34361 Schwartz Road, Avon, Ohio 44011
This unusual looking engine turned up in a couple places while I
was researching material for a book on antique engines. The ad is a
copy of the manufacturer’s advertising used in many of the
trade magazines from the period 1909 until 1914. The Burtt
Manufacturing Company used this advertisement for the 2 HP spark
plug fired engine in hopes of mail order sales. A close look at the
ad shows that the engine was painted and trimmed in a very
elaborate fashion. The picture of one of the surviving Burtt hopper
cooled 2 HP engines shows how ornate the engine really was. While
walking around viewing other engines I remember that the height of
the engine compared to the width and length seemed somewhat out of
proportion.
Did the base of this engine catch your eye? Notice the distance
from the bottom of the base or the cart in the photo to the
cylinder head or the center of the crank shaft. The gas tank is
hidden in the base of the engine. The length of connecting rod and
distance to the crank shaft were also observed to be very
compact.
I’d like to ask all you readers out there who have any old
advertising information, photos, magazines, manufacturers
advertising or manuals on rare engines to contact me. I’m
interested in completing a reference book for our antique engines.
Any research information that might help add to gas engine history
would be appreciated. Please contact me by phone, mail, or visit.
Our hobby needs your help to complete these stories and add more to
the overall printed information on the early internal combustion
engines here in America.
