MTFCA Forum

Hello Everyone,
I am in the process of restoring my 1915 Model T Ford Touring car to original condition. It is my understanding that the correct ignition coils for this car are “brass top coils.”
Is this correct? And if so, does this mean that the metal plate on the top of the coil is made of brass? And if so, is that brass plate painted black or bare metal brass?
Thanks!!! I love this forum because there are so many knowledgable and helpful people here!

They were indeed brass top coils for 1915 but the tops were anodized black. Flat black paint works well to create the right look.

Yes a 1915 Model T would have had brass top coils, but there are some variations based upon date and who actually manufactured the ignition coils.
Ford made coils had six top screws and no plating on the raised metal stamping.
KW made coils had six top screws and the metal stamping was black anodized. The point mounting hardware is slightly different
Attached are examples of the variations.
Ron Patterson

Ron,
Who made the coils with the four screws like in your top picture?

Ford and KW

So, if the metal top plate is brass, why does it look like copper? Is it red brass?

Brian, my beautifully restored Stan Howe all brass H1 Holley carburetor went that colour while it sat on the shelves, probably due to fuming batteries stored nearby. If brass is not kept polished, it will tarnish to a variety of shades.

Allan from down under.

Some things I know. Some things I "think" I know. And some things I know I do not know.
I KNOW that brass comes in a great variety of mixes, mostly copper and zinc in varying amounts, however it may have any of a variety of small amounts of other metals or chemicals to make it more suitable for various uses. Even at full mix and polished, the color and tone of brass varies quite a bit.

I "think I know", because this I have read on the forums written by people I trust to know more than I do about such things? That the "copper" looking topped coils are in fact brass, however heavy on the copper giving it a more copper-like appearance. Copper itself is very soft, and alone is too soft to be suitable for much in the way of manufactured parts. Pure copper in the size, shape, and thickness of these tops? Could be crumpled up in one hand almost like aluminum foil. Very soft. I have a roll of copper sheet, easily four times as thick as these tops are made from (got it in a yard sale many years ago!)? I have used it to alter or repair radiators a few times. However, even that thick, it is almost too soft even to repair a hole more than a couple inches in size (altering a radiator by moving the various necks around).

I know some of the brass top coils were anodized (I am not sure that "anodizing" is the proper word?) black. The anodizing did NOT hold up very well, and it is rare to find a coil with enough of it left behind to know for sure it had been done. I do not know whether they were mostly anodized or not. I suspect most of the copper looking ones may have been anodized and therefore not remembered so well. I did talk with someone that had gotten a really nice original early metal coilbox, with all four coils inside still showing anodizing in almost good condition. When he restored it, and cleaned everything up, he discovered three brass color tops and one copper color top under the anodizing! So he said.

really great info.!
Thanks for sharing!