Swamps Magneto Shed

06/08/2026

01/09/2025

Hi all friends of Zoch’s Magnetos. My name is Ian Swampy Marsh and for some time now I have been working along side Chris with a goal to take over Zochy’ magneto Repairs. As at approximately 15 August we started moving all machinery and stock to my Shed at Swansea. We are now busy setting back up and cracking on.
I would like to thank Chris Zoch and his lovely wife Anna for opening their home to Lynne and myself❤️. Chris kept me well caffeinated and Anna kept me well fed thank you so much. ( i put on 6kg)A new Friendship has been the biggest bonus from the whole adventure. Plenty of laughs.
Os If I can be of assistance please call me on the number below.
0424 011 767

20/12/2024

Dearest customers:

Thank you for your continued support, loyalty, and trust this year.
We appreciate your business and look forward to serving you in the future. It has been a pleasure to work with you and do our bit to help you realise your projects completion.

We wish to announce the arrival of a new member of the Zochys team.
Ian Marsh (aka Swampy) has already spent some time with us and will join us in the new year.
We look forward to having a positive impact on the lead times of our jobs.

Have a joyful holiday season everyone!! Welcome Ian!
Merry Christmas and a fabulous 2025 to everyone.
Wishing love and peace today, tomorrow and always,

Chris and Ana (aka Zochy’s)

17/04/2022

Another Sensational time at the Bathurst Rally. Way too long since Ive been there.
Am Grateful To Damon Jay Power Of Gold Star Repairs to be able to share accomodation and swing a leg over some immaculate A10 BSAs... Rockets and rocket Goldie. Was good to contrast my A7SS and 650 Norton.
As usual lots of great people to mix with and such a huge range of bikes.. If you want an idea what was on offer, swing over to Damo's site theres 40+ photos to enjoy.

PS thanks to young Bailey Power for bike wrangling and helping with morning tea and lunch catering.

14/01/2022

Another Lucas K2F set to resume life Powering a BSA A10. People sling off about lucas and some criticism is well deserved, but you have to remember they are at least 60 years old...
And while i'm reminded of some deserved criticism....

Its Known some K2F armatures can break at the drive end (ie steel shaft comes loose in the brass end)
I have made it a policy to through bolt all K2F armature ends with a 5/16 HT bolt from inside the housing: regardless of whether the armature has a 15mm drive end bearing or 18mm.
Most of the armatures that fail are15mm, but I have seen enough 18mm ones break to decide to modify all of them.

I cannot understand how the original design engineer concluded that a 12.7mm shaft would be adequately anchored through a mere 15mm brass sleeve when it only goes 3mm into the actual large diameter of the drive end casting. No wonder they switched to 18mm brass journal in 1951.

It is perhaps not surprising that Lucas made their Racing magnetos (NOT Competition) with a full stainless steel drive end to avoid embarrassing failures.
Sadly Compy mags run the same brass armature ends as the regular mags.
Both armatures below from K2F and K2FR were rewound by the Zochy's Magnetos winding department specialist:

AKA Ana Zoch

07/09/2021

Lucas KNR1 racing magneto, awaiting a new screw on cap. These were selectively assembled in the factory and it was reccommended to return them to the factory for service at the end of each season.
The "Competition" versions were not the same. The winding is different on the race version and most notably the drive end of the armature is all Stainless Steel. This no doubt was to avoid the occasional issue with the steel shaft coming loose in the brass casting of the standard drive end used in normal road going and competition magnetos.
The KNR1 was used on BSA Gold Stars for road racing and Probably some Manx Nortons. Some Manx's and the AJS 7R used the NR1: similar magneto but lower (35mm) platform height.

08/08/2021

While i'm on the subject of magnetos that are more than 100years old....

It is really satisfying to work on an item so old that has not been butchered. This armature out of a 1913 Bosch ZEV Magneto.
The Stake marks you can see on screws in the end of the armature were put there by the operator who assembled it in 1913!

Judging by the indexing mark in the other photo the operator was on workstation no 4.... Bosch Quality control. Most of the alloy parts on the early Bosch Mags have numbers stamped in them for similar reasons.

As per the stamp on the armature it is for a 45 degree V twin and this one will find use on an Excelsior.

08/08/2021

Finally catching up on the backlog and well overdue to post something......

I've only ever seen one of these.
Berling 4 cylinder magneto from 1917 Henderson 4 cyl Motorcycle. As you see from the photo of the engine and the sketch in the handbook, its the correct item for the bike. Very unusual distributior arrangement buried under the magnets. Nice to have it making sparks again and almost ready to bolt on.