Flying Merkel engine found, need ID help

[porch lizard]

A friend of mine was given an engine he found in an old barn of a farmer who is getting ready to bulldoze the old farm site. As far as we can tell, its a Flying Merkel engine with a casing mark of 1912 on it. I've been looking on the internet for similar engines, but haven't found one like it yet. They don't have the flywheel cover that this one has. Does anyone have any info on this engine? The engine was cleaned up, held in a vise, and it started up and runs good.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

How far have you researched this? It looks more like a small washing machine engine, or other early single....the "Flying Merkel" Looks hand painted to me...but what do I know?

How about more pictures from differing angles?

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

The shroud doesn't appear to fit it correctly, but I am not saying it's not original. If it has a fan shroud, it is likely a stationary engine of some type. It almost looks like the mounting flange (facing away from the camera) is the type used on a vertical shaft mower engine. The head looks like something older though...not sure when they started putting vertical shaft engines on mowers.

What type of valve arrangement does it use?

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

How did you get it to run? Where are the carb and gas tank? How did you check the oil?

Can you tell I am curious?

 

[truckd]

Merkel also made wheel engines similar to the Smith wheel engines, the cover what ever it be does't look original, could be wrong but check out wheel engines for bicycles under images either Google or Yahoo, you might have to word it differently but you should be to get a visual to help determin what you have , might a villers if there is no other markings on the crank case or other castings

 

[harry76]

^^^^That's not any Villiers I've ever seen.......but It does have fins on the flywheel so it has to be a stationary engine doesn't it?

 

[rustycase]

The fellows over at smokstak.com should be able to help you find a good source of information.

Good luck
rc

 

[truckd]

Not! saying it is without a doubt a Villiers, just saying it could be anything ??,sure doesn't look like any merkel I've ever seen and I'm constantly doing R&D on Merkels,
somewhere on the crank case it shuold say Miami Motorcycle or Miami engines or
Miami cycles something with Miami in the front of it.
Hey! Harry how's the Baby? getting much sleep these days ? Sorry Lizord had to give a Shout out to the new Daddy
Lets see if we can find out what this is exactly!

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

Update?
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[curtisfox]

AWESOME whatever it is, to me the flywheel cover looks like a old briggs. The rest looks like its is aluminum and that would be newer. Most of the old engines were cast iron..........More pictures would help.........Curt

 

[porch lizard]

Thanks for all the replies on this engine! The friend who has this engine tells me that the fan shroud has Flying Merkel stamped in the metal and that he (foolishly I think) cleaned the rust off and painted it. Since I have not seen this engine, I can't tell you much more about it than he has told me. The carb can't be seen in the one picture I have of it, but I was told that a weed eater tank was rigged up to it so it could be started. It has an atmospheric intake valve, and a pushrod exhaust valve. I hope to see him again today, and will try to get more photos of the engine from different angles. I googled ' 1912 Flying Merkel ' and all the photos show a different type of engine than this one, and shortly after (like 1913) Merkel went to the twin cylinder engine. Like some of you, I'm having some doubts that this engine ever was used on a motorcycle type bike. Does anyone know if Merkel made single cylinder motorbikes after 1912? Did Merkel make engines for staionary applications? Was Flying Merkel a company name or just a model name for boardtrack racers? I'll try to get to his place and look at this engine in person, and get back to here later. Thanks again guys!

 

[Mr.B.]

Merkel did make a Motorwheel specifically to attach to bicycles, but it didn’t look like this either...?

Hopefully someone here will be able positively id this soon!

 

[truckd]

Flying Merkel was named after the guy who rode the first bikes in race's, the guys last name was Merkel a part owner in the Co. who helped develope and rode the bike and after flying by everyone people who didn't know the bike(as it wasn't branded any thing else then Miami Cycle Co.) would say "there goes that Flying Merkel" so the name caught on very early but more so for the boardies and yes they did make single cylnder engines before and after 1913,as they were a more in-expensive engine to sell to the mass in their street rioders, Google and Yahoo have a generalized search so you don't get to see everything but more so what was popular for that time period, Merkel did make bicycles as well Indian. Harley Davidson, BSA, Ford, Pierce Arrow and alot of others they all started in the Motorcycle biz with Bicycles

 

[porch lizard]

Thanks Truckd...It sounds like you've done some research on all the old bike makers. I'm leaving now to find this guy and look at and get photos of this engine and hopefully bring back some info that might be helpful for ID of it. He doesn't live far away, but I might have to ' bar search ' for him.

 

[charliechaindrive.]

Push rod exause and atmos. Intake? Very stange indeed

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

Push rod exause and atmos. Intake? Very stange indeed

Old Fo'Sho'.

 

[wayne z]

Maybe F M tried the mower or stationary engine market for a while.
If it is an actual F M manufactured engine, it's prolly VERY valueable to the old engine collectors.

I think the shroud is mounted correctly. It's like that to focus the blown air on the hot, exhaust part of the head.

 

[porch lizard]

I had no luck tracking down the guy with this engine, and I have no other info on it . I've searched stationary small engines, washing machines, and only a few other antique engine sites. No luck. The shroud does focus the air on the exhaust valve according to the owner. I guess I'll have to keep searching.

 

[porch lizard]

Well... Here's what I've found out so far. I did some searching for Flying Merkel engines, and couldn't find anything even close to the photo I was given. I then searched old engines, and came up with one that looks almost identical, but its Briggs & Stratton PB from the 1920's to the 1930's. I'm thinking that the engine was not represented with complete knowledge of what it is, but the hopes of what it could be. I found some pictures of the Briggs PB and am convinced that its probably the same engine. Here's the photos. What do you guys think? To me I think Flying Merkel was added improperly. It's still a great old motor, and Youtube has a clip of one that's running. It sounds pretty sweet, but underpowered for a motorbike. I also found out that some of the old Briggs engines were using aluminum back then.

 

[truckd]

I think you should get it despite the fact it isn't a Merkel it is a good looking engine and with Briggs & Straton you know it will run for probably another 100 yrs