royce on the Splitdorf green plugs. They look neat and are usually no good.
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Re: What 1/2 inch Pipe Thread Spark Plugs Work in a Model T ?

Post by R.V.Anderson » Thu Nov 19, 2020 10:39 am

Terry, wasn't the 7/8-18 plug thread referred to as the "ALAM thread"? Seems to me I heard that somewhere but I'm no spark plug historian.


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Re: What 1/2 inch Pipe Thread Spark Plugs Work in a Model T ?

Post by Terry_007 » Thu Nov 19, 2020 4:35 pm

Correct on the thread - ALAM.

Lots of info has found its way to the forum on the history of plugs over time, and there are always a few things that are not quite correct or are "moving targets". I can't recall the specifics, but I do believe there exists somewhere, a letter or order from Ford to Mosler to purchase plugs. These are either pre T or very early T. Years ago when I was editor of the Spark Plug Collectors of America newsletter I had a lot of info close at hand but the source of that info isn't something I can specifically cite now- however, I do have this plug in my collection - it's the very early style of Mosler stamped on the steel body "Ford Motor Company."

The Mosler plugs referenced in the Ford Fix article and shown in photos on that site are much later and were not the type that would have been supplied to Ford for factory installation in the earliest (pre 1911) Ts. The Mosler's shown as a set of four in boxes were produced in the later teens/twenties. Like most plugs with either an unauthorized "Ford" on the insulator or marked on the box as for use in the Model T, they are aftermarket accessory items sold for use in the T, but not supplied by the factory. All those in my previously supplied photos fall into that category except one that I'll discuss later.

The straight sided Champion X appears to be the plug supplied for Ts since 1911. Trying to pin a start and finish date, or even to try and determine which of the X plugs were used when would be an impossible task. For those X plugs, there were many variations in styles of printing, exact shading of the red, or whether there is a patent date of even "made in USA" marked on them. I'm sure there were also other types of plugs that continued to be installed until stocks ran out, once the Champion X began to be installed at the factory.

It wasn't until late 20's that the Bethleham plugs somehow became associated with Ford, and most of those seem to have been sold as replacement plugs through dealers or repair garages. I don't recall seeing evidence they were actually factory installed in Ts. Any information on this would certainly be welcomed and I'm sure would be published in our Spark Plug newsletter, "The Ignitor."

Like a lot of other things about the Model T - this is an area with loads of conjecture, speculation and guessing. But, we do know the later Champion X plugs with the "brass hat" were the result of Champion's purchase of the Jeffrey DeWitt Spark Plug company. Champion acquired that company during the 1915/16 time frame in order to obtain mineral rights to deposits of Sillimanite, which was used to produce an absolutely superior insulating material. The J-D spark plug company had been around since 1906. Champion adopted their "brass hat" type of plug following acquisition. The "Brass Hat" was used on a J-D plug branded as "the Reliance." Attached also is a photo of a "transition" plug where Champion obviously continued to use the Reliance name for a brief time before dropping it in favor of just Champion. Although straight sided Champion X plugs continued to be manufactured and sold (even long after the T ceased production), technically, the brass-hat style of Champion branded plug did not exist prior to the J-D acquisition.

A thorough survey of Champion advertising and catalogs would help determine when the brass hat was finally eliminated, but I believe such plugs might even be later replacement rather than factory correct for the T.

From my earlier photos the Third picture shows a one piece Ford script plug on the left. I have no idea what the source of information is but I was told by another long-time collector, a limited number of these were produced as ford began to experiment with manufacturing their own plugs. I've seen a few of them around but none seem to exist in boxes, and there doesn't appear to be any advertising for them that we've uncovered. Plugs were one of several things that ford procured from other suppliers and it's certainly probably there would have been an interest in controlling that by making them in-house. That's the story anyway - if anyone can provide more info, let it flow.
Terry
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Champion Reliance.jpg
Ford Mosler.jpg


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Re: What 1/2 inch Pipe Thread Spark Plugs Work in a Model T ?

Post by Joe Bell » Thu Nov 19, 2020 6:00 pm

Steve, I like the Plutonium plug, I installed them years ago in a Anderson overhead looked cool in there!

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