Terry Wiegand Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 For those who have early Buicks with the Delco Coil sitting atop the Starter/Generator unit, when these coils give out a serious problem is created. These things haven't been available for almost 100 years. I have learned that there were two fellows in the Twin Cities area that had the capability of rewinding these coils. Hold onto your shorts - it is not a cheap proposition. I was told 3 or 4 years ago that they were getting upwards of $600.00 to do one of the coils. Right now I have two cars that use this particular coil. The 1916's coil went South and the one on the 1920 is still as hot as ever. It bit me and my forearm hurt for almost a half hour. I needed a coil for the '16 and I believe that I have come up with the solution to this problem. I bought a modern 6-Volt Coil from Brillman Tractor Parts and I have designed a bracket to hold the coil in position on top of the S/G unit. I have a friend who is doing the computer work in creating the drawing for me. He should be finished with that the first part of next week. I hope to have the drawing at Chickasha with me next week. We are going to make the holding bracket using Aluminum and the bottom support piece will be salvaged from a Delco coil. Both parts will be Anodized and the idea here is to create a bracket that will look for all the world like it left the factory at Flint on the car. When I get this all done and in place on the car, I am going to make my engineering available to anyone who requests it so that they could do the same thing that I did for their car. I am posting some photos to show approximately what the unit could look like and how it will be placed on the S/G unit. Brillman tells me that their coils are 'HOT' as in 55,000 Volts Hot! The short time that I had the engine running using their coil - it ran perfectly. As things come together, I will be posting updates and photos when they become available. Terry Wiegand South Hutchinson, Kansas AACA Life Member #947918 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Wiegand Posted March 30, 2022 Author Share Posted March 30, 2022 There is good news to report on the Delco Coil alternate. I picked up the machined parts from McPherson this afternoon. It is nice to see the plans starting to finally come together. This bracket is what the coil that I got from Brillman Tractor Parts will fit into. I asked the folks at the machine shop to not deburr the pieces. I am taking them to Wichita tomorrow and leave them with the folks who are going to do the Black Anodizing. They will run them through their tumble burr machine with a fine grade of media material. I did not want to slip the new coil into the bracket now and run the risk of scratching that new coil. The coil is pictured in the photos above and I wrapped it to protect the finish. I am hoping that the lead time for the Anodizing won't run too long and maybe we could have the car in the McPherson College show in May. More photos as they are available. Terry Wiegand South Hutchinson, Kansas AACA Life Member #947918 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Wiegand Posted April 7, 2022 Author Share Posted April 7, 2022 I picked up the Anodized bracket this afternoon. I will get more photos once I can get into my shop building. We have had hurricane force winds here for the last two days. Everyone is pretty much confined indoors. Terry Wiegand South Hutchinson, Kansas AACA Life Member #947918 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted April 8, 2022 Share Posted April 8, 2022 Now that is a FANCY coil bracket. Ben 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 8, 2022 Share Posted April 8, 2022 Now go to the hardware store and buy a really small mailbox for it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin The Kid Posted April 8, 2022 Share Posted April 8, 2022 The wind really has been crazy the last few days! Hope to see you and the car at the car show, it's looking to be a really good show this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted April 8, 2022 Share Posted April 8, 2022 6 hours ago, Edwin The Kid said: The wind really has been crazy the last few days! Hope to see you and the car at the car show, it's looking to be a really good show this year. When?? At the school? Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin The Kid Posted April 8, 2022 Share Posted April 8, 2022 3 hours ago, Ben Bruce aka First Born said: When?? At the school? Ben The show is Saturday, May 7th on campus. General Motors is bringing the Buick Y-Job and a few other concept cars! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Wiegand Posted April 8, 2022 Author Share Posted April 8, 2022 Edwin, We will be there for sure. If the weather will just cooperate so that the shop building can be opened up I will be able to get everything put back together rather easily. Ben, we're talking about McPherson College and the annual car show that the Restoration Program students put on. Terry Wiegand South Hutchinson, Kansas AACA Life Member #947918 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Schramm Posted April 9, 2022 Share Posted April 9, 2022 (edited) You could always use one of these to put a modern coil in. Just paint it the color you want. Always look at all of the other goodies you get with the box. https://www.amazon.com/Fun-Express-Little-Tinplate-Mailbox/dp/B001J8SYV4/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=mini+mailbox&qid=1649548227&sr=8-6 Edited April 9, 2022 by Larry Schramm (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian_Heil Posted April 10, 2022 Share Posted April 10, 2022 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Wiegand Posted April 10, 2022 Author Share Posted April 10, 2022 Here is what the finished application turned out to be. Sorry Brian, the buck eighty two clamp somehow just doesn't make it for the likes of a Buick automobile like this one is. Terry Wiegand South Hutchinson, Kansas AACA Life Member #947918 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian_Heil Posted April 10, 2022 Share Posted April 10, 2022 I just wish I had your budget Terry. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Wiegand Posted April 11, 2022 Author Share Posted April 11, 2022 Brian, This really wasn't as bad as you might think. A person has to look at it this way - is the engine going to be able to run or set there and look like a boat anchor? Terry Wiegand South Hutchinson, Kansas AACA Life Member #947918 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted April 13, 2022 Share Posted April 13, 2022 https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productselection.asp?Product=AF64-2900 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Wiegand Posted April 13, 2022 Author Share Posted April 13, 2022 EmTee, That bracket is almost in the same ballpark. That would really be the thing if my coil was mounted on the firewall. Terry Wiegand South Hutchinson, Kansas AACA Life Member #947918 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted April 13, 2022 Share Posted April 13, 2022 I was thinking it might be easier than trying to exactly replicate your bracket for anyone wanting to implement your modern coil upgrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgan Wright Posted April 13, 2022 Share Posted April 13, 2022 Terry do you still have a pic of the original? I wonder if it looked like mine: . . 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbaron1930 Posted April 13, 2022 Share Posted April 13, 2022 Morgan; Here is a pic of the coil on my 1916 Buick..........looks the same! I've had it on the car since I got it 15 years ago, the only thing that I had to change is that ballast resister in the end which developed an intermittent ground. I had another one but would up fixing that one. Andy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldtech Posted April 14, 2022 Share Posted April 14, 2022 My D-35 is the same. Still works good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Wiegand Posted April 14, 2022 Author Share Posted April 14, 2022 I have the very same setup on the 1920 K-46. When I changed out the original and hard as a rock plug wires on this car, that old coil bit me really good. My arm hurt for almost half an hour. No doubts here - that original to the car coil has a lot of fire left in it for being 103 years old. I could not say that about the coil on the '16. It was dead and had been for who knows how many years. Checking the continuity on one of these coils will not tell you anything about the internal condition of the primary and secondary windings. I should mention that the 1920 has less than 5,000 actual miles on it since it was built. Terry Wiegand South Hutchinson, Kansas AACA Life Member #947918 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Wiegand Posted April 14, 2022 Author Share Posted April 14, 2022 Morgan, The original setup on the 1916 was identical to your and Andy's cars. The only difference was my coil was absolutely dead. Terry Wiegand South Hutchinson, Kansas AACA Life Member #947918 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldtech Posted April 14, 2022 Share Posted April 14, 2022 4 hours ago, Terry Wiegand said: I have the very same setup on the 1920 K-46. When I changed out the original and hard as a rock plug wires on this car, that old coil bit me really good. My arm hurt for almost half an hour. No doubts here - that original to the car coil has a lot of fire left in it for being 103 years old. I could not say that about the coil on the '16. It was dead and had been for who knows how many years. Checking the continuity on one of these coils will not tell you anything about the internal condition of the primary and secondary windings. I should mention that the 1920 has less than 5,000 actual miles on it since it was built. Terry Wiegand South Hutchinson, Kansas AACA Life Member #947918 When you are working on these remember the capacitor is in the bottom of the coil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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