MTFCA Forum

What is history on Copper Topped coils vs Brass topped coils?
Should the copper be 'just copper' in appearance? polished? clear coated?

They appear to be less in numbers from what I've seen when collecting 'metal topped' coils.

Thoughts??

The KW (Williams) designed stamped metal top coils were jointly made by Ford and KW Ignition Company and used in Model T’s from mid-year 1913 to mid-year 1917. Both the yellow and red metal tops are both Brass. Red Brass consists of at least 85 % Copper and yellow Brass typically has 60% or less of Copper. Red Brass is less expensive to manufacture and also contains more mixtures of metals, such as Tin, Lead and Zinc.
These metal tops were raised stamping and were not finished (no polish or clear coat) with the exception that some early KW made coils had a black oxide coating on coils with the six screw metal top.
As with most of the Brass on Model T's, it fully disappeared during WWI and I suspect the use of red Brass on the coil tops was part of a cost reduction effort and support of war production requirements.
Ron Patterson

Thank you Ron.
Ross.

Yes thanks Ron. I went out and looked at my stash of coils, I have 2 6 screw and 2 4 screw.