FORD TRACTOR 12 VOLT SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

Alvin has access to some high-end metalworking tools and has made some fine brackets and miscellaneous hardware. Most of us can only drool with envy, but perhaps a few more talented souls can make use of these images and diagrams.

Alvin writes, "Kevin, This email is in reponse to your remarks, "3 - Remove the guts from the original square-can coil and bring the leads out to connect to a more reliable round-can coil."

After frying two coils on my 49 8N, I decided to give it a try, works just fine as shown in these pictures.

The spark plug could be moved to the side or top to get more fan clearance. After cleaning out the coil cans I lucked out & still had the wire for the points spring still attached, I just spliced with a wire long enough to extend about 2" higher than the top of coil can with a eyelet on the end.

Put spark plug in lathe and removed all metal only leaving porcelain. Broke away part covering the electrode. Soldered a wire with eyelet on end. Drilled out rivet holding hi tension bracket to bottom of coil. This left a hole just right for a 6-32 screw thru bracket, thru bottom of coil, thru wire eyelet & nut on inside to make connection & hold every thing together. Drilled hole for a tight fit of spark plug to prevent leaking when filled with black 2-part polyurethane potting material. Only takes about 15 minutes to set up.

Milled a .5" releif on under side of top, center of existing post, drilled a hole thru post that removed the threaded stud on top side. Installed a 10-32 machine screw from bottom side thru wire eyelet & up thru hole in original brass insert still captured in top cover & placed a nut on top side, reinstalled cork casket & screws to hold top in place, appears as original except for spark plug.

The next pic shows the round can coil mounted on the left side:

The next two drawings are for the alternator brackets machined from 1" thick aluminum flat bar on a Bridgeport CNC mill:

And a 2" alternator pulley:

The next drawing is a clear plastic 1/4" plate with machine screws threaded in from rear to connect all wires for alternator. This mounts where the voltage regulator was removed. This makes for a neat instalation as you dont have to cut or splice any wires, just install original wires & add another nut.

Thanks and all credit go to: Mr. Alvin Whaley, Dalton GA, 6-14-10.

It is possible to make usable alternator brackets with much less sophisticated metalworking equipment. I have a set that was made using a pair of tin snips and a drill! These are not the most durable or beautiful brackets I've ever seen, but they did work.

Quite a few people have solved the weak front mount coil issue by making an adapter plate or modifying an old coil so the front mount distributor will accept connections to a remote round can coil. Few look as good as the one pictured above. KL