Hot Rods Scintilla - Vertex who or what is Vertex ?

I had a Vertex mag in my 327 powered gasser in the mid 60's , and was wondering how the Vertex name came to be on the Scintilla magneto's that go back a lotta years

Thanks, DND

 

I could be wrong, but as I remember it, Scintilla was the actual manufacturer in Switzerland, and Vertex imported them? Maybe Scintilla made the "guts" and Vertex was making the housings and so on to make them fit domestic applications?

 

Exact history is somewhat fleeting but I found this:
http://www.fbekholden.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=20727

 

As I remember it, Scintilla was the Swiss company that made the magnetos. Vertex was the US importer who marketed them here. As George said, Vertex was responsible for the drives adapting the mags to various engines. At some point Ronco bought out Vertex.

 

There is a TON of material in this link, which may or may not be of use to all here.
But if you scroll through it you will find a lot of history (in blue).
Can't vouch for its accuracy though.

 

Dated, but accurate for the time. (Don Francisco was accredited by SAE)
Roger Huntington was also on the staff of HRM then, SAE credentials valid.

 

I had heard about Vertex in the past but wanted to get it straight from you guys here on the HAMB

Might build a mock-up Fronty banger like what was in my Dad's T, looked in the Fronty catalog and they were selling Scintilla magneto's back then

Thanks guys for the great info, DND

 

Ronco....didn't they make......good thread guys !

 

https://www.ronco.com/pocket-fisherman.html

 

There was a very well written history on Vertex Scintilla in one of the fairly early Rodder's Journals. Somewhere in the mid 20s number wise.

 

I have that, I'll look it up.

 

Any chance we get to see that fronty catalog page for page?????? We hambers would love to see what's in it. I would love to see the add for anything scintilla. Since the early distributor guys like Jim kurtin and the Spaulding bros figured out that scintilla mag points were good up to 8000 rpm. Guys back in the late 30-40s sure learned a lot but joining the service and working on aircraft. They took aircraft parts and made then work on the dry lakes in their hot rods. I have duel point Lincoln v-12 converted to v-8 with scintilla points. I try and keep all info on them. Thanks hope we can see it.