Wanted Bittner Coils

Post parts wanted or for sale here

Topic author
Junk poor
Posts: 60
Joined: Mon Dec 09, 2019 8:19 am
First Name: D
Last Name: Brown
Location: Iowa

Wanted Bittner Coils

Post by Junk poor » Wed Jun 16, 2021 10:49 pm

Looking for Bittner coils. New or used.

User avatar

TWrenn
Posts: 3389
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 10:53 am
First Name: Tim
Last Name: Wrenn
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: '13 Touring, '26 "Overlap" Fordor
Location: Ohio
MTFCA Number: 30701
MTFCI Number: 24033
Board Member Since: 2019

Re: Wanted Bittner Coils

Post by TWrenn » Thu Jun 17, 2021 10:09 am

Good luck. Bittner is like all but vanished. But, if I'm not mistaken, I thought I heard those coils were from a Ford Taurus.
Maybe Jim Golden will chime in, he's pretty knowledgeable in TruFire

User avatar

CudaMan
Posts: 2385
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 4:17 pm
First Name: Mark
Last Name: Strange
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1924 Cut Off Touring (now a pickup)
Location: Hillsboro, MO
MTFCA Number: 30944
MTFCI Number: 23667
Board Member Since: 2013

Re: Wanted Bittner Coils

Post by CudaMan » Thu Jun 17, 2021 10:17 am

In addition to his Truefire units, I believe that Ed Bittner also used to offer rebuilt stock Ford coils.

If you really mean that you want a replacement coil pack for a Truefire unit, I have one, PM me if interested. You will have to transfer the high tension leads from your old coil pack to the new one.
Attachments
true-fire_internals.jpg
true-fire_internals.jpg (54.01 KiB) Viewed 2640 times
truefire_coil.JPG
Mark Strange
Hillsboro, MO
1924 Cut-off Touring (now a pickup)

User avatar

TRDxB2
Posts: 5410
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 4:56 pm
First Name: Frank
Last Name: Brandi
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: Speedster (1919 w 1926)
Location: Moline IL
Board Member Since: 2018

Re: Wanted Bittner Coils

Post by TRDxB2 » Thu Jun 17, 2021 10:43 am

I tried to find some information about Bittner Coils and how to identify them. Having said that, there are two possibilities. One maybe the "coils" used inside the Tru-Fire box and the other are the standard coil boxes that Bittner used to rebuild coils.

Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: What is black substance inside Bittner coils? http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/25 ... 1343845859
By Erich Bruckner, Vancouver, WA on Monday, July 30, 2012 - 06:52 pm:
And don't tell me its MBRT either. And any idea how to liquify it/remove it?
By Tom Miller, Mostly in Dearborn on Monday, July 30, 2012 - 07:09 pm:
His website says specially formulated polyurethane. If that's the case, it's not going anywhere without damaging the windings
By Erich Bruckner, Vancouver, WA on Monday, July 30, 2012 - 08:17 pm:
So unrepairable by standard means is what I'm hearing?

Coil inside the Tru-Fire System http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/33 ... 1385090181
truf.png
Attachments
truf1.png
truf1.png (675.29 KiB) Viewed 2628 times
The past is a great place and I don't want to erase it or to regret it, but I don't want to be its prisoner either.
Mick Jagger

User avatar

KWTownsend
Posts: 1122
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 6:51 pm
First Name: Keith
Last Name: Townsend
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: late 1911 touring, 1915 runabout, 1919 touring, brass speedster
Location: Gresham, Orygun
MTFCA Number: 14778
MTFCA Life Member: YES
MTFCI Number: 16305
Board Member Since: 1999

Re: Wanted Bittner Coils

Post by KWTownsend » Thu Jun 17, 2021 11:35 pm

Sorry. Not for sale.
I bought a set of Bittner coils to run in 1919. I was super impressed, so I bought a metal top set for my 1915.


Topic author
Junk poor
Posts: 60
Joined: Mon Dec 09, 2019 8:19 am
First Name: D
Last Name: Brown
Location: Iowa

Re: Wanted Bittner Coils

Post by Junk poor » Sat Jun 19, 2021 9:40 am

I am looking for the individual coils.
Thanks

User avatar

Mark Gregush
Posts: 4956
Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2019 1:57 pm
First Name: Mark
Last Name: Gregush
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1925 cutdown PU, 1920 Dodge touring, 1948 F2 Ford flat head 6 pickup 3 speed
Location: Portland Or
MTFCA Number: 52564
Board Member Since: 1999

Re: Wanted Bittner Coils

Post by Mark Gregush » Sat Jun 19, 2021 12:38 pm

Ok so I have to ask; are you talking about original style coils and if so, how would one know they are Bittner coils? Are they marked in some way? Someone, not me, may have them sitting on a shelf and may not know.
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas! :shock:

1925 Cut down pickup
1920 Dodge touring
1948 Ford F2 pickup

User avatar

TRDxB2
Posts: 5410
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 4:56 pm
First Name: Frank
Last Name: Brandi
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: Speedster (1919 w 1926)
Location: Moline IL
Board Member Since: 2018

Re: Wanted Bittner Coils

Post by TRDxB2 » Sat Jun 19, 2021 1:23 pm

Mark Gregush wrote:
Sat Jun 19, 2021 12:38 pm
Ok so I have to ask; are you talking about original style coils and if so, how would one know they are Bittner coils? Are they marked in some way? Someone, not me, may have them sitting on a shelf and may not know.
I have the same question. The discussion I noted above indicates that a specially formulated polyurethane mixture was used to fill the case. So one way to tell may be to open the wood and see what's inside. A Pandora's box, will it be worth the effort? KWT says he has some maybe he can say if there are any external markings to identify them
The past is a great place and I don't want to erase it or to regret it, but I don't want to be its prisoner either.
Mick Jagger

User avatar

RajoRacer
Posts: 4308
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 12:18 pm
First Name: Steve
Last Name: Tomaso
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Touring, 1919 Centerdoor, 1924 TT C-Cab Express, 1925 Racer
Location: Longbranch, WA
MTFCA Number: 14972
MTFCI Number: 15411
Board Member Since: 2001

Re: Wanted Bittner Coils

Post by RajoRacer » Sat Jun 19, 2021 1:29 pm

I have a set of brass tops also - I'll see if there are any indentifiers.


Topic author
Junk poor
Posts: 60
Joined: Mon Dec 09, 2019 8:19 am
First Name: D
Last Name: Brown
Location: Iowa

Re: Wanted Bittner Coils

Post by Junk poor » Sat Jun 19, 2021 1:53 pm

Here’s a couple pictures. If you look at the windings coming out of the top you can see they are flat bars and have a plastic sleeve. Here’s a picture of the “goods”.
Attachments
FF3B10A9-DC22-4B69-98AC-63B43C33167A.jpeg
FE2457B8-8F83-4712-A02F-1DE972F48316.jpeg
539BB9C4-C255-4D6C-AFF9-73613F23A691.jpeg

User avatar

TRDxB2
Posts: 5410
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 4:56 pm
First Name: Frank
Last Name: Brandi
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: Speedster (1919 w 1926)
Location: Moline IL
Board Member Since: 2018

Re: Wanted Bittner Coils

Post by TRDxB2 » Sat Jun 19, 2021 2:39 pm

Well pictures are worth a thousand words. The top is a dead give-a-way. Parts look easy to replace but the coil winding is not what the suppliers have. Any way to ID it - or might be be hand made and that is what might make it a standout coil.
c1.png
c2.png
Attachments
c3.png
The past is a great place and I don't want to erase it or to regret it, but I don't want to be its prisoner either.
Mick Jagger

User avatar

Mark Gregush
Posts: 4956
Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2019 1:57 pm
First Name: Mark
Last Name: Gregush
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1925 cutdown PU, 1920 Dodge touring, 1948 F2 Ford flat head 6 pickup 3 speed
Location: Portland Or
MTFCA Number: 52564
Board Member Since: 1999

Re: Wanted Bittner Coils

Post by Mark Gregush » Sun Jun 20, 2021 9:45 am

So from the outside it would only be the plastic sleeve that would be different and maybe cleaner. The late KW coils used the flat bars also. Thank you for the pictures. Now I (others too) know. I like the bridge between each pair of mounting bolts.
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas! :shock:

1925 Cut down pickup
1920 Dodge touring
1948 Ford F2 pickup

User avatar

TRDxB2
Posts: 5410
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 4:56 pm
First Name: Frank
Last Name: Brandi
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: Speedster (1919 w 1926)
Location: Moline IL
Board Member Since: 2018

Re: Wanted Bittner Coils

Post by TRDxB2 » Sun Jun 20, 2021 12:10 pm

Mark Gregush wrote:
Sun Jun 20, 2021 9:45 am
So from the outside it would only be the plastic sleeve that would be different and maybe cleaner. The late KW coils used the flat bars also. Thank you for the pictures. Now I (others too) know. I like the bridge between each pair of mounting bolts.
One thing that may be different is that there appears to be three secondary coils inside that plastic sleeve while the standard is 2 secondary coils.
equals.png
coil build.jpg
I came across something too that I had not been aware of about running on magneto that is worthy of noting. This link also covers some interesting technical facts about running on 6v vs 12v. http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/25 ... 1337703482
By Mike Kossor on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 - 10:50 pm:
"...I'd also like to acknowledge the merits of the stock ignition system. ... Designing the magneto output voltage to increases proportionally with engine speed which functions to automatically reduce the coil dwell time needed achieve the necessary spark energy; in effect providing automatic timing advance to improve performance was amazing. The original Model T ignition system is a true electro-mechanical marvel well worthy of preservation..."
The past is a great place and I don't want to erase it or to regret it, but I don't want to be its prisoner either.
Mick Jagger


J1MGOLDEN
Posts: 945
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 5:39 pm
First Name: James
Last Name: Golden
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Model T Roadster
Location: Bowie, MD
MTFCA Number: 14294
MTFCI Number: 13562

Re: Wanted Bittner Coils

Post by J1MGOLDEN » Tue Jun 22, 2021 7:48 pm

Note that the Bittner Coil is much lighter, due to no tar inside, so weighing one that looks newer should be a give away.

User avatar

Mark Gregush
Posts: 4956
Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2019 1:57 pm
First Name: Mark
Last Name: Gregush
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1925 cutdown PU, 1920 Dodge touring, 1948 F2 Ford flat head 6 pickup 3 speed
Location: Portland Or
MTFCA Number: 52564
Board Member Since: 1999

Re: Wanted Bittner Coils

Post by Mark Gregush » Tue Jun 22, 2021 10:08 pm

ya I was thinking after I posted about being lighter, but also thought about all the guys that used silicon to hold the capacitor in after taking the glass devider, old capacitor and any wood blocks out, just leaving he coils.
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas! :shock:

1925 Cut down pickup
1920 Dodge touring
1948 Ford F2 pickup

User avatar

Mark Gregush
Posts: 4956
Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2019 1:57 pm
First Name: Mark
Last Name: Gregush
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1925 cutdown PU, 1920 Dodge touring, 1948 F2 Ford flat head 6 pickup 3 speed
Location: Portland Or
MTFCA Number: 52564
Board Member Since: 1999

Re: Wanted Bittner Coils

Post by Mark Gregush » Sun Jun 27, 2021 6:22 pm

I looked at some new looking coils Friday. They were the light weight coils but did not have the ring around the center core. I am 99% sure they were not the coils in question. SO you can not go on weight alone. The flat stock used in the center core was wider and just not the same finish as what is shown above.
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas! :shock:

1925 Cut down pickup
1920 Dodge touring
1948 Ford F2 pickup


Topic author
Junk poor
Posts: 60
Joined: Mon Dec 09, 2019 8:19 am
First Name: D
Last Name: Brown
Location: Iowa

Re: Wanted Bittner Coils

Post by Junk poor » Sun Jun 27, 2021 6:42 pm

Thanks for checking.
Still looking. No luck so far.

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic