Post-1921 Stover K engines

Enlarge Image Image Gallery The new style Stover KE 1-1/2 HP open crank engine was introduced in 1924. The coffin-style water hopper made an attractive engine. It could be supplied with a magneto or battery ignition. Designed as a low cost competitive model, the little work horse was the last open crank engine Stover shipped with a few going out early in 1942. Stover made 16,208 KEs.

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This column has been a learning exercise for us. You’ve heard the adage “tidbits of information.” Or, if your spouse is not kind, it would be worthless tidbits of information. Now, we know they’re not worthless and in some cases the tidbits are downright interesting. Like computer bits, the tidbits just keep growing. Since starting “Stover Stuff” we have had a wonderful exchange of knowledge back and forth with readers and hopefully some of this can get passed around. In that effort, we’ll get this show on the road.

Late Stover horizontal engines
As manufacturers refined engine design, there was a shift from the open crankshaft engine to the closed crank system. Wet sump (splash) lubrication and operating cleanliness, both internally and externally, were the obvious goals. Stover followed this trend, but a continued demand for the open-style engine forced the company to offer both types.

1921 is not necessarily “late” for Stover engines, but that’s when the dandy coffin shaped water hopper appeared on the new-style Type K engine. These engines had open cranks. After 1928, Stover, in conjunction with smaller, more modern engines, manufactured two series of hopper-cooled horizontal flywheel engines. The main difference was open and closed crankshafts. There seems to be some confusion on how the styled K engine and the later CT engines were produced relative to each other.

Series K (open crank) and CT (closed crank) engines were built concurrently. The K series continued in various forms and ran through the CT series (new Type T), introduced in 1928. Both series were built until Stover shut down in 1942. The CT series will be covered in the next installment of “Stover Stuff.”

At the risk of being corrected, the following information is passed on with the knowledge that Stover overlapped models and features. And, while I think I know something, I probably don’t. The fact that earlier engines were shipped years after they should have been built (according to serial number and style) doesn’t help matters. Having worked with the records for a while, I can see why it took Lester Roos and Chuck Wendel years to get a handle on what Stover did. The following goes by horsepower, not chronological order.

Post-1921 K Models
All the new-style K’s had open cranks except the baler models.

• The old 1-1/2 HP workhorse K was given the attractive coffin water hopper and was changed to the Type KA. Shortly thereafter, the horsepower was increased to 2 and the flywheels were changed to the 6-hole disc type.

• Introduced in 1924, the KE was a lower cost version 1-1/2 HP. It used disc flywheels (spoked, very briefly) and new hopper, could be had in gasoline only (hit-and-miss), and was supplied with a WICO mag or battery ignition. I’ve seen very few without a mag. The records indicate the KE and KA were made concurrently for several years. The KE was manufactured to the end.
• The KB and KF became the standard new-style 3 HP with open crank. The KF had a lighter frame but, unlike the KB, was only built for a few years.

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