Can anyone identify this engine?

[Robert Zambelli]

I have it listed on eBay (123252468027) as "UNKNOWN" but maybe we can remedy that?

Bob Z.

[BOB ALLAN]

Your engine is a replica of the 1938 B-B of 0.780 cu. in., which originated from the Bennett Electric Machine Works of Chicago, IL. The B-B was a follow on to the identical 1937 LEWIS made by the LEWIS Tool Co. of San Francisco, CA.  See pages 21 & 146 in Vol. 1 of the A.M.E.E

[Robert Zambelli]

Hi, Bob - thanks for that informative post!
I'm not sure it's a replica however.
It was in a private collection from the early 50s.
Is there some way of telling?
I looked inside and it's really crude
I do have one very similar and it's stamped "LEWIS" in the backplate. It looks much newer and is complete.

Bob Z.

[BOB ALLAN]

Bob, just quoting from the American Model Engine Encyclopedia, it says that the B-B was "Advertised as a complete, ready-to-run engine under the B-B name. Few sold. Advertised only once. No known authenticated originals. Hard to tell an original from the many reproduction engines sold". One thing I noticed is that your engine has 2 more cooling fins on the cylinder, than the one in the book has (which I'm assuming is a repro). Re. the LEWIS which is identical to the B-B (Quote)"The LEWIS was the original make of this design and casting kits were available prior to B-B's small production".

[Steve Helmick]

Bob, just quoting from the American Model Engine Encyclopedia, it says that the B-B was "Advertised as a complete, ready-to-run engine under the B-B name. Few sold. Advertised only once. No known authenticated originals. Hard to tell an original from the many reproduction engines sold". One thing I noticed is that your engine has 2 more cooling fins on the cylinder, than the one in the book has (which I'm assuming is a repro). Re. the LEWIS which is identical to the B-B (Quote)"The LEWIS was the original make of this design and casting kits were available prior to B-B's small production".

This last sentence suggests to me that the engine may have been machined from a casting kit, original or not, by a machinist that had a good parting tool of a size that made more fins possible, or it may have been a prototype, and the extra fins and thinner parting tool deemed impractical for production. I'd bet that the casting kits had a solid round lump to be machined into the fins. Other than that, I got nothin'.  Steve