You’re looking at a piece of metal or plastic, maybe a bit weathered, and you see those two jagged lines. Most people immediately think of history books, but for a very specific group of engine builders and vintage military vehicle restorers, the ss rune points cover is a practical, albeit controversial, component that sits right at the intersection of mechanical necessity and dark historical weight. It’s a part that doesn't just "fit" an engine; it carries a heavy legacy that makes sourcing, buying, or even displaying it a logistical and ethical maze.
Honestly, if you're scouring forums or eBay for one of these, you've probably realized that "easy" isn't in the vocabulary.
The reality is that "points covers"—those small protective shields for ignition systems—were standard on a massive variety of mid-20th-century machinery. But when you add the specific "SS" runic insignia, you’re no longer just talking about a dust cover for a distributor. You’re talking about equipment produced specifically for the Waffen-SS divisions during the 1930s and 40s, often used on motorcycles like the BMW R12, R75, or the Zündapp KS750. These weren't just decorative. They were part of a terrifyingly efficient military machine, and today, they are some of the most faked items on the collector market.
What an SS Rune Points Cover Actually Does
Mechanically, it’s simple. The points cover protects the contact breaker points from road grime, oil, and moisture. If you’ve ever tried to kickstart a vintage flat-twin in the rain, you know exactly why this little piece of metal matters. Without it, your ignition timing goes to hell, the bike misfires, and you’re left stranded.
On the specific German military models, these covers were often cast from aluminum or pressed steel. The inclusion of the runes was a matter of organizational branding. Every branch of the Wehrmacht had its specific markings, and the SS-controlled units were no different. You’ll see these covers most often on the front of the engine block or side-mounted, depending on the specific magneto or distributor setup. They are small. Maybe three or four inches across. But the impact they have on the "correctness" of a restoration is massive for purists.
It’s worth noting that not every bike used by these units had a branded ss rune points cover. In fact, many were just standard civilian or generic military parts. The ones with the runes were often part of specific contracts or later reproductions made to look like high-tier officer equipment.
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Spotting the Fakes in a Flooded Market
Let's be real: 90% of what you see online labeled as an "authentic wartime SS points cover" is a modern casting.
Collectors like Doug Banks and various experts on the Wehrmacht-Awards forums have pointed this out for decades. The "fakers" have gotten incredibly good. They take a standard, period-correct Bosch or Noris cover and simply stamp or engrave the runes into it. Or, more commonly, they create a sand-cast mold from an original and churn out "aged" versions using acid baths to simulate 80 years of corrosion.
How do you tell? Look at the edges of the runes.
Original wartime castings were usually crisp but showed the limitations of mass production during a resource-strained era. If the runes look too perfect, or if the metal has a weirdly "soapy" texture typical of modern cheap aluminum alloys, walk away. Genuine period pieces often have specific inspector marks—Waffenamt codes like WaA—stamped somewhere on the inside or flange. If those codes don't match the manufacturer of the ignition system (like Bosch), the piece is a fantasy item.
Why the Legal Landscape is a Minefield
You can’t talk about the ss rune points cover without talking about the law. If you are in Germany, France, or several other European countries, the public display of these symbols is strictly regulated under laws like the German Strafgesetzbuch section 86a.
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This means that even if you are a legitimate restorer working on a museum-grade BMW R75, you can't just ride around with the runes exposed. Many restorers in Europe use "sanitized" covers for shows and only swap the branded ones on for private collections or specific educational displays. In the U.S., the market is more open, but major platforms like eBay and Etsy have strict policies against the sale of items featuring these symbols.
This has pushed the trade into the "underground" of private militaria shows and specialized forums. It makes the price volatile. One day a cover might go for $50 as a "repro," and the next, a verified original might fetch $500 from a collector who needs that specific piece to complete a 100-point restoration.
The Mechanical Fitment Reality
If you’re actually trying to put one of these on a bike, you need to know the bolt patterns. Most people assume "one size fits all" for vintage German bikes. Wrong.
- Bosch Magnetos: Use a specific two-screw horizontal mount.
- Noris Ignitions: Often have a deeper, bowl-shaped cover.
- Auto-Union/DKW: Use a much smaller, snap-on or single-screw cover.
If you buy an ss rune points cover designed for a BMW R12 and try to shove it onto a KS750, you’re going to have a bad time. The clearance for the advance/retard lever is often different. I’ve seen guys ruin expensive original covers by trying to dremel them to fit the wrong housing. Don't be that guy.
Restoration vs. Glorification: The Fine Line
There is a massive debate in the vintage vehicle community about whether these parts should even be used.
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Some argue that a restoration should be "as it left the factory," meaning if the bike had the runes, the restoration should too. Others find it unnecessary. They argue that the mechanical history of the machine is what matters, not the political branding of the era. Most serious museums, like the Heeresgeschichtliches Museum in Vienna, focus on the technical evolution, often leaving the symbols present but focusing the narrative on the engineering.
For the individual owner, it’s a personal choice, but one that comes with a lot of social friction. If you’re showing a bike at a general vintage show, having an exposed ss rune points cover is a quick way to get uninvited. Most veterans of the hobby suggest having a plain "blank" cover for public events and keeping the insignia piece for the garage.
Actionable Steps for Sourcing and Identification
If you are determined to find an authentic piece or a high-quality reproduction for a historical build, you need a strategy. Don't just Google it and click the first link.
- Check the Metallurgy: Take a magnet to it. While most are aluminum, some late-war "ersatz" parts were made of low-grade steel. If it's aluminum, look for "pitting" that looks natural, not drilled.
- Verify the Manufacturer: Cross-reference the part number on the cover with the ignition system. If the cover says "Bosch" but the runes look like they were carved by a drunk squirrel, it’s a fake.
- Use Specialized Forums: Sites like the Yesterday's Antique Motorcycles or The Military Workshop are better than generic social media. The guys there have seen thousands of these and can spot a reproduction from a grainy photo.
- Understand the "Fantasy" Factor: Be aware that many "SS" parts were never actually made during the war. Symbols were often added to standard parts post-war to increase their value to unsuspecting tourists or novice collectors.
Buying an ss rune points cover is basically a lesson in history, metallurgy, and ethics all rolled into one small hunk of metal. Whether you're a historian or a gearhead, the key is knowing exactly what you're holding—and why it exists in the first place. Verify the casting marks, know your local laws, and always prioritize the mechanical integrity of the machine over the "look" of the insignia.