Weidenhoff HCCT restoration

[Nate22huckster]

I’m finally getting around to restoring my HCCT. I’ve owned it for probably 12 years now and with needing to restore a couple sets of coils this winter I figured now is the time. I thought some of you might like to see some pictures during the restoration process, plus I’m going to have questions! Disassembly has begun and the Jewell ammeter has been sent out to Bob for restoration and repair, he has indicated that my HCCT is a Weidenhoff.

So-far the magneto portion has been disassembled and hardware cleaned. I’ve opted to use an earlier non-starter flywheel so there wouldn’t be a ring gear, and removed the triple gear pins so that there are less rotating parts to potentially get caught on.

I’ve rebuilt and set up magnetos before, so that part isn’t new, but those have always been unpainted and in the engine. Since this will be exposed and I want it to look nice, I’ll be repainting everything. So, when painting the flywheel, is it necessary to maintain continuity between the magnets and the flywheel, and the magnets and the wipers/ spools/ flywheel? Will I need to mask off areas of the flywheel where these components attach? Can I clear coat the wipers and magnets so they won’t rust?

Thanks, Nathan

[BE_ZERO_BE]

It is important to maintain a good ground path between the field coil, the frame, the coil and the meter.
Make sure the field coil to frame attach points are clean bare metal.
This is a Weidenhoff HCCT and it has an unusual spark indicator that relies on properly grounded components.

[RajoRacer]

Where is the "spark ring" ? OR how does one verify the single spark ?

[BE_ZERO_BE]

The spark jumps from the handwheel to the plate indicated.
About three sparks are visible at once.
 

[Nate22huckster]

Ok, so it sounds like it is not important to maintain continuity between the fly wheel and magnetic components. I kind of thought that because it is a magnetic field and not current flowing through the flywheel portion of the magneto. Also, with the spools originally being brass or aluminum instead of a ferrous material it seems like they’re acting as insulators between the magnet’s poles and the flywheel.

Bob, yeah, I noticed there are lots of “chassis grounds” on this HCCT, it’s going to require a lot of masking during the painting process to keep them clean.

[Ron Patterson]

Nathan
Restore the HCCT flywheel & magnets exactly as yu would if you were going to use it in a rebuilt engine.
You can reuse the brass spools, but never reuse aluminium spools. Reuse the orifinal Ford magnet clamps. They are uniquely dsigned and reproductions are soft/poorly made and do not work well. Tse original magnet clamp screws are commonly cracked cracked, replace with new ones Notice the physically different (electrically the same) wiring from all other HCCT's. The meter is in a different place in he coil Prmarycircuit. The HCCT booklet has a specific wiring diagram for the Weidenhoff HCCT.
Ron Patterson

[Nate22huckster]

Update: while cleaning up the main casting for the HCCT I discovered that the original paint is actually gray and is mostly in tact. Also, the company name tag is still visible, barely… so I’m changing course and instead of repainting the body it’s going to get a thorough cleaning and clear coat. Also ordered some reproduction knob and tube cloth insulation 12 gage wire that is a very close match to the original wire!

[BE_ZERO_BE]

Great photos Nathan,
That Weidenhoff is a rare HCCT.
Thanks for posting.

[Ron Patterson]

Nate
Ditto
The photo of original routing of Weidenhoff HCCT wiring is new infromation and welcome to the knowlede base.
Thanks
Ron Patterson

[Nate22huckster]

Ron, the wire routing is quite distinctive and I intend on duplicating it. Both wires from the meter travel down together where they separate and go on either side of the shaft, then come back together and continue downward. The one then turns and goes to the bottom of the coil, the other has an area in the middle where the insulation is removed and it wraps around the contact that contacts the field coil button, it then continues over to a magneto terminal.

[Nate22huckster]

Lots of progress this past week and some picture updates. The main casting has been clear coated, and some reassembly has begun,the flywheel painted and magnets assembled, got my meter back from bob completely restored, new insulators made because many of the small ones were cracked, wiring installed more parts need cleaned and painted yet but its coming along nicely and can’t wait to try it out.

[J1MGOLDEN]

Nate, that must be the rarest, if not the most famous later type HCCT there is in existence.

I have been working with Model Ts for 45 years and I have never seen one like that model.

[Nate22huckster]

Finally got the last of the parts cleaned up and painted and the field coil/ flywheel adjustments made. I thought this would be a quick and easy restoration but there are so many little parts in these HCCT’s. It seems to work as it should, I need to learn how to use it and adjust coils on it properly as I’ve only ever used a buzz-box tester until now. I also plan on making a wooden base with handles for lifting it with an integrated drawer for points/capacitors/coil hardware/etc and also a cover to keep it clean, but that project is for another day.

[BE_ZERO_BE]

Nathen,

Great job.
Weidenhoff HCCTs are quite rare.
She's a beauty !!