Letters and Miscellanies

By Howard L. Abrahamson | Apr 1, 2006

Enclosed is a photo of a magneto I made for my 3 HP
Fairbanks-Morse tank-cooled engine, serial no. 424100, made in
1919. I couldn’t find a Bosch AB-33. This magneto is a
Fairbanks-Morse Type J counter-clockwise magneto. I took a hacksaw
and cut the cover over the impulse off and removed all the parts
off the shaft. I used a magneto coupling from a Farmall F-12
tractor because of the offset holes in it.

I made the bracket and used springs for a Webster magneto. I
brazed the back half of a bracket from the F-12 onto the J magneto.
It was really tricky to get it in the right spot for the magnetic
field. The trip is a 1/4-inch key stock with case- hardened tip.
Later I found the body of an AB-33 that was in really bad shape,
sent it to John Rex and he built it up for me. He said it was the
worst magneto he ever saw and I agree with that. I had faith in
John and I knew he could do it.

Howard L. Abrahamson
2145 Shilhon Road
Duluth, MN 55804