1916 Maxwell

[Guest Dickster]

I am associated with a County Museum in SW Iowa that has a nice 1916 Maxwell that has not run for several years, but we would like it to. We seem to have it pretty well fiqured out except for the type of battery it needs. Does it need a 6 volt or a 12 volt? We understand that the battery is just to start it and then it goes to magneto, correct? It had a wide fan belt of it, looks like maybe leather, is this good enought to run? It does not hafve an oil dip stick, but a needle type gauge on the crank case. Is this dependable?

Thanks for any help. Dick

[hddennis]

I am associated with a County Museum in SW Iowa that has a nice 1916 Maxwell that has not run for several years, but we would like it to. We seem to have it pretty well fiqured out except for the type of battery it needs. Does it need a 6 volt or a 12 volt? We understand that the battery is just to start it and then it goes to magneto, correct? It had a wide fan belt of it, looks like maybe leather, is this good enought to run? It does not hafve an oil dip stick, but a needle type gauge on the crank case. Is this dependable?

Thanks for any help. Dick

Your Maxwell originally had a large battery that was divided into 2 halves of six volts apiece. It start on 12 volts and runs and charges from the starter/generator as a 6 volt. The starter becomes a generator after the engine starts and is then driven by the leather fan belt. Howard Dennis