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Ever wonder WHY Ford stopped putting on the ABEL and switched to a BENDIX?
Ever wonder WHY Ford advised the FORD shops to replace the ABEL starter with a BENDIX?
Putting 'correct' "Blue Ribbon Show Standards" aside, if you drive your car much, you might want to listen to what Henry Ford was saying about the early ABEL starter. It was just not up to the task; the BENDIX was specifically designed to overcome the ABEL short-comings.
It is a different world now - a different Model A world, than when we were all driving the Ford Model A in the 1950's and 1960's (and earlier too, ofcourse). Back then dependability and reliability trumped authenticity and historic accuracy. Everyone I knew, including myself, pretty much followed the recommendations and directions of the FORD SERVICE BULLETINS. That included changing the unreliable ABEL with the BENDIX starter motor.
Of course all this pre-supposes that you prefer dependability and reliability over 'correctness'. On my early '28 cars, my ABEL starter motors never failed. But as these were daily drivers, I did not want to 'tempt fate' or risk a future brake down, so I followed Henry Ford (and his extraordinary Engineers) advice and replaced the ABEL with a BENDIX.