MTFCA Forum

All HCCTs interest me, but I’d like to focus this thread on the Ford 18Z245 and related early Fairbanks tester. I have gathered up quite a bit of information related to this model, and I’d like to present some of that here for others. I am going to offer up a few ideas that go contrary to the current understanding of these units, and I want to preface that with a few points. 1) I have the utmost respect for the work that Bob Cascisa and Ron Patterson have done on this topic. We have all benefited greatly from their hard work on this and many other T topics, and I encourage all who are interested to purchase their HCCT Handbook and support the MTFCA. 2) If anyone has feedback or additional information (contrary or otherwise) to the assertions I make below, I welcome it. 3) I’m not out to prove I’m right but rather to uncover as much history as possible regarding this style of HCCT. I am fortunate enough to own both stamped base and unstamped base units, so I don’t have a personal agenda other than to pursue knowledge and determine as much as possible about these testers. While we may not be able to determine definitive truths, I believe there is enough evidence to make some educated conclusions of high probability.

Here are a few assertions, which I’ll follow up with supporting details, discussion, data, and questions:

1. Unstamped testers are earlier than stamped testers. (For those not familiar, see end of post for example stamp, or search archives for several forum discussions.)
2. It is likely that unstamped testers are the Ford units. Stamped units may be Ford units or Fairbanks units, but they were likely made after the unstamped units.
3. Both the unstamped and stamped testers originally had back pulleys and cast steel or cast iron (unsure which) spark rings. They were nearly identical other than the stamp, inductor mounting location, and number of screws that hold the coil box wood on.
4. The 18Z245 did not have a horn testing terminal.

Supporting Details:
The base casting has an added area on each side behind the coil box onto which one of the inductor styles mounts. There is no reason for these “lobes” other than to mount the inductor. Unstamped units have this style of mount on their inductor and the two tapped holes to accommodate the related machine screws. Stamped units have the lobes but do not have the tapped holes; stamped units instead have the inductor mounting screws come up through the bottom of the base. Unstamped units do not have the two holes that go through the bottom of the base. If the stamped unit came first, they wouldn’t have the lobes. If the two locations of inductors mounts were used during the same build period (intermixed), there wouldn’t be such a strong alignment between unstamped being one way and stamped being the other way.


Unstamped units typically have Weston meters with lower serial numbers than those on stamped units. Unstamped units are most often in the 20000 to 23000 range, and stamped units are most often in the 29000 range. Weston meters, at least from my research, were simply a running tally with no “coding” or other meaning to the numbers. In other words, a lower serial number is an earlier meter.

For the pulleys and spark rings, I don’t have much to present other than to say that having a pulley and steel/iron ring has been the case for every unstamped and stamped tester I’ve come across unless it had a known reproduction ring (which are beautiful, by the way).

While the 18Z245 has a coil contact screw capable of being a magneto horn test terminal (if long enough), Ford’s tester instructions state that there are two “binding posts” on the right side of the tester, not three. The two posts are identified as a ground and a magneto test point. Further, neither the instructions nor the May 15, 1919, Ford Service Bulletin (see below) identify horn testing as a function of the Ford coil unit and magneto test stand.

Additional Discussion:
The unstamped units with the tapped lobes also use 5 screws to hold the coil box wood. Stamped units with the lobes but no mounting holes there use 3 screws to hold the coil box wood. This is consistent on all of the units I’ve been able to confirm stamped/unstamped on. This adds to the theory that the inductor mounting location was not intermixed during this period, but rather that unstamped/lobe mount/5 screw is distinctly different from stamped/bottom mount/3 screw. Again, the lobes serve no purpose other than to provide a place for the inductor to mount; thus it follows that the unstamped units are earlier.


Meter serial numbers is a much weaker argument. Meters undoubtedly changed over the years as testers were used, abused, restored, etc. All I have to offer here is that the data I collected shows a clear trend. One or two meters doesn’t tell you much, but when there is a clear trend across several, it is a least a data point.

I’ve had several great discussions with Bob and Ron. Ultimately, many of the facts involved with the 18Z245 are lost to history. However, some of the prevailing wisdom is worth discussing further. For instance, it is conventionally believed that that stamped units are Ford and unstamped units are Fairbanks. My understanding is that this belief is based solely on Ford Motor Company’s propensity to mark and identify their products and that it would be odd if Ford allowed someone else to use their part number. However, the 18Z245’s immediate predecessor, the 17Z803, is known to be produced by (or at least for) Ford and is reportedly not stamped. Also, both unstamped and stamped units have 18Z245 cast in/on most of the parts, so both unstamped and stamped styles were otherwise identified. Further, if the unstamped units were the Fairbanks units, since they still have the Ford cast numbers Ford would indeed have been allowing someone else to use their part number (even if it was just building out leftover parts inventory). The May 15, 1919, Ford Service Bulletin says they (Ford) “have placed an order” for test stands; perhaps Fairbanks was on contract to build the machines for Ford to be sold and distributed by Ford in 1919, and then Ford handed over the whole process (to include sales and distribution) to Fairbanks in 1920. Finally, it was previously thought that the N180 that follows the stamped units’ 18Z245 stamp was a serial number. This is now known not to be the case, as N180 is the number stamped on all stamped units. More on this below.

Table of Collected HCCT Information:

This table has been edited from the original post and will continue to receive updates as additional information is received. I've added revision control at the bottom.

(click to expand)

Timeline Information and Additional Details:
• Circa 1918-1920, Modern Methods of Ford Repairing book refers to “coil-unit testing machine” and describes the use of the machine. It describes that the coils are set somewhat qualitatively and that the machine has a voltmeter to test the magneto output, although this may have just been confusion on the author’s part. The image shown is very similar to later images of the 18Z245. Preface indicates January 1920, but book has conflicting information and was likely written or published over a period of years. Some content has a 1918 cutoff date. Book does not indicate it is published by Ford Motor Company, but author says he had factory and branch access and images are identical to many used in Ford literature, suggesting book may have been at least endorsed by Ford Motor Company. (with image)


• May 1, 1919, Ford refers to "hand coil unit and magneto testing stand" in Ford Service Bulletin, and image has a Weston A.C. Ammeter. (with image)

• May 15, 1919, Ford says they “have placed an order” for “coil unit and magneto test stands” with planned delivery near end of May 1919 in Ford Service Bulletin. Cost is $50.00, and the device is designed for testing coil units, magnetos, spark plugs, and commutators. It mentions an instruction booklet will be furnished with the tester. Note, too, that the Ford and early Fairbanks images all show a spark plug in place on the tester, and the instruction booklet also describes the testing of spark plugs as advertised. While the merits of such a test can be debated, the 18Z245 likely had a “clip” or resting place to support the thumb nut of the plug that was electrically connected to the high voltage terminal of the coil box.

• Undated Instructions for Using the Ford Agents’ Coil Unit and Magneto Test Stand by Ford Motor Company. (with image)

• Undated Service Equipment for Ford Agents by Ford Motor Company. (with image)

• July 1, 1919, Ford lists 18Z245 "coil unit and magneto testing device" in Ford Service Bulletin in list of small tools that “may be secured from the Ford Motor Company.”

• July 1919, Fordowner describes use of “coil unit testing machine” used in Ford service stations.

• October 15, 1919, dealer lists “coil unit tester” in Ford Service Bulletin.

• December 1, 1919, (and several before) Automobile Trade Journal Fairbanks ad does not list the magneto and coil unit tester.

• January 1920, Ford Owner Fairbanks ad does not list the magneto and coil unit tester.

• January 1, 1920, Fairbanks lists "magneto and coil unit tester" in Automobile Trade Journal.

• February 1, 1920, Ford refers to "coil unit and magneto test stands" in Ford Service Bulletin, stating that they have disposed of their stock, that they don’t intend to stock any more, and that dealers and service stations that were not able to get one of these outfits from the Branch may now obtain one from The Fairbanks Company, their Branches, or Distributors handling their line of service equipment.

• February 1, 1920, Fairbanks captions image as "coil unit and magneto test stand" and lists "magneto and coil unit tester" in Automobile Trade Journal. Note that this appears to be an altered version of the earlier Ford image with the Ford script removed from the coil unit. (with image)

• March 1, 1920, Fairbanks lists "magneto and coil unit tester" in Automobile Trade Journal.

• Fairbanks and Service Station Equipment Company (SSECO) continue advertising as either "magneto and coil unit tester" or "coil unit and magneto test stand" depending on the publication. SSECO is a division of The Fairbanks Company.

• By October 1, 1920 (but likely earlier, just lack documentation), Fairbanks had begun to make visual changes to the tester’s design as shown in October 1, 1920, advertisement in Automobile Trade Journal. (with image)

Questions and Requests:
1. If you have an HCCT of this style that isn’t in the above table, please add your unit’s information. If you have an idea that the meter is not original to the unit, please add that too (we have no way of knowing if a meter is original to a unit).

2. If you have an HCCT in the above table that has incomplete information, please add this information if available.

3. All of the Ford literature that I have showing Ford’s HCCT has a coil in place, blocking the view of the inductor/mount, and shows the tester at an angle that doesn’t reveal 3 or 5 screws for the wood attachment. If you have something that adds information here, that would be a huge help.

4. If you have a unit that has this nut or side terminal to the upper left of and behind the coil box, please provide additional information. While it is shown in the Ford and early Fairbanks images, I have never seen an actual tester with this feature present. It’s possible that no units were made with this, but if there is one it would be interesting to know other details about the unit. At first glance, it appears to be a ground terminal (or “binding post” as Ford called it); however, that does not seem likely, as the same images show both wires used for magneto testing (ground and magneto test point) on the right side in their more traditional locations. Also, there is no thumb nut.

5. If anyone has any knowledge of what N180 means, please provide it. It is currently a great mystery and, while it’s unlikely we’ll be able to solve it, you never know what book, letter, or other document someone has in a box or drawer somewhere. If you have a stamped unit, is the stamp on the right or the left (binding post side or coil unit insertion side)? Is the “N” always a smaller font stamp than the “Z”? Do 18Z245 and N180 always appear to be in one block, or is the N180 ever spaced away? If you can, please post your stamp photos.

Finally, I want to conclude with another plug for the HCCT Handbook, available from the MTFCA online store. It is very well done and contains a wealth of information on all makes and models of HCCTs.

Happy motoring,

Nik

Very interesting. I emailed you for more information. Don

If you have a stamped unit, is the stamp on the right or the left (binding post side or coil unit insertion side)? Is the “N” always a smaller font stamp than the “Z”?

Thank you for the emails and phone conversations to those who have already responded. To answer a couple questions I posed above, the stamp is sometimes on the right and sometimes on the left. So far, stamps on the left (coil insertion side) have no top bar on the number "1"s, and the "N" stamp is smaller than the "Z." Stamps on the right side (binding post side) have a top bar on the "1"s, and the "N" stamp is the same height as the "Z."

I've added lines to the table and replaced it within the post above (rather than having duplicate copies of different revisions floating around). I will continue to do so if/when additional information comes in. Thanks again for all the PMs, emails, and phone calls.