Trivia time perhaps, but Martin's comment on Austin versus Morris (see previous postings on fitting mag to a Chummy) set me to wondering if that was really the main reason why Austin went to coil ignition. Herbert Austin had a poor record for getting in first or best when it came to purchasing other companies. Firstly he was outbid by William Morris for Wolseley, which really upset him. Then when he was thinking of purchasing CAV (the lamps fitted to Sevens in early years), he found that (a) C.A.Vandervill didn't make them, but Worsnop, later Samuel Heath, made them for CAV and (b) Lucas had got in first (1925) and they officially took over in 1926. That's why some '26 Chummies were fitted with H&B (Howes and Burley) lamps. (The Lucas lamps fitted from then were exactly the same dimensions as the CAV except they had slot-and-twist rims as agaist the former screw-on rims). Austin was furious with this take-over as he didn't wish to have the same equipment fitted as Morris had been doing for some time. Then, after negotiations the previous year, in 1927 Lucas took over BLIC (Birmingham Lighting and Ignition Company), a subsiduary of Vickers (who had taken over Wolseley in earlier days, probably the main reason for Herbert to leave and start his own company). The Lucas purchase of BLIC again made Austin unhappy as he didn't like Lucas. When driven at high revs, the BLICs tended to throw their windings, but Austin presumably was happy to use them rather than deal again with Lucas. Despite his single-mindness, Herbert was left with no alternative business-choice as no other suppliers had the capacity to supply his production needs, thus a variety of mags were fitted 1927-on. Lucas had been experimenting with Coil ignition and most was done in 1927 on an Austin Seven Chummy as a mobile test bed. Many would not be aware that the Continental versions of the Seven were fitted with coil ignition before the late-28 Longbridge models were, so I'm told. The same year Lucas secretly bought out Rist (horns fitted to A7s), this being not revealed until 34 years later, but had Austin known it would have made him unhappier still. Although in later years Sevens were fitted with Lucas screen-wipers (patented 1927, catalogued 1929) and Luvax (Lucas, CAV, Rotax) shock absorbers fitted to factory racers, Herbert Austin was never happy dealing with that company. When it became obvious that most companies, not only Morris, were going for coil ignition, Herbert made the only decision possible. So Austins were amongst the fore-leaders for a change. Perhaps there'll be plenty of people around to say they all made a retrograde step? Finally, whilst Morris was a component, perhaps the intermediate company was the crux of the argument.
Cheers, Bill in Oz.

Many thanks Bill, very interesting. Will print off and keep in the archive. Ian M

Just one point Bill, BLIC mags have rotating magnets, so how do they "throw their windings"?

Ken, as anything electrical is a foreign language to me, I have no idea of the innards of any mag, even the BLICs on my Pramhoods, so you'll have to ask someone with expertise. I've only repeated contemporary reports when they were used in different racing Sevens.
Having re-read my article I notice one amendment required : where Lucas used a Seven as a test bed for coil ignition, please omit the word Chummy (typed from habit) as I've been unable to establish if car was a Chummy, a Saloon or what. Cheers, Bill in Oz