engine tag

[bustidwing]

The engine tag on my Kaiser has the numbers f6-226-4, I am curious if anyone knows what the 4 stands for if anything? Thanks

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

Different numbers at the "4" position reflect code for which manufacturing plant making the 226 built the particular engine.  1947-48 Kaisers and Frazers could be equipped with engines from either Detroit Engine Division (the Continental Engines plant on Detroit's east side that Kaiser-Frazer manageed and later acquired from Continental ) or the Continental Engines complex in Muskegon, Michigan.  The information was needed by Kaiser-Frazer Sales Corporation for charging back the engine plant that made an engine that required warranty repair in the field.

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

The two plants had separate serial number sequences but so far there are no documents that establish start points for the different model years or an end point.  I can document K-F purchases of 226 engines into the 1951 model year; it is too bad Continental Engines couldn't supply a bigger slice of the production pie; their engines cost less than what Kaiser-Frazer paid the Detroit Engine Division for the product.

[joefrazer]

When KF moved from Willow Run to Toledo a lot of this sort of documentation was discarded. An acquaintance of mine told me of taking a couple of his stake body trucks to the factory and loading parts and fixtures into them using coal shovels. He had large boxes of sealed packages of new owners manuals as well as factory to supplier correspondence and other office related material in a building on his property. Another friend and I spent a day just digging thru what he had and were amazed that KF just wanted this stuff gone. This wouldn't happen today given the proprietary nature of the business.

This fellow passed away about 10 years ago and a large auction was held where everything was scattered to several dozen buyers.