Technical The Mallory Super-Mag

[Ryan]

So a friend of mine dropped by my office the other day with a vintage Mallory box tucked under his arm. Inside was an old magneto protected by its original packaging and wrapped with it's original spec sheet. It was labeled as a Mallory Super-Mag mad...

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[paperdog]

with tach drive ... hmmm i would be guessing for a truck big truck

[squirrel]

looks like for a Y block?

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by paperdog

with tach drive ... hmmm i would be guessing for a truck big truck

No, it's definitely a high-performance part... Read the marketing material.

[alchemy]

I've got one for a SBC, but mine has a wider cap like the HC DuCoils (except the extra coil tower is a dud). I'll get some pics soon, but I have no other data.

[paperdog]

so that would narrow it down to t-birds and maybe nascar type higher rpm fords

[squirrel]

is there a part number on the box?

[JeffreyJames]

I know nothing and I'm kinda interested in learning. I can tell you that a friend of mine bought a Roto-Faze for his Chevy and that thing is huge and one big honkin' dizzy especially compared to my Mallory Dual point with the cool wire terminating cap.

This is American man, Bigger is always better...you know that! (in my best Ricky Bobby voice)

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by squirrel

is there a part number on the box?

"525 RH" is printed on the mag...

[rhpope]

I have one exactly like this one except for the lower housing to fit a Chrysler. Note that the Advance side name plate does not have anything stamped in the boxes for the advance at a particular rpm. This means that there is a solid coupling between the lower housing shaft and the generator which means it is a locked mechanical advance. The ones with mechanical advance has a set of fly weights inside the lower housing and would have the specs for how many degrees of advance at a given rpm stamp on the plate. The Advance or retard scale with the needle is so that you did not have to loosen the regular distributor hold down clamp and you would loosen the band clamp and rotate the generator to change the locked base (or static) timing more easily.

As shown in the paperwork, the magneto requires an external coil and specifically a Mag-Spark coil for this setup to work.

As already stated, the base is for a Y Block Ford.

Roger

[notrod13]

damn i wish i was lucky enough to find stuff like this ... it so looks for a y block .

worth building a motor for hell a whole hotrod!

[theHIGHLANDER]

I'm speculating here, and I draw my speculation from 2 things, the color and the hgt. I think it may be a marine hipo part or version. Crab caps are popular for marine applications, and the color (blue,water?) leads to the idea. Taller? Maybe for easier access in the engine. It looks to be fairly well sealed up too, but many mags are pretty well sealed for obvious reasons. The blue could simply be "Ford", but I have a Mallory with a crab cap and tach drive that's a marine Chevy part. I see similarities.

Ok, since the number was posted while I was typing, and it has "RH" in the number, twin-engined boats have one spinning one way and the other opposite. Maybe?

[HEATHEN]

It looks like either Y block or small block Ford. I've got old Mallory catalogs at home that I can look it up in later this evening, if it hasn't been positively identified by then. I've seen Super Mag control boxes at swap meets that it would probably need in order to function.

[Slick Willy]

All the other "Super-Mag"s have an achievable horse power on the tag, such as one for a Ford 427 says "465 HP" and so forth.

My thinking is that you have one that was set up for "525 RH~ Rear wheel horse power" for drag racing or nascar. with the variable timing on the side it would be easy for a crew member to tweak it here and there. the low crab cap may have been for hood clearance from say a 427 SOHC or 406 maybe?

[Ryan]

The paper work also talks about a "boost" switch... Something my ignition guy mentioned (GMC Bubba)...

Essentially, if it's a battery started engine you switch the switch to "Boost" for starting. Once the engine is started, you switch it to "Run." I love little shit like that.

[Atwater Mike]

Originally Posted by Ryan

The paper work also talks about a "boost" switch... Something my ignition guy mentioned (GMC Bubba)...

Essentially, if it's a battery started engine you switch the switch to "Boost" for starting. Once the engine is started, you switch it to "Run." I love little shit like that.

Yes, the 'boost' would be 12 Volts to coil (Magspark transformer in this case) while cranking, a function GM uses at the starter solenoid.
Mallory Magspark transformers had a resistor that dropped 'coil voltage', as did GMs.

[Carb-Otto]

I'd say also that it would be for Ford, derived from gear.

Originally Posted by Ryan

Essentially, if it's a battery started engine you switch the switch to "Boost" for starting. Once the engine is started, you switch it to "Run." I love little shit like that.

I remember seeing some old voltage regulator which had bit similar "little shit". Regulator had switch for reversed polarity which helps when engine is being started, when it runs, switch is turned back to normal. Based on same fact that when you connect battery + and - to right poles on a generator, it starts to roll.
Something like that...

Mallory also had Rev-Pol distributor, where "rev-pol" stands for "reversed polarity". What it helps on a distributor, I don't have slightest idea...
But they sure do look good! That is reason why I have one polished for my nailhead!

[GMC BUBBA]

I have a couple on the bench and have rebuilt a few for customers. Made a couple electronic using chrysler reluctor and GM HEI control modules as well.

The basic idea was for the mag lower end to be a generator supplying its own primary voltage to the coil and not need a battery etc. I will get one up and running in a day or two and post a" how the hell does it work" post on this thread.

[31Vicky with a hemi]

Looking at the spec sheet, that thing puts out at least 2x its nearest competition.
Literature says its for the most extreme racing conditions.
Cool stuff, I want one.

Id look at the most extreme racing, record holders, and such from the time period ( late 50s did you say?) I bet something pops up.

[phartman]

Wow! Ryan has stumped Jim (GMC Bubba). Made him drag out that ol' thinking cap. Who wouldda thunk? Can't wait to see that "how it works" post.