20601 Old State Rd., Haubstadt, IN 47639
The question frequently comes up in regard to determining the
year that Hercules and related engines were built. Records no
longer exist. Records at defunct Servel, Inc., were destroyed when
the Whirlpool Corporation took over the plant facilities in 1957.
The records at the Hercules Body Works, where replacement parts
were supplied from, were disposed of in 1955 when the business was
sold to a new owner. What is left now is the putting together of
bits and pieces of information to form a guideline for dating the
engines. Information used includes:
1. News articles relating to annual engine production.
2. Dated instruction and parts books.
3. Casting dates beginning in late 1924.
4. Illustrations in Sears & Roebuck catalogs.
5. Model letters stamped on the engine tags.
Using information from the above plus some less easily explained
clues, the following guide was developed. It is a guide and only
that. It is most accurate on the small size engines and least
accurate on the larger sizes.
Below is an estimate of production and the years produced: | ||
All Sparta | 40,000 | 1909 to 1913 |
Model D | 10,000 | First half of 1914 |
Model EW | Included/E | 1914 into 1915 |
Model E | 225,000 | Last half 1914 into 1923 |
Model F | 20,000 | Late 1921 into 1923 |
Model FW | 25,000 | Early 1923 into 1924 |
Model G | 5,000 | 1923 into 1924 |
Model H | 10,000 | Late 1923 into 1925 |
(Note that most of the models GH and the Jaegers with no model | ||
Model N | 5,000 | Primarily 1923 and 1924 |
Model S | 60,000 | Late 1924 into 1929 |
Model X | 18,000 | 1928 to 1932 |
Model J | 11,000 | 1930 to 1934 |
Below is a serial number guide for dating engines. It may | |
1914 | All D Models |
1914 | 50,000 to 60,000 |
1915 | 60,000 to 80,000 |
1916 | 80,000 to 105,000 |
1917 | 110,000 to 130,000 |
1918 | 130,000 to 165,000 |
1919 | 165,000 to 200,000 |
1920 | 200,000 to 235,000 |
1921 | 235,000 to 265,000 |
1922 | 265,000 to 280,000 |
1923 | 280,000 to 300,000 |
1924 | 300,000 to 319,000 |
1925 | 319,000 to 334,000 |
1926 | 334,000 to 352,000 |
1927 | 352,000 to 365,000 |
1928 | 365,000 to 372,000 |
0 to 7,000 X Models | |
1929 | 372,000 to 376,000 |
7,000 to 18,000 X Models | |
1930 | 0 to 4,600 J Models |
1931 | 4,600 to 7,500 J Models |
1932 | 7,500 to 9,200 J Models |
1933 & 1934 | 9,200 to 10,500 J Models |
