Wisconsin the Engine Capitol of the world? A friend & myself got to talking one day on a road trip and the subject of engines came up and just how prolific Wisconsin companies have been. As we rattled off those who have made both small & large engines over the years, our list was nothing short of amazing. See what you think. Wisconsin has been the home of small engines, most are gone but the biggest (Briggs & Stratton) still remains. This list includes Lawson/Techcumse, Clinton and Kohler who is still here. The Outboard boat engine was developed here by Ole Evinrude and is still built here as well as Kiekhaefer/Mercury. Wisconsin brand engines were found in many cars & tractors and even at Indy. Speaking of tractors, there has been Allis Chalmers (who developed the first turbo tractor engine) Milwaukee tractor became part of the original IH but I suspect that they bought their engines? Add JI Case and the Sampson tractor plant (that became a Chevy plant in Janesville) Other Auto manufactures include Nash/AMC /Chrysler + some Scooter company named Harley Davidson. Other notables include Fuller & Johnson, LeRoi, Waukesha & Fairbanks Morse. Oh, Harry Miller was a native son but produced his engines in CA. That looks like 17 at the least. We should be able to add to this list.
Stutz used Wisconsin engines including the T head Stutz Bearcat and a DOHC 4 valve per cylinder racing motor, both 4 cylinders.
and don't forget those big "Wisconsin" one cylinder engines.....have a few - one powers my 1947 Autocar
Thanks for expanding my knowledge. Didn't know any of this, always like to learn something new, everyday.
S&S builds H-D clone and high performance parts, as well as their X-Wedge engine, which is completely proprietary. Also Polaris is building the new Indian engines in Wisconsin.
......and they have phenomenal cheese. Don't forget to add Waukesha to your roster http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waukesha_Engine
Is this the same Wisconsin Engine Company that made air cooled engines (singles, twins, and V4s) in the 40s and on up, that became Wisconsin Robin, then Subaru-Robin
James charter , an enginer for Fairbanks Morse built an engine that ran on 50/50 water and gasoline. I am assuming it was built in wisconsin due to his employment by FM.
you mentioned Clinton engines....i don't recall them being made in Wisconsin? i know they started in Clinton Michigan and moved to Maquoketa Iowa. when i was VERY little i was in the Iowa plant once with my father that's pronounced ma-coke-it-ah
My bad on Clinton...Kissels-I know that they outsourced many of their engines & did not research them. The McCulloch lead is interesting, can you tell us more? And check out this Bad Boy below. Built by the predecessor of Allis Chalmers in 1890-91. 10 whoppin' steam powered rpm, 40 ft flywheel, 540 tons. Biggest of it's type ever built. If you are ever in Iron Mountain, MI...
Just saw this on Smokstak: Milwaukee had unusually high levels of engine innovation. The Davis Mfg. Co. appears to be a job shop with an interest in making high precision tools . They made a lot of boxer internal combustion engines on contract and made improvements like adjustable main bearings, improved rocker arms, oil pumps. 5/2021: I was all exited that I had found a new one but I see that I had mentioned Davis.. They had a large plant at 66th & Mitchel and produced Tractor & Boat engines before being purchased by Avery Tractor.
Amazing ,ain't it once you start looking around.I started taking pictures of industrial junk laying around here in Fairbanks,Alaska of anything that had Milwaukee or Wisconsin somewhere on it.Not necessarily engines.
Good to see Kahlenberg mentioned. They started business in 1895.They built some of the earliest diesel engines in America.They didn't take government money during WWII which probably saved them.One of the things that killed their engine program was they weren't able to compete any longer with the then newer ,high speed, lower cost engines like the 6-71 GMC.
To add to the tractors that were built/are built there, there is Jacobsen and the Economy Power King line.
mitchel made cars and motorcycles in racine. racine made the castings for pierce motorcycle engines and harley. around 27th and clevland was the flying mercal motorcycle company. it is rumored that harley ripped off his frame designs when they built there first bikes. the mercal was a over head valve design. it was way ahead in its day. later on becoming the miami motorcycle co. painted bright orange. my favorite antique motorcycle.
Just snapped this in a friend's garage, it's a Wisconsin Engine from a 1912 Stutz. Something like 400 cubes! Aluminum case with cast iron cylinder/head assys. Wisconsin also served Kissel & Allis Chalmers among others from over by Burnham street don't-ya-know. All the hardware is now loose, wonder when it last ran...
That is a pretty amazing list. Wisconsin and engines appears to be like Indiana with car manufacturers (not to mention RV companies). If you have never been to the Cord / Auburn museum you will be amazed at the total numbers. - EM
Ron Hoettels, SESCO Midget racing engines, Glendale Wi., changed the face of Midget racing, from Offy's, to Sesco's, late 60's, into 70's. Original 4 cylinder design, used part of a Chev V8 block and head, custom crankcase, Chevy 2 crank, carillo rods, dry sump, roller cam, original about 190/200 HP, through the years and development got up to 320+ and almost 9000 rpm, 2001/2. (Total production, over 200)I purchased one in 1974, worked for Ron, learned some things be that served me well the rest of my career/life, the finest racing engine ever produced IMO. I had several different types/brands through 20+ years and nothing was comparable to the Sesco for reliability, ease of maintenance, value/performance for the dollars spent.
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