The members of our gasoline engine hobby have received exciting
news of a major breakthrough in dating engines produced by the
Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company of Waterloo, Iowa. All Waterloo
engines produced from 1906 through 1923 can now have the year of
production determined.
Thanks to months of contact with and cooperation by the John
Deere Collectors Center in Moline, Ill., the elusive serial numbers
for these years have been discovered. First contact with the Deere
& Company about the serial numbers resulted with a response
that, ‘we do not have a list available on Waterloo gasoline
engines.’
However, another source at Deere & Company had been asked a
few years ago by an engine owner about a Waterloo engine he owned.
That person knew where to look and the owner received information
he requested about the ship date of his engine. As time passed and
positions changed at Deere, the numbers were lost, but now have
been found again.
The Waterloo Gasoline Company began business in 1895. In 1906,
the company began production of its ‘Waterloo Boy’
hopper-cooled, open crank engine that characterized its well-known
line for the next 15 years. During this time, Waterloo became one
of the ‘Big Four’ manufacturers, along with
Fairbanks-Morse, Hercules and International Harvester. From 1906
through 1918, Waterloo engines were sold by at least 64
companies.
The Majestic, Eaton, John Smyth, Jackson, Sandow and Waterloo
Boy are just some of the more common Waterloo engines.
After the sale of Waterloo to Deere & Company in 1918, the
company introduced a new design with the ‘H’ gasoline and
‘K’ kerosene models in 1921, with many mechanical changes.
Production of the Waterloo Boy engine ceased in 1923 and was
replaced by the renowned Deere Type ‘E’.
The John Deere Collectors Center has provided the accompanying
list of serial numbers for the Waterloo Boy engines. Serial numbers
are located on the I.D. tag and on the end of the crankshaft on the
igniter side. Some companies added a letter in front of their
serial numbers that can be ignored. The beginning number in January
for each year is listed.
Some of the ‘Waterloo Boy’ engines had a casting date.
The casting dates are generally found on the left side opposite the
igniter. Please check under the crankshaft and toward the head for
such a number. Casting dates are important in historical research.
Please forward your serial number and casting date to me for
recording.
Thanks for your help in continuing the Waterloo research.
Contact engine enthusiast James W. Priestley at 117 Lind
Street, McMinnville. TN 37110, or email at:
jimmypriestley@hot-mail.com. Or go to:
http://www.geocities.com/oldengine2
Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company Serial Numbers List
Model Year
Serial Numbers
Quantity
1906
4902-5279
377
1907
5280-6184
904
1908
6185-8341
2156
1909
8342-13550
5208
1910
13551-24145
10594
1911
24146-39501
15355
1912
39502-67080
27578
1913
67081-91672
24591
1914
91673-113017
21344
1915
113018-126548
13530
1916
126549-137642
11093
1917
137643-146034
8391
1918
146035-152396
6361
1919
152397-156361
3964
1920
156362-160003
3641
1921
160004-225999*
*
1922
226000-229510
3510
1923
229511-334099
*
*Some numbers skipped as Waterloo Boy ‘H’ and
‘K’ and John Deere ‘E’ models were introduced
replacing the original model.
