1108 Emery Lane Clarksville, Indiana 47129-1508
The Fairbanks-Morse Company was started sometime in the year
1823, and by the 1920s was an extremely successful operation,
manufacturing and selling all manner of hardware type items,
especially for the farm. In 1913, the company abandoned its already
popular hopper cooled type N gas engine for a completely new
version called the Type Z. The type Z was an instant success. The
small and compact 1? HP Z Model D of 1928 was no exception. It was
successful from the beginning. The D was a very popular engine in
the 1920s, and today’s collectors of ‘old iron’ are
still enamored by this little jewel. Probably one reason for the
D’s popularity among today’s collectors is the fact it
weighs roughly 160 pounds, thus it is no problem to load or unload
at your favorite engine rally. Rated at 1? HP, the D could be
ordered from the factory with a variety of additions. These extras
could include an extended crankshaft, steel skids instead of wood,
and also an auxiliary water hopper made of sheet steel. Of course
all of these additions were added to the base price of the engine,
which was approximately $55.00.
However, by the late Thirties the base price had almost doubled.
Any additions such as steel skids instead of the traditional wood
skids added a hefty cost of $4.00 per unit. This would not be much
by today’s standards, however you must keep in mind the D was
being manufactured and sold during the period commonly referred to
as the ‘depression days,’ and $4.00 wasn’t easy to
obtain. At that particular time in history a used Model T Ford
automobile could be purchased for approximately $5.00. If a farmer
or a city dweller had intentions of buying a hopper-cooled gas
engine it is doubtful it would be ordered with any high-priced
additions unless they were absolutely necessary. However,
Fairbanks-Morse Company, like many large companies building and
selling gas engines, tried in every way to satisfy the wants of its
customers and, at the same time, produce an excellent product at a
reasonable price. Costwise the F-M D was competitive and, with a
large selection of special additions, the D was a popular source of
power.
1: View of the mixer side of the D, this is a
1938 model. Notice the groove in the flywheel! The 750 watt
generator is missing.
2: This photo reveals the extra long spark plug
wire that is necessary. Also note the street L for filling the
water hopper. There are no openings in the radiator to accomplish
this purpose.
3: This view shows the oil gauge and the FMJ
magneto. A muffler was not necessary. Photos numbered 1, 2, and 3,
are all views of the 1938 model.
4: A pair of D’s. The one on the left is a
1929 model without an oil gauge, but with original skids. Magneto
is an FMR. The D on the right is a 1942 which came equipped with an
oil gauge.
5: Different view of engines in photo 4. The D
on front is the 1942 model equipped with the FMJ magneto. Cart is
an original FM cart, but engines are just sitting on it for the
photo.
The D in photo #1(serial number 808616), year 1938, is one of
those special engines. It was described by Fairbanks-Morse Company
as a ‘totally self-contained, model A F-M electric light
plant.’ (See American Gasoline Engines by C. H.
Wendel, page 166.) This little D, rated at 1? HP, was equipped with
a belt pulley used to power a 750-watt generator, which was a very
much welcomed and needed addition, especially on farms with
numerous barns and milking parlors. Some of these generators were
in operation as late as the 1940s. Also available from the factory
at that time was a factory closed-hopper designed D. The water
hopper, being closed, was thus tapped and threaded to receive the
proper pipe connections. A tank was added to help in circulating
the additional water. Research has failed to reveal if the cooling
tank and water pipes were manufactured by the Fairbanks-Morse
Company. It would be very interesting to discover a D equipped with
an original factory cooling system. Over the years, I have owned
(and at the present time have) a 1929, ’31, ’32, ’38,
’40, and a 1943 model Fairbanks Morse D.
Unfortunately, none of these engines are closed-hopper and
tank-cooled design. When I rescued the D in the photos it was
missing part of the fan shroud and the generator. Somehow the D had
managed to survive the rigors of many winters of snow and rain by
being undercover, but not covered overall. Thus an even coat of
rust covers this little gem. However, despite these reversals, the
piston was free (the valves were a little tight), and the magneto
remained ‘hot.’ Quite a tribute to the engine builders of
that time. In my humble opinion, the F-M D is a pleasure to own and
operate.
Give one a shot of gas, and a decent spark and it will probably
run. Most observers (especially those visiting a gas engine show)
are amazed by the fact that the D has only one flywheel but remains
in perfect balance while humming along at a creditable clip. Again,
more credit to the designers and builders of the D. Ignition for
the early D’s was an F.M.H.T. magneto.
Fairbanks-Morse also used numerous other magnetos, among them
were a type J and a type R. These were all manufactured by the
Fairbanks-Morse Company. The J and R were simple to repair, thus
another selling point for the D.
Take your Fairbanks-Morse D to the next gas engine show, start
it, and let it run for the visitors. I will admit its
‘box-type’ design is not a thing of beauty, but I’ll
bet it will run and won’t let you down.
