BEFORE & AFTER RESTORATION OF THE MONTH
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4-hp "Sparta" Economy Model CX
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Economy engine proves economical for gas engine enthusiast
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Gary Bahre owns many different gasoline engines, but this bright-red 'Sparta' Economy engine manufactured by the Holm's Machine Co. of Sparta, Mich., is particularly special. The firm was purchased by Sears, Roebuck & Co. in 1912 and then sold to the Hercules Gas Engine Co. of Evansville, Ind. Holms' assets were delivered by train to Evansville in October 1913, and then sold through Sears outlets. It continued to produce engines right until the relocation, however, and Gary's 4-hp, Model CX (serial no. 35318) was among the last to roll off the production line in the early fall of 1913 before the big move.
'I had been looking to buy a large engine for a couple of years,' he recalls. Gary wanted an obscure engine brand in the 6- to 15-hp range, so his friends pointed him toward an Economy. 'I found out that the 'Sparta' Economy was built in Sparta, Mich., and I live in Sparta, Ill., so it sounded like a good idea - if the price didn't go too high.' The price was just right, in fact, and Gary 'dropped the hammer' on a 'Sparta' Economy, purchased in October 2002 at the American Thresherman Show in Pinckneyville, Ill., for $600.
Restoration followed, beginning with engine research in November 2002. Gary contacted Glenn Karch, author of 'Sparta' Economy Gasoline Engines, to learn details about the engine's exact red color and manufacture date. A trip to a parts supplier secured a set of decals, muffler and some small springs - and then he was ready to begin.
A mild March brought Gary good weather and the impetus to tackle the job. In short order, the entire engine was disassembled into its various components. 'I tried to save the original paint that was under the mess with no luck,' he admits. The engine was previously used in commercial paint applications and had splashes of orange, blue, brown and black paint streaked on the top of the original factory-painted red. With hopes of salvaging the old paint gone, Gary used paint stripper and a wire brush to strip all parts down to the bare metal.