29-05-2013, 03:22 PM
Just an update on the large cabinet in the advertisement. The owner has been doing some research, and it seems very likely that the large test set is an ignition tester. It's dated 1944 and made by a company called Runbaken, who were based in Manchester, and made many products for motorists and the garage trade. What puzzles me is that the word "millimetres" appears on the fascia. Even when I started motoring in 1970, points and plug gaps were usually expressed in thousandths of an inch. Why millimetres in this case? Also, being 1944, private motoring would have been fairly limited. I wonder if the set could have been made for military use? Does it seem likely with a wooden cabinet? This has intrigued me a bit (I know, I should get out more), so any observations welcome. By the way, Runbaken made those "Oilcoil" ignition coils which I'm sure some of you remember.
