Table of Contents
Drying Model T Coils
| Field | Automobiles |
| Went Obsolete | 1930s |
| Made Obsolete By | Distributors |
| Knowledge Assumed | Basic automotive and electrician skills |
| When useful | When the Model T wouldn't start on cold mornings |
From my father, Alfred Ploetz:
In the early cars there was a coil for each spark plug rather than one coil and a distributor. Each coil was enclosed in sealed wooden box about 2”x4”x6” and they were in a metal box under the dashboard. On cold damp mornings, moisture would condense on them and short out the contact, which was activated by the magnet inside the coil. To dry them out they were taken in the house and warmed at the stove. It seems like they were put in the oven but then that sounds like it would melt the sealant inside which was something like asphalt or pitch. I can't remember how long it would take to dry them out.
The stove he is referring to was a wood burning stove.
