Dating a Bosch Magneto

[33d6]

I have a Bosch ZE1 magneto, number 2598702. I know Bosch magnetoes can be dated by their production number but I've lost my list. Can anyone out there date it for me please.
This is a common magneto used for many years on any number of single cylinder engines and it would be nice to know what year mine was made.
Cheers,

[pursang360]

Hi 33b6
I cannot help you with the no's but i can probably get you into the right decade,...does the mag have a brass access chamber on the opposite end to the drive sprocket with a brass cover on it that is held on with a roatating spring clip.............a photo would be handy

[33d6]

Thanks for your kind offer but I seek more than just accuracy within a decade. Using the production number it is possible to date a Bosch magneto to the year. Unfortunately I've lost my list and I'm hoping someone out there will also have a copy.
Posting a photo is not very helpful as magnetoes get rebuilt over the years and are not necessarily as they came from the factory so visual features cannot be relied upon. The production number tells it all.
Cheers,

[R]

It is mentioned somewhere that the "VCC" published a list of Bosch maggie data about 30 years ago.

Presumeably this is the Victorian Car Club, or Vintage car Club, or Vintage MC Club ?  Ring any bells....

[yebbut]

The wonderful world  of Google brings up this from a Triumph site


Bosch Magnetos  
Year  Serial  
1902  14147  
1903  24131  
1904  42571  
1905  75753  
1906  123210  
1907  185329  
1908  251268  
1909 434566  
1910  646345  
1911  933508  
1912  1335331  
1913  1567965  
1914  1758030  
1915  1798093  

amd this

What is peculiar to Bosch and useful in dating, is that the magneto serial numbers were sequencial across all models. There was a list of these serial numbers wrt year of manufacture tha was printed in a VCCAustralia(Victoria) newsletter about 30 years ago. I moved this a couple of weeks ago, so it should not be hard to find for you. Bear in mind that this is the year of the magneto rather than the car; but usually it would be fairly close.


and this

 Bosch Mag Details
This may assist in getting the right Bosch mag for the job.

Z = closed magnet. ( D = open magnet )
E = 45 m.m. spindle height. ( A = 35 m.m. spindle height)
V = vee twin ( 1 = single cyl, 2 = 180 degree twin. )
Slip ring determines whether the mag is 42/ 45/ 50 degrees.

D series mags with open magnets generally finished in 1911 although you will find some 1912 models fitted with them.

I do have a list of serial numbers for Bosch mags from 1900 to 1915 and could post them if readers think its necessary.

1915 Bosch mags started from serial number 1798093.

Examples: DA1 is an open magnet,35 m.m. spindle height, single cylinder mag and the ZEV is a closed magnet, 45m.m. spindle height, vee twin mag.

[33d6]

Thank you, thank you, that is the list I was hoping to see. Unfortunately it doesn't go high enough as obviously Triumph stopped using Bosch magnetoes in 1915 when WWI got in the way. There are mythical stories of British DR's trading for Bosch magnetoes in nomans land between the trenches but I think the truth of that is a job for MythBusters.
I have tried Googling but the only site I found with later Bosch info had a few glitches so I could browse the site but not the specific Bosch stuff.
Finally, the VCC referred to was the Victorian branch of the Veteran Car Club. I know one of the ex-editors and he is going through their archives for me. Hopefully he will come up with some later dates but I suspect it is the same list as the VCC would only be interested in the veteran years.
Thank you for your help so far,
Cheers,

[yebbut]

The WW1 DR myth may have more than a grain of truth.
When I was at school oh so many year ago, for religious lessons we had an dear old chap, a local vicar who was  a pilot in the RFC, he would show us tiny bits of shrapnel in his hands still there after several decades.

One of his tales was of the scramble to get to downed German planes to order to bag the magneto.
One of his pals was the famous Woodbine Willy. Dont supose any one knows who I am talking of now.

[esometisse]

for those who've never heard of Woodbine Willy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Anketell_Studdert_Kennedy

[yebbut]

Aye thats the bloke, that dont make them like that any more do they?

[crashburnfly]

You can also find info about Bosch Magnetos and the model types and dating them at -

http://www.go-faster.com/BoschMagnetoVeteran.html

Hope this is of use.