SPARK-O-MATIC - uh, uh, it's a SOLAR-SPARK

Create a thread to track the progress of you MB/GPW restoration progress. Previously a General Discussion board.
Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

SPARK-O-MATIC - uh, uh, it's a SOLAR-SPARK

Post by Joe Gopan » Thu Aug 29, 2013 3:11 pm

During the 40's there was an ignition coil with the brand name SPARK-O-MATIC. I have encountered these in WWII Packaging, they have the features of the Auto-Lite Coils as installed on MB/GPW and Dodge. They were supposedly made by Auto-Lite and were Black with a 2" Square decal with the Spark-O-Matic logo.
Has anyone seen these before?

I goofed, the name is "SOLAR SPARK".
Last edited by Joe Gopan on Mon Dec 25, 2017 6:34 pm, edited 2 times in total.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO


Warren Duchesne
G-Colonel
G-Colonel
Posts: 1769
Joined: Sun Dec 22, 2002 4:47 pm
Location: Monroe , La

Re: SPARK-O-MATIC

Post by Warren Duchesne » Thu Aug 29, 2013 5:54 pm

I have one of those . I think it was in a 12 volt WW2 Jeep radio conversion kit . Warren Duchesne

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: SPARK-O-MATIC

Post by Joe Gopan » Thu Aug 29, 2013 6:07 pm

And I have one NOS WWII Issue in 6 Volt.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

User avatar
raymond
G-General
G-General
Posts: 8115
Joined: Mon Jan 15, 2007 1:53 pm
Location: God's country, Clarksville Mo.

Re: SPARK-O-MATIC

Post by raymond » Fri Aug 30, 2013 6:31 am

I remember Spark o matic as a really cheap (read junk) car stereo brand back in the 1980's.

Raymond
"On the day when crime puts on the apparel of innocence, through a curious reversal peculiar to our age, it is innocence that is called on to justify itself." Albert Camus

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: SPARK-O-MATIC

Post by Joe Gopan » Sat Aug 31, 2013 6:29 am

I have sold at least 100 WWII GI Spark-O-Matics since the 50's, have one left. They sold well in the early MVPA Supply Line classifieds to Dodge owners.
They were in WWII Packaging from Dodge, and Many Dodge WC's shared the same 6 Volt Coil with MB/GPW.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

The Fireman
U.S.M.C. Veteran
U.S.M.C. Veteran
Posts: 1399
Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2003 8:52 am
Location: Banjoland, So. Orygun Territorium

Re: SPARK-O-MATIC

Post by The Fireman » Sun Sep 01, 2013 5:00 pm

I concur with Raymond. I have a 6t5 GTO, tri-power, 4 speed and had a spark o matic radio/tape player in an under the dash mount. It was a piece of sh*t. It is not there anymore. Good thing I didn't pay very much at a swap meet, so no great loss. But what a pile of junk.

Frank
The Fireman
NRG

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: SPARK-O-MATIC

Post by Joe Gopan » Sun Sep 01, 2013 5:10 pm

There is quite a difference between a 1940's era ignition Coil and a mid 60's tape deck.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

User avatar
Chuck Lutz
Gee Addict
Posts: 26829
Joined: Wed Jun 28, 2006 7:00 am
Location: Jeep Heaven

Re: SPARK-O-MATIC

Post by Chuck Lutz » Mon Sep 02, 2013 4:26 pm

Frank......You have a '65 GTO?

darn...the two coolest cars I had back in the day were a '57 Bel-Air 2-dr HT and later on a red '65 GTO. This was around 1967/1968 and in addition to the Crimp One Off 8-track mounted above the console on the bottom of the dash....I had dropped spindles installed up front at 50-50 Muffler and some Caddy coil springs with air bags in them on the rear that gave her about 4-6 inches lift all around.....some American mags and big tires completed the rig.

Despite some major HISS from that POS 8-track (virtually state-of-the-art for the late '60s) we'd go cruising on the weekends down the El Camino all the way to San Jose almost, sometimes over the San Mateo Bridge and either back over the SF/Oakland Bay Bridge or....maybe over the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge if we were rolling.... with or without the girlfriends.

Made me think of what we listened to on that crappy stereo....yes friends, STEREO was still kinda new in cars...
Doors..."Light My Fire" or "Break On Through"
Cream..."Croosroads" or "White Room" or...
Stones...hey all that stuff

.....how 'bout 11 minutes of "Time Has Come Today"...?

Ah well....now it's an automatic trans instead of a 4-speed but the car has a smokin' audio system right from the factory...maybe crank up "Blurred Lines" or an assortment of pop songs.....

Or just dial in Tom Donahue on KMPX and hear what Big Daddy was spinnin'.....
Chuck Lutz

GPW 17963 4/24/42 Chester, PA. USA 20113473 (USA est./Tom W.)
Bantam T3-C 1947

Fortyeight2A
G-Lieutenant General
G-Lieutenant General
Posts: 4991
Joined: Sat Jun 10, 2006 11:40 pm
Location: Colorado

Re: SPARK-O-MATIC

Post by Fortyeight2A » Mon Sep 02, 2013 8:22 pm

I still listen to "Light My Fire", "Crossroads", "Time Has Come Today", and almost anything by the Stones. They're all on CDs now. No tape hiss, but I don't have anything in the Wrangler to play them.

I found it interesting that the one white guy was the Chambers Brothers' drummer....
Is it true real Jeeps have flat fenders?
Alone cannot you it resist!

User avatar
gerrykan
G-General
G-General
Posts: 9303
Joined: Fri Apr 07, 2006 3:37 am
Location: Ozark Mountains, USA

Re: SPARK-O-MATIC

Post by gerrykan » Tue Sep 03, 2013 3:34 am

You only bought one Spark-O-Matic stereo, after that you saved your money for something of better quality.
Like Pioneer, Kenwood, or Blaupunkt.
Roy

The Fireman
U.S.M.C. Veteran
U.S.M.C. Veteran
Posts: 1399
Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2003 8:52 am
Location: Banjoland, So. Orygun Territorium

Re: SPARK-O-MATIC

Post by The Fireman » Tue Sep 03, 2013 9:32 am

Roy,

You are right on with that. One Spark-0-Matic in a lifetime is enough. The only issue with the 8 track is when the tapes gets worn. When I put on Fleetwood Mac, I have to position a paper matchbook just right or Stevie Nicks sounds a little wierd. The Stones are sometimes the same way depending upon the interior temperature of the Goat.

What is really neat is when I show the car, the most often comment, is something like this "Wow, look it has an 8 track".

Frank
The Fireman
NRG

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: SPARK-O-MATIC

Post by Joe Gopan » Wed Feb 26, 2014 1:34 pm

I goofed, the other WWII G-503 GI-6 Volt Replacement Coil was "SOLAR-SPARK", not Spark-O-Matic. They were more common on DODGE but were same as the MB/GPW Coil less the ground stud. .
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: SPARK-O-MATIC - uh, uh, it's a SOLAR-SPARK

Post by Joe Gopan » Mon Dec 25, 2017 6:33 pm

Any G-503 owners with SOLAR SPARK Coils? They are identical in appearance to AutoLite.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

Joe Gopan
Jeep Heaven
Posts: 49841
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: Proving Ground

Re: SPARK-O-MATIC - uh, uh, it's a SOLAR-SPARK

Post by Joe Gopan » Wed Feb 28, 2018 9:19 am

Anyone know the connection between SOLAR-SPARK and AUTO LITE ignition coils? They have identical features.
2011 MVPA PIONEER AWARD - MVPA #1064
HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
7 MIL SPEC MAINTAINED MV'S
COL. BRUNO BROOKS (ARMY MOTORS) IS MY HERO

conrod6
G-Captain
G-Captain
Posts: 749
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2016 9:30 pm
Location: teignmouth Devon UK

Re: SPARK-O-MATIC - uh, uh, it's a SOLAR-SPARK

Post by conrod6 » Sun Mar 04, 2018 4:05 am

Like this one - ? Just sold on fleabay UK for £51.

Barrie
Attachments
s-l64 (3).jpg
s-l64 (3).jpg (1.45 KiB) Viewed 870 times
s-l64 (2).jpg
s-l64 (2).jpg (1.41 KiB) Viewed 870 times
s-l64 (1).jpg
s-l64 (1).jpg (1.48 KiB) Viewed 870 times
GPW 101005 DOD 3-2-43 20207773 (actual) Louisville


Post Reply

Return to “MB GPW Restoration Projects”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 45 guests