Guest Xprefix28truck Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Does anyone have any company info for Continental engines? I have been trying to google them to find out more info on who started the company, but can't find anything. Any help appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Wolk Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 I have a book on the company."Continental! It's Motors and its People" by William Wagner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skyler Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 somewhere in the back of my mind i recall that continental used international harvester blocks, but it could be the other way around. i used to work on greymarine engines when wood boats were around and the name continental used to come up. i guess i am too old to connect all the dots, but i do know that continental was important at one time in the world of engines. capt den Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Wolk Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Yes, you have it backwards. Continental made engines for over 200 different auto manufacturers. They also made industrial and aviation engines. Still do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Xprefix28truck Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Thanks Barry, I will see if the library has a copy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dick Whittington Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 somewhere in the back of my mind i recall that continental used international harvester blocks, but it could be the other way around. i used to work on greymarine engines when wood boats were around and the name continental used to come up. i guess i am too old to connect all the dots, but i do know that continental was important at one time in the world of engines. capt denIHC used Contential until '49 in the KB 12 and KB 14 trucks. It was a 572 cid engine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest noncompos Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 Continental was one of the primary early US independent engine builders, and may well've been THE primary builder...Continentals were in literally everything imaginable, altho I don't believe they ever went into the heavy industrial type engines (to me that's 1200 cid up) (I'm open to correction as all my ref material is on truck/tractor/const etc stuff).There's a pathetic little thumbnail on Wiki; my computers still sick and can't research much.There's a list of (known) cars and trucks that used Cont'l engines on a Continental engine page on the Hemmings website...I can't comment on the car list but can on the truck list as I added a considerable batch myself maybe 2-3 yrs ago.I said "known" as Cont provided engines for some builders who passed them off as their "own" engines, like Graham, who I believe added their own cyl heads and water pumps. (again, I'm open to correction). I understand Continental also produced engines to others design, in which case they were just the fabricator.My Continental engine list is presently gathering dust; I got bogged down trying to connect the PU's to the auto/ind'l versions, among other complexities.(For awhile they used: "Automotive" F6209 (6 cyl 209 cid) (Auto/Trk installations), "Ind'l" F209 (tractors, ag/const etc eqpmt installations), and PF209 (free standing power units) type designations. They're also rumored to've been very good at giving separate designations to the same engine sold to different car assemblers. (the number-letter years 7c, 16b, ad nauseum)..There're also little air-cooleds, the more recent R8/10/12 (Renault engines) in Turfcats and such, and, as mentioned , their ongoing aircraft engine business, plus, no doubt, Cont'ls I've never heard of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1939_Buick Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 (edited) Some info here Continental Motors Company - Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaandContinental Aircraft Engine Company http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Motors,_Inc.Continental Motors Company was an American engine and automobile manufacturer. The company produced engines for various independent manufacturers of automobiles, tractors, and stationary equipment (i.e. pumps, generators, machinery drives) from the 1900s through the 1960s. Continental Motors also produced Continental-branded automobiles in 1932/1933. The Continental Aircraft Engine Company was formed in 1929 to develop and produce its aircraft engines, and would become the core business of the Continental Motors Corporation......On December 14, 2010, Continental's parent Teledyne announced that Teledyne Continental Motors, Teledyne Mattituck Services and its general aviation piston engine business would be sold to Technify Motor (USA) Ltd, a subsidiary of AVIC International, for US$186 million in cash. AVIC is owned by the Chinese government. In May 2011, the transaction was reported as complete and the company renamed Continental Motors, Inc. Edited September 17, 2011 by 1939_buick (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 I have seen a Graham brochure of about 1938 or 1939 that refers to Graham engines made by Continental, as if Continental was making a Graham design for them. I believe the Superchargers were added at the Graham factory, possibly they changed the head on the Supercharged engines.Frazer seems to have inherited the Continental engine when he bought the remains of Graham's car making operation. At least they used Continental engines in all Frazers and Kaisers. I understand they took over a war surplus Continental plant and made their own engines using Continental designs and tooling, although later on they made their own improvements. Including reintroducing the supercharger only this time they bought them from McCulloch.It is possible McCulloch supplied superchargers to Graham in the thirties, they were making superchargers for Fords at that time, but have never heard where they got them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durant Mike Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 I know that Continentals were used on almost all Durant products. They were in Durants, Stars, and Flints. Seem like really good engines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bleach Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 I remember the old fork lift where I once worked had a 6 cylinder flat head Continental engine in it. It was a large capacity fork lift and it had solid rubber wheels. It had sat for a long time once and it didn't take much to bring it back to life. It ran great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Xprefix28truck Posted September 17, 2011 Share Posted September 17, 2011 I realize that Continental was a very large manufacturer . The reason I am looking for info is the Teetor Hartley connection. I need the names of the originators to do patent searches for engines. The TH I have here has a patent date of November 10th 1910. No patents on engines show up under any Teetor names. So I am fuguring if I can find patents for the Continentals they may line up with the ones on TH engines. My theory is since Continental furnished the castings, they may have had TH put their patent dates on their engines when assembled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Wolk Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Neither Teeter nor Hartley are mentioned in the Index of the book I have. I did learn that Continental was incorporated in 1917, but their first engine, a 12 hp 2-cylinder engine made in 1904. In 1910 they made a type R, J and T. in 255.3, 392.7 and 451.9 ci. They showed that the Speedwell Company was the largest user of their J engine, but that's all the info in their engine chart from 1910. In 1912 they switched to the C, E and 6-C engines.The names Arthur Tobin and Ross Judson come up.Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vermontboy Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Cars and Parts magazine had a two or three part article on Continental engines back in the early 80's (guessing here - if anyone has an index start in '85 and work back and forth). It had a complete listing of cars using the engines from the early twenties right up on through the early sixties (Checker). I know my uncle's Jewett had one. They were also used in some high priced classics; Stutz Blackhawk series, Ruxton, and Peerless come to mind. Have you tried the librarian in Detroit, MI (original home of Continental Motors Company)? I know that sounds old fashioned but librarians can sometimes provide a wealth of information not available to the general public through Google (they have other databases). Just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Wolk Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Actually, they started off in Chicago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vermontboy Posted September 19, 2011 Share Posted September 19, 2011 Oops, can't believe everything you read. I was going off the Historical Construction Equipment Association website. They said Detroit for autos (1905) and Muskegon for Industrial engines. Sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Wolk Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 The book I have says they started off in a 912 square foot building in Chicago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vermontboy Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 I think I would bet on your book as being correct - I have learned in the past that a lot of information on websites, even good ones, has not been vetted to the extent that books are. Still think a query to a librarian (now Chicago librarian) could pull up a lot of information that can't be found using normal search engines. When my wife was completing her masters there was an incredible amount of information using university, library, and newspaper databases that never shows up on Google. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Wolk Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Actually, Detroit is a better bet as the Skillman Library in Downtown Detroit contains the National Automotive Historic Collection.Special Collections - NAHC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Al Brass Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 There was a Continental connection through to the UK too. Morris and Standard used Continental designs and the Ferguson tractor. I think all these were made in England but to Continental design and specification.RegardsAl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Wolk Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 You would think that it makes sense to make engines near where they were made. Interestingly, many cars that Continental made were shipped to Australia without passenger compartments, to be fitted there by local makers. The cars avoided high tariffs that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest noncompos Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Barry: Does that book say anything about their weird/wonderful engine designation system(??)Already in 1917, per a Burd ring catalog, it was a mess:"A" was a 4cyl 4" bore, but 6A was a 6cyl 31/2 bore..."B" AND 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B and 7B were all 2cyl's, all with 41/4 bore...6H, 7H and 8H were all 31/2 bore...6N, 7N and 8N were all 31/2 bore...7W and 8W were 31/4 bore, but 9W was 33/8, whereas, if they'd followed the 6- and 7- above, 9W would've been 31/4...Not to mention issueing "C", "D" and "N" engines in two bores, and the "O" engine in three...must've been a nightmare for parts people.Kent: My apologies, I know this doesn't help yopur question.Reminds me that I haven't checked Ebay etc for that book for awhile now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Wolk Posted September 20, 2011 Share Posted September 20, 2011 Yes, there is an engine list in the book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Xprefix28truck Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Barry, It doesn't suprise me that TH isn't listed in the book. Anytime you do patent research you have to have the originators name. The TH that I have is a 1917 model "H". The model "H" was made at least from 1917 thru 1920. It has been verified many ways that TH bought their castings from Continental. For how long we do not know. In order to do the research I need to find someone at Continental that might have applied for the patents. I have looked under many Teetors for any patents for engines. Charlie, John, Ralph, Ben, and anyone else I could think of. No luck on any of them. So the patents have to be held under someone at Continental.Bud, No problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest prs519 Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Used to often run across the phrase "red-head" Continental engine, when reading various articles about vintage cars. I believe the red head was a somewhat higher compression engine than the standard offering. Therefore, when I was inspecting a very old Combine out in the sagebrush, it was with a swiftness that I noted it had the famous red painted head.I have seen these Continental motors also on welders, water pumps, light plants, and later in trucks which were branded Teledyne Continental.Perry in Idaho Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Wolk Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Red Seal was Continental's name. In fact, they dropped the names for the only car they produced for 1934 (which was a face-lifted 101" wb Beacon) and called it the Red Seal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ply33 Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Used to often run across the phrase "red-head" Continental engine, when reading various articles about vintage cars. I believe the red head was a somewhat higher compression engine than the standard offering. Therefore, when I was inspecting a very old Combine out in the sagebrush, it was with a swiftness that I noted it had the famous red painted head.I have seen these Continental motors also on welders, water pumps, light plants, and later in trucks which were branded Teledyne Continental.Perry in IdahoA bunch of the Chrysler engines had "red head" on them. And Chrysler engines were popular in industrial applications. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
checker Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 My Continental engine dataplate says Detroit & Muskegon so they must have built them in 2 locations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Wolk Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 That is correct. They had a plant on Jefferson Ave, on the east-side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Giles Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Continental owned Divco for awhile but had to spin them off when they needed money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Lichtfel Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 1926 The President and Vice President of Continental Motors in Detroit purchased a large block of Peerless stock and were voted on the board of directors of the Peerless Motor Car Co. Peerless started using some Continental engines then. There was a rumor in Cleveland that Peerless and Continental would merge and the Peerless plant would be moved to Detroit.However Cleveland investors prevented this and were able to maintain control. Peerless kept using some Continental engines along with the Peerless engines until 1930 when all Peerless cars had the Continental eight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfm53 Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Kaiser Frazer used a 226 Continental Red Seal 1947-1955 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarlLaFong Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 I have an article in SIA, somewhere, and the writer said that the Red Seal engine was a marketing ploy by, I think, Ned Jordan. Continental began, for reasons unknown, to put a red seal or data tag, I forget which, on their engines. Jordan, ever the salesman, began advertising, "Now, with the all new Red Seal engine." It caught on and Continental began promoting it also. Kind of like when Ford went from the Standard and DeLuxe to the DeLuxe and Super DeLuxe. Same wine, different bottle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Xprefix28truck Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Well I thought that was going to help...But didn't. I looked up the oldest patent on the tag above. 1605040. Came back to an Oscar Kreis assignor for Continental. Did search on his name and came back with some engines, but all too new. He did have a few patents in 1910 but the were for when he worked at Gray Motor Company. Seems Oscar might have been an attorney. He has many patents in his name for different companies. HMMMMM..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
checker Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Interesting investigation. I never paid attention to those patent numbers, or the value they could provide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Xprefix28truck Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 It can be very time consuming. But you wouldn't believe what you find every now and again...My tag just has the patent date. No numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Continental had "Red Seal" engines, Chrysler had "Red Head".In the late twenties - early thirties you could order your new Chrysler made car with standard "Silver Dome" or optional high compression "Red Head" cylinder head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfm53 Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 sounds like Mr. Jordan was a good bus. man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_OToole Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Ned Jordan remarked in an interview " We were barely in the car business. Our assembly line was only 50 feet long. The Jordan company was an experiment in modern advertising and custom style sales." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwilli43 Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Ned Jordan was on the board of directors for continental engines for a span of time. Rumor had it that Jordan and Continental Co-developed the 1st straight eight for Continental. They seem to have been co-mingled. To give you some idea of Continental's size, before the depression hit, Continental was producing over 300,000 engines a year for automotive, agricultural and aviation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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