Engines in Finland

By Staff
Published on February 1, 1993
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Sirkkalankatu 10 A 3 SF 20500 Turku, Finland

My name is Juha Kaitanen. I am actually an antique car
enthusiast, but I have been helping some friends of mine who are
spending their spare time with old stationary engines.

I would like to get some information on Waterloo gasoline
engines manufactured by Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company in
Waterloo, Iowa. I would also like to get information on Waterloo
Gasoline Engine Company.

My father used to work, when retired, for the museum of local
history and culture in Vehmaa, the place where I was born. He
conducted the restoration of two genuine Waterloo engines-2 HP and
7 HP.

The restored engines owned by the museum are both K-engines, a 7
HP, serial number 215757, 360 r.p.m., and a 2 HP, serial number
222845, 575 r.p.m. The magnetos, both Wizard type 60 magnetos
manufactured by Hercules Electric Co., Minneapolis, Indiana, are
Model 12, No. 315913, and Model 20, No. 336126 respectively.

The museum also had engines #215758 and #215472, both 7 HP, 360
r.p.m., which were basically parts engines. The cooling tank
opening in engine No. 215758 is rectangular. In the other engines
it is more or less round. These were sold a few weeks ago to one
stationary engine enthusiast. Another one is sandblasted and
painted and the man is starting to assemble it. He would like to
get information on how to restore the ignitor, the mechanical spark
plug.

I have been writing with Mr. William Wallner, in Cave Junction,
Oregon, about these engines. With the help of Mr. Wallner I got a
repair parts list No. 16 and photocopy of a sales paper (Waterloo
Boy Gasoline Engines). In addition to that, Mr. Wallner has been a
great source of personal information and experience.

Waterloo engines here in Finland are equipped with Wizard
magnetos. Mr. Wallner wrote to me that he ‘has never seen a
Waterloo with a Wizard magneto’ and that ‘most of our
engines have a Webster magneto or no magneto, are fired by a
battery.’ So I would also like to gain information on Wizard
magnetos and the company, Hercules Electric Company in Minneapolis,
Indiana, which manufactured them.

All the Waterloo engines I know are K-type engines. They differ
quite a lot from Waterloo Boy engines. Do any of you readers know
when these K-type engines were manufactured? With the help of Mr.
Wallner I got some Waterloo Boy decals, but I think these K-type
engines had different decals on their cooling tank. Can anyone
confirm this?

Three firms here in Turku were manufacturing Waterloo type
engines: B. Wilen Company, K. E. Suominen Company and Alex Sjoholm
Company. I guess they didn’t have any license to make them,
they just copied them.

Stationary engines are becoming very popular here in Finland, so
there is a great need for proper information. I hope I can find
somebody who is able to throw some light into the darkness of
knowledge.

As I said I am an antique car enthusiast. I am restoring for
myself a Packard Six Touring Sedan from 1938, 1600. During my hobby
I have become interested in Packards in general and especially here
in Finland. During the history we have had some 12 Packard trucks.
Most of them were in use by our army. I have been writing with Mr.
David Lockard in York Springs, Pennsylvania about Packard trucks.
Last summer I visited him and his family. During my stay there I
and my family had a chance to take a tour in Bird-In-Hand, in
Lancaster County. We made a guided tour in Amish country. It was
very interesting.

Best Wishes from Finland.

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