A New Vertical Magneto

The enthusiast is always interested in components which increase the efficiency of his car and has, in the past, displayed a keen desire to replace his coil-ignition distributor with a vertical magneto. Consequently, announcement of the new Wipac vertical magneto, made by the Wico-Pacy Sales Corporation, Ltd., is of considerable interest.

This new magneto embodies the principle of the old polar-inductor magnetos, namely, that it provides an optimum spark at all settings of the advance and retard control. The automatic advance and retard mechanism relies on centrifugal force only, and is without springs, so that it should act accurately and maintain a high degree of efficiency over long periods of usage without servicing attention. Chattering of the driving gear or dog is eliminated by means of a light spring brake bearing on a fibre disc. Oilite bushes carry the drive shaft, so that only very occasional use of the screw-down greaser provided should be required. The inductor assembly, the journal of which carries the contact-breaker cam, runs in a ball-bearing. Screened h.t. cables or unscreened cables with waterproof grummets may be used, making the Wipac magneto suitable for marine and agricultural work. The output, tested on A.M. ball gaps, is 9,000 volts at 45 to 48 r.p.m., rising to 20,000 volts at over 1,500 r.p.m. This magneto is being produced as a replacement for the standard range of coil-ignition distributors and is priced at £12 10s. Full details can be obtained from the Wico-Pacy Sales Corporation, Ltd., Bletchley, on mention of Motor Sport.