General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

2

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

.1 METAL BASE & ELECTRODE, COPPER WASHER, PORCELAIN INSULATOR/.2 CARDBOARD

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

7.4 cm

Width

2.7 cm

Height

2.5 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Motorized Ground Transportation

Category

Automotive engineering

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

MCKINNON

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

City

St. Catharines

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

Period

C. 1965

Canada

FROM COLLECTION OF AUTOMOBILE PTS & SERVICING EQ ACQUIRED BY MR. T.H. OLIVER, FATHER OF DONOR, DURING CAREER IN AUTOMOTIVE SERVICING. AFTER WORKING AT WILLYS-OVERLAND & FAIRBANKS-MORSE IN TORONTO, & IN AUTO GARAGE IN AURORA, IN 1931 HE BEGAN HIS OWN BUSINESS, ONE PART OF WHICH INVOLVED AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRICAL SERVICING.

Function

PART OF IGNITION SYSTEM OF INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE; SPARK PLUG IS FITTED INTO CYLINDER OF ENGINE TO PROVIDE PAIR OF ELECTRODES BETWEEN WHICH IS PASSED ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE OR SPARK WHICH IGNITES MIXTURE OF GASOLINE VAPOUR & AIR.

Technical

BY 1960S SPARK PLUGS HAD BECOME KIND OF ULTIMATE CONSUMER PRODUCT IN AUTO INDUSTRY. PROMOTION BECAME INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT FACTOR IN MARKETING WITH CONSTANTLY CHANGING IMAGES SUCH AS THAT CREATED BY NAME "FIRE RING", INTENDED TO SUGGEST HIGH HEAT CHARACTERISTICS OF PLUG (REF. 1).

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

.1 GREEN LETTERING ON PORCELAIN READING "AC" & "44"; INCISED LETTERING ON BASE READING "MADE IN CANADA"/.2 BLUE, WHITE & RED LETTERING ON BOX ENDS READING "AC/ 44" & ON SIDES "AC/ FIRE RING/ SPARK/ PLUGS", "MANUFACTURED BY/ MCKINNON INDUSTRIES, LIMITED/ ST. CATHERINES, ONTARIO/ SUBSIDIARY OF/ GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION/ MADE INCANADA PRINTED IN CANADA" WITH PATENT INFO.

Missing

APPEARS COMPLETE

Finish

.1 DARK GREY BASE, WHITE PORCELAIN, COPPER COLOURED WASHER/.2 WHITE & MEDIUM BLUE

Decoration

.1 GREEN STRIPES ON RIBS