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Here are pictures & descriptions of some of the engines Associated Mfr's Co. made. I don't have every engine represented yet, only because I don't have photos of them all. If you have a picture of an Associated engine that I don't have here, send it to me if you'd like & I'll post it. All photos are posted as anonymous. Like wise if you see a pic here that you don't want posted I will remove it. This page will be updated periodically.
3/4 hp. 4-Cycle Air Cooled "Colt" engine
The 3/4 hp. 4-Cycle Air Cooled "Colt" engine was plagued with poor performance and is evident with so few surviving today. The engine had a bore & stroke of 2 1/2" x 2" and ran at a speed of 1250 rpm. This engine was available with either a kick start pedal or hand-start lever.
3/4 hp. 2-Cycle Air Cooled "Pony" engine
The 3/4 hp. 2-Cycle Air Cooled "Pony" engine was a total design change from the Colt. The bore and stroke were the same and both used a high tension magneto with flywheel fan for cooling but that is where the similarities stopped. The engine speed was adjustable from 900 to 1100 rpm. The pony used a leather pull strap with ratchet re-coil for starting. Again, judging by the few examples remaining, longevity was not a feature of this engine design.
1&1/2 hp. Air Cooled "Busy Boy"
Both the Busy Boy and the Johnny Boy's cylinder and sub-base are cast as one piece.
1&1/2 hp. Hopper Cooled "Johnny Boy"
One thing I want to point out on both the Busy Boy and Johnny Boy is the tiny 3/4" exhaust pipe. That should be the first clue that what you are looking at is a 1 1/2HP engine. The Johnny Boy is a very cute version of all the larger hopper cooled engines. Everything is just in miniature almost like a factory made model.
1&3/4 hp. Air Cooled "Chore Boy" engine
The air cooled Chore Boy is, in my opinion, one of the hardest to identify. The engine for the most part is identical to the larger 2 1/4HP Hired Hand. The only differences are a smaller bore and slightly smaller flywheels. Every other feature is the same and interchangeable.
There is an early sales literature reference that shows the earliest air cooled Chore Boy engines were rated at 1 1/2HP and the Hired Hand was rated at 1 3/4HP. This all dates back to the 1909 to early 1911 time range. The Busy Boy name was introduced and the Chore Boy was re-rated to 1 3/4HP and Hired Hand to 2 1/4HP.
1&3/4 hp. Hopper Cooled "Chore Boy" engine
The Chore Boy was certainly the work horse of the Associated Line. This engine was cheap, reliable and fuel efficient. Not quite as heavy as a Hired Man and enough power to run most small chores. The hopper cooled Chore Boy is recognized over the Hired Man by a noticeably smaller hopper and to the careful eye you may notice the smaller flywheels and piston.
2&1/4 hp. Air Cooled "Hired Hand" engine
I have a special interest in the Hired Hand because this was the first type of Associated engine that I owned. My air cooled Hired Hand was built for use by the Niagara Sprayer Company of Middletown, NY to power an orchard sprayer. I don't have a picture as of yet what this sprayer unit looked like. My engine is interesting in that the pulley is on the governor side and the engine runs in reverse. It would be nice to see some sort of sales advertisement to see what arrangement was made for belting the engine to the pump. I am just guessing that, for what ever reason, the way it was arranged called for the pulley on the governor side and to run in reverse.
The first pic is of the oldest known Hired Hand engine. It is serial number 150106. The second pic is of a late model with the fuel tank in the base. You can see the fuel line coming up to the mixer from under the base and the two notches in the base for the fuel tank supports. The third pic is a good look at the early air cooled head with the extra fins and the flat "pancake" style mixer. And the last pic is of an outstanding model Hired hand. See the quarter in the pic?
2&1/4 hp. Hopper Cooled "Hired Man" engine
Some features of the earliest engines are:
1. The rear of the base where the brass tag is attached is rounded instead of flat.
2. The opposite side of the base where the cylinder bolts on is flat instead of indented.
3. A bronze connecting rod with the grease cup on the end of the rod cap.
4. The mixer is a flat "pancake" style instead of a thicker cup with holes drilled around the out side and also the mixer is a slip fit with set screw instead of being bolted on to the cylinder head.
5. Wide, square, rolled lip, two piece hopper.
6. Smaller diameter but wider flywheels.
7. A magneto that has straight gears instead of the 45 degree angle helical / skew gear.
8. The earliest engines had a cylinder head with “extra” fins in comparison to later engines. The cylinder head had about 4 more cooling fins.
The Hired Man serial numbers started at 100001. The Hired Hand serial numbers start at 150001. The best that I can tell, and until I find out different, I will assume that the Hired Man serial numbers ended at 149999 and picked back up at 160000. The latest known serial number is 168769 for the Hired Man and 158422 for the Hired Hand. That would put water cooled production at about 59,000 and air cooled at about 9,000.
3 hp. "Three Mule Team" Engine
The engine on the left is a standard hit and miss with 4 bolt mag. The second is a throttle governed engine with 4 bolt mag and the engine on the right is also throttle governed with a Webster magneto ignition. The Three Mule Team was introduced to fill the gap between the 2 1/4HP and 6HP engines in 1915. The throttle governing with kerosene fuel source was first made an option in early 1916 with the onset of WW 1 and limited gasoline supplies.
4 hp. "Four Mule Team" or "Farm Hand" Engine
The Four Mule Team or Farm Hand is one of my favorites. The flywheel weight is quite a bit over the 3HP engine weighing in at 135 Lbs each
Iowa Oversize 4 hp. Re-Rated to 6HP
"Wonder" Cement Mixer Engine
An Iowa oversize 4HP re-rated to 6HP is sort of an unusual engine. As far as I know the 4HP Iowa Oversize was the only engine to receive an extended hopper.
The green paint is correct for the Wonder cement mixer company. Just like a Herc painted blue and called a Jeager, this Associated is painted green and called a Wonder. The first pic is of engine #414696 and is an Iowa Oversize engine. The second pic is of engine #414161 and it is a standard design. Also a pic of the Wonder tag. Notice how it claims 5HP rather than Associated's advertised 4HP.
One thing that I do not know is if there is any relation to the green painted Wonder engines and the other earlier and smaller HP engines that have been found with original green paint.
6hp. "Six Mule Team" or "Special" Engine
The Six Mule Team was offered in both stationary & portable models. The first pic is of a portable with the lower sub-base removed so as to lower the engine for easy access. The second pic is of a TG stationary engine that has been put on a cart for easy mobility at the shows. The third pic is of a beautifully restored early 6 with the straight geared magneto. This engine probably should have had the cylinder & head painted silver to be totally correct, but is still easy on the eyes!
Early 6 Mule Team engines had no cylinder support and only 4 head studs, later changes to 6 head studs with a cylinder support were made.
8hp. "Eight Mule Team" or "Foreman" Engine
The Eight HP Foreman is getting into some HEAVY cast iron. The portable weighing in at over 2000Lbs is not real easy to move around!
The third pic is a nice close up of a TG with Webster mag setup.
12hp. "Twelve Mule Team" Engine
A Twelve Mule Team engine is definitely a rare site. Probably not only due to being an uncommon engine, but also because of the trouble moving nearly 3500 Lbs of cast iron around. Especially if not mounted on a dedicated hauling trailer!
Some of the specs are:
Operating speed: 250 RPM Bore/Stroke 8x13
Flywheel Diameter 48" Face 3" Weight 500Lbs
Crank Diameter 2 3/4"
18hp. "Eighteen Mule Team" Engine
This is the only picture that I have of an 18 Mule team engine. A few interesting features of the 18HP engine are the water level indicator and fuel pump. Notice also that the cylinder is bolted to the sub-base in a circular pattern rather than a vertical row of bolts on either side of the cylinder. At 4800 Lbs + cart weight imagine lugging this cast iron beast around the farm!
8 to 25hp. Engine
These big engines were used as stationary power sources running mills, line shafts, etc. This engine was not built by Associated Mfr's Co. but rather was a stationary version of the Waterloo Boy / Overtime tractor engine.
It was tough to find a pic of this one also.
Magnetos, Trips & Igniters
The first pic is of a dual ignition igniter. You could simply move the brass Fahnestock clip from battery to magneto after you got the engine started. This was very helpful when starting a 12 or 18HP engine that was not easy to turn over. The low tension mag does not make a very much of a spark at full speed!
The second pic is a close up of the G340 improved or Goose Neck trip. The two posts at the bottom will hold the points in the closed position if the right post is used and in the open position of the left post is used. When using a battery/coil for ignition, the points must be in the open position for running.
The third pic is a close up of the "Straight" style trip.
The fourth pic is of a Webster magneto ignition being used.
The fifth pic is a good shot of the early straight geared magneto and bronze rod cap with grease fitting on the end.
Sixth is another shot of a straight geared magneto.
Seventh is a close up of the later skew gear set up.
Associated Fuel Tanks
1.2.3.4.
5. 6. 7. 8.
9. 10. 11. 12.
1.The first pic is of a standard stamped Associated fuel tank. This is the type you would expect to find on all engines under 3HP
2. The second and third pics are of an original dual fuel tank. This would be for the throttle governed kerosene / gasoline engine, 2 1/4HP.
4. The fourth and fifth pics are of a curved sides fuel tank as found on a 3HP engine. It is held down by tabs soldered to the bottom edge of the tank
6. I am not sure if this is an original tank or if some one added a small kerosene tank to the top of a gasoline tank. This is for a TG 3HP engine.
7. This is a pic of a round straight sided dual fuel tank
8. This is a curved sided tank on a 4HP engine held down by threaded rods.
9. Nine and ten are of a dual fuel tank for a larger engine. Probably a 8HP or 12HP.
11. This is an original "in the base" fuel tank for a late model Hired Man or Chore Boy engine.
12. This is the factory stock location for the fuel tank, tucked up under the rocker on this Chore Boy.
Associated "Busy Girl" And "Amanco" Clothes Washing Machines
Check out that Busy Girl clothes washing machine! Could you imagine holding your toddler inches away from the whirling engine, gears and belts?
To the best of my knowledge, the Amanco washers were built by Maytag and marketed by Associated Mfr's Co.
Iowa Cream Separator
An Iowa Cream Separator. The Associated Line started with the cream separator and was one of the last items offered at the company's demise in 1946 long after the engines were dropped from the sales line up.
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