In all, some 36,000 “Sparta Economy” engines were produced from 1909-1914.

With few exceptions, it should be noted that through all of the production of engines from 1909 through 1933 the changes from one model to the next were gradual and, for the most part, minor.īeginning in early 1910, a simple, low cost, easily maintained engine for the masses was available to the public. Many of the features of the CX would be found on the soon-to-be-built Hercules engines. The Elkhart low-tension magneto was also offered on the larger CX engines. The CX had a newly designed water-cooled head, a spring-loaded intake valve latch, a newly designed side rod and a new blade-type igniter trip. The Model CX started showing up in mid-1912 at about serial number 25000. By that time Sears had also eliminated the Holm patent, a complicated speed control, replacing it with a simple governor. Similar to the Model C it did not have a speed control, the trip finger and holder was redesigned, and the Lunkenheimer fuel mixer became the standard. The Model CA was introduced in the spring of 1910 and more of this model was produced than any other Sparta-built engine, with close to 20,000 being manufactured. The raised lip was removed and replaced with a flat top with removable “hopper ring.” About 4,800 Model B engines were produced falling in serial numbers around 1200 to 6000.Ībout 2,000 Model C engines were produced in 1910 with changes to the head, igniter trip bracket and fuel tank filler. Probably the biggest change from the Model A to B was in regard to the water hopper. These were followed by the Model B, which had a simplified fuel system rather than the earlier Waterloo fuel system. About 1,500 of these were produced and 26 of them are known to exist among collectors today.

The first Economy engine built at the factory was the Model A engine.

Through mail order the engines were shipped directly to customers. During a time when many engine designs were somewhat complicated, Sears sought to build simple to maintain engines suitable for the common folk. It was owned and operated by Sears, Roebuck & Co., the nation’s largest mail order merchant. of Sparta, Mich., offered a new line of gas engines. In the spring of 1909 the Holm Machine Mfg.

Economy hit miss engine serial numbers