MTFCA Forum

Recently I have noticed that my number one coil has not always been working properly so I thought I’d take apart the coil box to shine up the contacts and see if anything needed to be done. Sure enough I found that the lower contact for the number one coil had recessed itself back into the strip and no longer sticks up. Once I pull it back up should I put a small thin shim underneath it so it doesn’t fall back down into the recess?

Get an original coil box for the old contacts. These dont look like originals. Repops are too soft. You will be fighting this problem forever.

Ingenuity is a trait all Model T people should have. While John's suggestion is a good one, it doesn't address your immediate problem. I would think that some type of soft, insulating shim to hold the contact up would be appropriate. Me, I'd raise up the contact and put a glob of silicone under it. Once it cures you should be good to go.

Michael-
Until you can get some original contacts, stuff a slice on styro-foam in the slot in the wood from under the contact to the bottom of the box.
: ^ )
Keith

You can put something under the contact but the best solution is to use the original contacts. Maybe the newer repo contacts are better but the older repos not so much.

Well, This box was rebuilt some 21 years ago so I don’t know if these are good repros or bad repros! Looked at original boxes on Ebay just for some contacts and some are pretty steep in price…

Michael

the only "good" new ones I'm aware of were John Ragan's and they were to the original drawing, from dimensions to material - phosphor-bronze as I recall and will be springy until the end of time. These are not those. Sadly, I believe these, like all of the old Fun-Projects line, are not being made any more (I hope I'm wrong and will be happy if proven thus). Brass repros have no spring temper and will do exactly what your suffering from.

I'd suggest advertising for a complete, but rotted out box. They're out there and are not too rare. Someone will have one or be willing to sell you the contacts out of it.

It will be worth the time/effort on your part