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General => General Douglas Discussion => Topic started by: cardan on 29 Jul 2007 at 08:01

Title: Can someone identify this early magneto?
Post by: cardan on 29 Jul 2007 at 08:01

This magneto is very nicely made, but I can't find a brand on it anywhere.  If it were made by Bosch, the number on the base would be correct for 1912, which would seem about right.

Is it a Bosch magneto? Was this style of magneto fitted as standard to Douglas machines? If so, in what years?

The identifying feature is the horizontal entry for the cable for the advance and retard.

Thanks in advance,

Leon

(https://www.douglasmotorcycles.net/aa-files/images/cardan/2007/early_magneto_1.jpg)

(https://www.douglasmotorcycles.net/aa-files/images/cardan/2007/early_magneto_2.jpg)

(https://www.douglasmotorcycles.net/aa-files/images/cardan/2007/early_magneto_3.jpg)

Title: Re: Can someone identify this early magneto?
Post by: Clive on 29 Jul 2007 at 21:20

Hi Leon,
Yes its a Bosh ARC LIGHT MAGNETO good write up in the LDMCC Conrod Mag Jan/Feb04
Regards
Clive

Title: Re: Can someone identify this early magneto?
Post by: cardan on 29 Jul 2007 at 23:40

Thanks Clive - given your info and the serial number it is safe to say that the magneto is a 1912 Bosch Arc Light.

I don't have access to the article that you mention, so one final question.

What years was the Bosch Arc Light fitted?

Looking at illustrations, I can now see the horizontal cable on the 1912 models, but by 1914 the magneto seems to have changed to the Bosch ZA2 like this one (that has a 1914 Bosch serial number 16..... - the rest is mashed by injudicious use of a spanner on the mounting nut). Presumably the change from Arc Light to ZA2 was sometime around 1913?

Cheers

Leon


(https://www.douglasmotorcycles.net/aa-files/images/cardan/2007/bosch_za2.jpg)