Mystery starter drive

RUNNERBUN

RUNNERBUN

Well-known member
I have removed the starter motor from a recently acquired Model A ford and was surprised to see that the drive assembly is unlike any I have seen before. Can anyone throw any light on this type of drive assembly. It appears to be fitted to the earlier half inch shaft.
 

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That would be the earliest style of starter drive, the Abel drive. This style of drive was only used unitl about August or Septemeber of 1928, when the switch was made to the Bendix style of drive.
 
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RUNNERBUN said:
I have removed the starter motor from a recently acquired Model A ford and was surprised to see that the drive assembly is unlike any I have seen before. Can anyone throw any light on this type of drive assembly. It appears to be fitted to the earlier half inch shaft.
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Just a guess, but it looks like what's left (insides) of a 'modern drive' ?
 
I think Henry didnt want to pay royalties to Bendix,so he came up with the Abel drive.Apparently it didnt work out to well,so they came out with the Bendix drive to replace it.I would think the Abel drive is very rare as I have never seen one in 60 years of working on A,s.
 
This drive is certainly not the remains of a modern drive. It is totaly complete and functional and in current use.
Henry did use the Bendix style in the Model T Ford and I would think it highly unlikely that he would not then use the Bendix on the Model A.
Im thinking that it might be an after market replacent sold by other manufaturers to cash in on the Ford popularity and spare parts matket.
 
RUNNERBUN said:
This drive is certainly not the remains of a modern drive. It is totaly complete and functional and in current use.
Henry did use the Bendix style in the Model T Ford and I would think it highly unlikely that he would not then use the Bendix on the Model A.
Im thinking that it might be an after market replacent sold by other manufaturers to cash in on the Ford popularity and spare parts matket.
Click to expand...
As previously stated, it is not the remains of and aftermarket drive but the early Abel drive. If you look at page 10 of the September 1928 service bulletins, there is a picture of the drive in the upper left corner. It is not often seen because when the bendix drive started to be fitted in production, dealers could upgrade the abel to a bendix as per later service bulletins.
 
Thanks to all for your input. All very interesting. Criswellnk, that link to the Early Starter Discussion Thread was very informative and interesting. Many thanks.
 
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