Teetor-Hartley Engines

[A. Woolf]

Teetor-Hartley was an Indiana manufacturing company that built engines for cars from about 1907-1919. Prior to about 1912 they went by the name Light Inspection Car Company. They also built railroad inspection cars. They were later merged into what became Perfect -Circle company. Does anyone know if Teetor-Hartley made engines for trucks or if any truck builders bought their engines?

Alan

[John Davidson]

I have a 1919 POWER WAGON REFERENCE BOOK, which is a very large book of 370 pages. It list 212 DIFFERENT makes of trucks and specs. None used Teetor-Hartley engines in 1919.

I checked my 1929 McCord gasket catalog and the only reference for Teetor-Harley was 1 Model H 6 cylinder engine which used 2-3 hole gaskets. A 3" X 5" B & S engine use in 1915-17 Auburn and 1916-20 Pilot automobiles. No trucks.

[Bud Tierney]

I don't have any of the Power Wagon Annual Ref books (John: where in the world did you find yours???) but I do have the 1920 issues, bound, and I don't find any ref to Teetor-Hartley, either in the specs pages they put in several issues, or in their list of truck parts suppliers, which includes other engine makers as well as other component suppliers.
While my experience is limited, and my literatue even more, I can't recall ever hearing the name before, which doesn't preclude their having made engines under contract from one of the now obscure truck makes listed using "own" engines.

[Bud Tierney]

Wellll..., there's just a chance the plot might've thickened a bit...Googling Teetor-Hartford Co brings up some company history hits, the second (waynet.org) listing "pioneer auto co's" that they furnished engines for, and included were several names that also appeared on trucks about the same period: American, Chicago, Franklin, Marmon, Peerless, and Continental, Waukesha and Wisconsin.
The problem is a lot of the old names were duplicated (especially "American") and the waynet piece gave no addresses for the "auto" m'f'r's, so I can't tell if any had the same addresses as the truck m'f'r's listed above.
Cont, Wauk and Wisc of course brought to mind the engine builders, but there were three Continental cars and two trucks, a Waukesha car (1908), a Wisconsin Cyclecar (some of the T-H engines were quite small) and a Wisconsin truck.
Which leaves us with the questions (1) if any of the "auto" m'f'r's listed built trucks, was a T-H engine used under another name, and (2) the small possibility one or all of Cont, Wauk or Wisc might've been the engine builders, buying some T-H specialty engines and selling them as their own...
I'll run the trucks thru Mroz's truck book tomorrow to see what it says, but now I'm going to bed. Good night all.

[Bud Tierney]

Ran those truck names thru Mroz's book this AM, but no specific mention of anything like T-H; however, two or three or so had used 2 cyl and other unidentified engines (no engine ID not unusual for the obscure builders). The only way I can see for anyone to run this rather far-fetched possibility down is to see if Perfect Circle ( or some website) has the add's of the builders T-H sold engines to and check them against the listed truck m'f'r's of the same name(s) and time period...and even then it'd just be a possibility....unless some other old parts catalog, like John's gasket catalog, exists somewhere with additional info. Good luck.

[A. Woolf]

Bud and John,
Thanks for the information. The Light Inspection Car Company which later became Teetor-Hartley started building engines for America Motor Car Company in Indianapolis using designs provided by Continental. My understanding is that some Continental engines are similar to those built by Teetor-Hartley. They built four and six cylinder engines.

I am looking for a Teetor-Hartley engine as used in several cars in the teens. They built several sizes of engines and the one I am searching for would be an approximately 4 x 6 bore, and stroke 6 cylinder in a T head configuration with enclosed valves (see pictures). I have a list of cars that used the engines but have never found a reference for their use in trucks. Thanks for the quick responese.

Alan

[John Davidson]

Quite a different T Head engine being 6 cylinder cast in one block. Most T Head engines are cast in multiple blocks and have no removable heads. Four cylinder in 2 blocks and 6 cylinders in 2 or 3 blocks. They were the powerfull engines of the day with there staight thru "breathing", intake valve one side and exhaust valve on the other and usualy dual ignition with a spark plug over each valve.

As for the 1919 Power Wagon Reference Book, opening page says it is the first of a annual edition. I have never seen another but heard of a 1920 book. They have a lot of usefull info and a lot of full page adds and blue prints of chassis.

I will look into some of my 1910-20 car publications for anything on Teetor-Harley. I did look in some of my Automobile Trade Directories. The T-H name is there amongst over 25 engine makers but no paid ad.

[Bud Tierney]

John: I think I've got the 1919, 20 and 21 Power wagon bound issues, as well as some in the 30's, when the magazine was quite a bit smaller; haven't had the 19 or 21 out for awhile, but the 1920 has ads for the "Annual", and I believe it says at or near 1000 pgs for 1920, but searches of the various general, auto and technical book outlets over the past couple years never turned any up. I haven't been thru the 30's issues that much, but don't recall seeing any mention of the Annual.
Alan: AQtly's 1970 list has no "America" car co in Indianapolis (it only shows one in NY,NY in 1911, which became the McIntyre Special) but does show the "American" Motor Car Co., (no street adds and no listing in the "truck" section), Indianapolis, Ind, 1906-1911, which became American Motors Co., and has a note to see "American Underslung"
The American Underslung may or may not have matched a Ferrari, but it was one of the premier sporty, high-powered cars of it's day; I think the name came from the springs mounting under the axles, giving it a quite low stance.
"American Underslung" shows 1911-14, American Motors Company, American Underslung Company, Indianapolis, Ind, "previously called American 1906-11".
ALSO: AQ lists "American Tourist" (model) 1907-11 and "American Traveler" (model) 1909-11, both noted "See American, American Motor Car Co., Indianapolis, Ind", apparently models known at times by their model names rather than just American.
ALSO: "American Scout" 1913 model of American Underslung.
There are lots of Americans, it was quite a popular name at the time.
Hope some of this might be helpful. Incidentally, that's a neat looking engine!