battery ignition vs magneto in old vehicle

I recently got an old tractor and previous owner added a battery powered ignition coil going though the magneto rather than rebuilding the magneto to work properly. in restoring this 75 year old machine im determined to make the magneto fire once again and have reliability.
I guess this is my way of thinking that I can have a vehicle that can run no matter what might happen in the future. beauty of these old machines is they can be made to run with no battery, no electricity needed and even no gasoline or commercial distillates if I put together a wood gasifier piped into the carburetor intake side. since the engine is quite small and transmission geared the way it is it can be a work horse or transportation through all types of terrain with minimal fuel required.

Sounds like a good project. Good luck with it. As for wood gas, just be careful. That is a good way to do yourself in if you don't build it right.

Probably just need to replace the original coil inside the mag. Kind of pricey if I remember right, but should be available somewhere. I've got a 1940 tractor that begs to be changed back to a magneto. Then I could stop buying new batteries every couple of years.

Howdy.
Depending on the make and model of the magneto. The coils are available.
See Smokestack site for possible parts and info. It might not be the coil either. Also. If it has an impulse coupling in the drive end of the mag. Check fir worn parts of the coupler. They can get loose ,jam and break the housing of the magneto.

And. The FEMA website of all places. Has plans for making a wood gas generator if you desire to tinker. Old issues of Mother Earth news have plans as
Well which are found with a web search.
Good luck. JS.

yeah there are a bunch of places with parts. brillman I found to be one of the best for all kinds of vehicle electrical and ignition stuff, the highest quality available and in case of the j4 magneto coil the lowest price by far

We had a H one time the timing or something was off?? Had to be run with a point gap that was twice normal. Ran for years that way. I would say 500 hours plus. Raking hay and pulling 2 X16 plow 8" to 10" deep. In the end it was to hard to move around as 5th gear was once in a blue moon. 5 to 6 mile trip was 3 to 4 hours.

Super H had with a 300 head and very hard to crank start; about 35 HP. Starter was going towards the end. Still here at farm rough as hell but still here. Full weights and water in 13.6 x 38 .