CASE Magnetos The Best!!

Several of you asked if I would post on what I knew of the CASE Mags. Before CASE built their own mags, they purchased mags from American Bosch for the "C" "L" & "R" Series, and for the "V" CASE used either a Fairbanks-Morse or Edison-Splitdorf. In a Model "K" Cross Engine parts book, I find a Robert Bosch mag listed. I do not know if that is different than an American Bosch. Also in the same book, CASE lists a Berling mag and a Splitdorf mag. Does the Splitdorf pre-date the Edison Splitdorf? I don't know.
In the parts books for the "C" & "L" it appears that CASE started furnishing their own CASE Magnetos in 1938. They would have been Base Mount mags, then the flange mounts on the "S" Series & "DC" Series. For some reason, the "LA" and "D" series continued with the Base Mounts. In 1957 with the introduction of the big 600 LP's, CASE introduced a 6 cyl. Flange Mount Mag and this mag was optional ignition on the 900. CASE Magneto ignition was optional on the VAC 200 300 350 400 400B 500B 600B,700 & 800 also.
I can remember my Dad telling the CASE people in the very late 50's, "You build the greatest engine in the world and put the poorest ignition on it with a distributor". In the late 50's,the only way Dad could get a new tractor in with Magneto ignition was to order it that way from the factory.
As you can see by the display in the picture, CASE offered their magnetos to any competitor for any engine that could use one, and that included Aircraft. CASE Aircraft Magnetos were almost the same mag as used on the farm tractors, except the cap was different, and instead of a drive tang, the aircraft mag had a gear on the front. In the aircraft industry, CASE Mags were held in high regard.
It had to be 1959 when CASE sold the Magneto Division to it's manager, Jim Slick, who bought the whole division, tooling, parts and everything and formed Slick Electro. His trademark was a lightening bolt on top of the globe instead of Old Abe. Very similar. At that point, CASE must have had some agreement with Mr. Slick because CASE no longer furnished parts for their mags. I have had former employees of CASE tell me that at that time they cleaned the shelves of magneto parts, some into boxes & some into dumpsters. I did a quick google search and it appears Slick is owned by Champion Aerospace.
That's all I know.

Slick is the big name in small aircraft magnetos.

Thanks John. A good magneto, is better than a distributor, any day. That said VERY few people understand or can repair a mag.

and I agree with that!

Very good John, enjoyed the history. Thank you

I think I have posted this before but 40 years ago a gentlemen who ran a carb/electric shop who worked on case mags claimed that when they were in shape the were the hottest mags available. I watched one on his converted distributer scope throwing a spark over one half inch.

I think I have posted this before but 40 years ago a gentlemen who ran a carb/electric shop who worked on case mags claimed that when they were in shape the were the hottest mags available. I watched one on his converted distributer scope throwing a spark over one half inch.

Very interesting history. Around here, we have always considered the Case mags, especially the flange mount, to be among the best and most reliable mags, and have generally preferred mags to distributors, to avoid reliance on batteries on the flambeau models.

The first of the SC's were equipped with the Edison Splitdorf. The D series switched from base mount to flange mount in late 41 or 42, probably coinciding with the introduction of the flange mount. I wonder why the LA didn't follow suit.