Schebler & Linkert Connection, expanded, Part 1

in-depth analysis American carburetor manufacture

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nifty
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Schebler & Linkert Connection, expanded, Part 1

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Post by nifty »

Schebler & Linkert Connection. Part 1, by Nifty (with a lot of help, credited throughout).

Some of below I regard as indisputable hard fact, some is also questionable. Anything with question mark definitely questionable/requires more research and or editing/deleting.

Background:
To further explore my personal interest in Schebler & Linkert racing-only “Barrel” throttle carburetors. In the 1970’s while still a teenager, I started scrounging for barrel carbs and information, I collected every photo I could find and found copies of Schebler booklets dealing with the 25up AMX & 28up AMXA and in early 80’s the late Connie Schlemmer sold me most of a Linkert MR2. Among other things I soon realized that there was an information void between the circa 1928 Schebler AMXA barrel carbs and circa early 1930’s Linkert MR2 barrel carburetors. In the late 1990’s I started semi-seriously trying to find out what occurred between Schebler & Linkert, I bought a few more Schebler barrel carbs, including a pre25 AM and eventually dug up a quite a few random facts, but nothing approaching an explanation. Into the new Millennia, among others I corresponded with Bruce Linsday and the late Tony Blain. For personal reasons, in 2006-7 everything was put on hold. Life moved on, in 2022, whilst searching for something completely un- related, I stumbled across a 2017 forum post by “awander” and several responses Mon Aug 21, 2017 12:52 am, Hydraglide forum. Re: Linkert/Schebler connection To say that it rejuvenated my interest is somewhat of an understatement!

The 1931 newspaper article in above post was a revelation and provided some very useful hard data about the start-up of Linkert, but not much about demise of Schebler, except the impression that it was sudden and devastating to the workforce and had apparently occurred not long before Linkert start-up. Serendipity played a part, not long after finding the 1931 Linkert article, I had to spend a few weeks doing nothing strenuous while recovering from a medical procedure. I spent a lot of that time on my computer, searching for information and eliminating the many impossible claims by cross referencing, to zero-in on the most credible sources.
It is very easy to assume that Schebler was just another victim of the Great Depression, this was certainly an early theory of mine and I believe many others have made this assumption. For sure the depression had some effect, but there is a lot more to it.

Key figures: (for brevity & relevance, I tried to only list carburetor related data)
geo schebler.jpg
geo schebler.jpg (1.91 KiB) Viewed 329 times
George M. Schebler:* 1865-1942; Inventor & patentee; founder Schebler Carburetor Company; co-founder Wheeler & Schebler Manufacturers; co-founder Wheeler & Schebler Carburetor Company. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/868 ... .-schebler
*W. G.” Schebler stated in Wikipedia, no explanation, original and apparently sole source of W.G. initials is a 1909 newspaper article, thus a probable newspaper mis-print, repeated by Wikipedia. Efforts to elaborate on actual first names has not yielded any additional data beyond George M. Image source: Cropped from book cover at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 653&type=3
Frank Wheeler circa 1911.jpg
Frank Wheeler circa 1911.jpg (6.06 KiB) Viewed 329 times
Frank Henry* Wheeler: 1863**-1921; Salesman/promoter; co-founder Wheeler & Schebler Manufacturing; co-owner & president Langsenkamp & Wheeler brass works; co-founder & president Wheeler & Schebler Carburetor Company Inc; co-founder Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS); co-founder Twin Cities Speedway; co-founder Stutz Fire Engine Company. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/341 ... -h-wheeler
*Conflict, Frank W. Wheeler stated in Wikipedia, no explanation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheeler%E ... or_Company
**Conflict, birth (Oct. 24, 1864-May 27, 1921). https://indyencyclopedia.org/frank-h-wheeler/
Image source: Cropped from IMS founders circa 1911 image at https://indyencyclopedia.org/frank-h-wheeler/

Henry J. Langsenkamp: 1865-1959; Son of Wilhelm/William; younger brother of William Junior; co-founder Langsenkamp Brass Works; co-owner Langsenkamp & Wheeler Brass Works; treasurer Langsenkamp Linkert Carburetor Company. No photo found. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/137 ... angsenkamp

William A Langsenkamp Jr.: 1861-1928, Son of William; older brother of Henry J; co-founder Langsenkamp Brass Works; co-founder Langsenkamp & Wheeler Brass Works, Member American Institute of Metallurgical Engineers. No photo found.
Obituary of William A. Langsenkamp, aged 55
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]), December 29, 1928, Noon Edition, Page PAGE 8, Image 8
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn ... nge&page=4 More data required.

Burt Neulon Pierce: 1867-1956; Inventor & patentee; founder Marvel Carburetor Company Indianapolis; founder Emerol Manufacturing Company, Chester NY.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4803427 ... e-aged-89/

Howard W. Linkert: Circa 1930, chief engineer Wheeler-Schebler Carburetor Company ; subsequently 1931 up President Langsenkamp Linkert Carburetor Company. Cited as inventor on a number of patents. No photo found.

Very bare bones synopsis chronology of what current available evidence suggests to me.

1902: Indianapolis, George Schebler patented his carburetor and particularly fuel nozzle and float bowl arrangement.

1904: George Schebler hooks up with Frank Wheeler;

1905 “Wheeler & Schebler Manufacturers” company formed. Carb bodies marked Schebler.

1905: Wheeler hooked up with Langsenkamp foundry/brass works at Shelby St, which runs South off Sanders, brass works became “Langsenkamp & Wheeler Brass Works”, somewhere around here Wheeler & Schebler Manufacturers became Wheeler & Schebler Carburetor Company.

1907: Jan, Indianapolis, Burt Neulon Pierce patented his floatless carburetor

1907: “Wheeler & Schebler Carburetor Company”: relocated into shared brassworks building (or new building on adjacent lot on Shelby);somewhere around here Wheeler & Schebler Carburetor Company became Wheeler-Schebler Carburetor Company. At least some carb bodies marked Wheeler-Schebler.

1908: Carb business good enough for Frank Wheeler to co-found Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

1908; Burt Pierce starts Marvel Carburetor Company. Carb bodies marked Marvel.

1909: Carb business good enough for Wheeler-Schebler to splurge $5000 on trophy for Indianapolis Motor Speedway. George Schebler had enough loose change to build a one-off OHV V12 car engine (survives).

1910: Jun, Marvel Carb Co were selling float type carbs with unmistakable Schebler design float bowl, presumed Marvel and others were paying royalties to Schebler.

1911: Carb business was good enough for Wheeler-Schebler to buy site and build new factory cnr Sanders & West side of Barth Ave (survives, back door of Langsenkamp & Wheeler Brass Works was directly across on East side of Barth). George commissioned a one-off car for his engine; all seems good, but not much detail.

1912: Marvel re-locate to Flint, Michigan.

1912*: George Schebler sold out to Frank Wheeler, supposedly for $1million (handy chunk of change in 1912), carb business continues as Wheeler-Schebler Carburetor Company. *maybe later?

1912: Frank Wheeler had enough loose change (or good credit) to commence having his mansion built (survives).

1913: Over 1 million Wheeler-Schebler carbs sold, presumed since 1904.

1919: George Schebler’s patent expired; not much known, but Schebler carbs popular.

1920: November, Wheeler-Schebler secretary/treasurer Avery retires early.

1921: Frank Wheeler’s son Douglas was Vice President of Wheeler-Schebler; Feb Avery suicides, May Frank Wheeler suicides; Wheeler-Schebler continued trading, not much detail known, but Schebler carbs popular.

1922: Maldwyn Jones became Chief Engineer of Wheeler-Schebler motorcycle carbs; no data re management or company structure. Subsequently Maldwyn Jones cited as inventor on a number of patents.

1924: Approx Burt Neulon Pierce sells his stake in Marvel Carburetor Co

1925: Burt Neulon Pierce, original founder of Marvel Carb Company, establishes Emerol Corp…Emerol products include : "Marvel Mystery" Oil; "Marvel" Automatic Transmission Treatment; "Marvel Hi-Rev" Hydraulic Valve Lifter Treatment; “Marvel Inverse Lubricator”; "Marvel" Outboard "Engine Oil" etc.

1928: Douglas Wheeler sells Wheeler-Schebler to Marvel, detail sketchy.

1928: Mutual agreement, between Marvel Carburetor Co and others, all will be absorbed into conglomerate that will be named Borg-Warner.

1928: Death of William A. Langsenkamp Jnr aged 55.

1929-1930: Wheeler-Schebler owned by Marvel, more or less business as usual at Sanders & Barth, Great Economic Depression was biting (somewhere here at least some popular Schebler carbs DL & DLX? switch from brass to pressure die-cast zinc alloy, bodies marked Schebler).

1931 Marvel close Indianapolis carb factory, dismiss/fire most, if not all personnel, relocate Wheeler-Schebler lock, stock, & barrel to Flint, Michigan.

1931 Langsenkamp-Linkert established, key former W-S staff & 50 workers re-employed, re-occupy former W-S factory.

1932: ad states Wheeler-Schebler subsidiary of Marvel, Flint Michigan; not much known until…

1933: August, H-D announce Linkerts for 1934 models, generous trade-in on "old" carbs if you bought a new Linkert, brass construction stressed.

1934?: H-D advertised that brass Linkerts available for Indians!!! (blew me away); "Schebler" carbs made by Marvel, continued to be sold to Indian at least.

1936 July: L&L motorcycle carb parts price list, additional to their own Linkert parts, L&L were also actively marketing “after-market” parts for earlier brass Schebler carbs and also parts for the then-current Zinc Schebler carbs made by Marvel in Flint Michigan.

1938: Langsenkamp-Wheeler Brass Works patented dairy equipment.

1940, Late: "Schebler" motorcycle carb production ceased, "Marvel-Schebler" car, tractor & aircraft carbs continued.

Apparently these 1930’s to 1940 Schebler motorcycle carbs were actually made by Marvel until 1931 in Indianapolis and 1932-40 in Flint Michigan.

1943: Feb, US Army Major Henry J. Langsenkamp Jr reported missing in the South Atlantic. Plane lost while returning to USA from Cuba. Declared dead. Previously secretary of Langsenkamp-Linkert Carburetor Company and son of Henry J. Langsenkamp.

1951: Old 1911-28 built, Indianapolis WHEELER-SCHEBLER building acquired by Harper J Ransburg Corporation. Subsequently became the Ransburg Corporation. During Ransburg ownership the 1919 main entrance was reconstructed at Barth Ave and Ransburg name is still visible in entry step.
It seems likely that LANGSENKAMP-LINKERT contracted in size, or brass works had surplus floorspace, or old W-S building not actually owned by L&L (or possibly all 3?) and Linkert carburetor production was relocated into Langsenkamp-Wheeler Brass Works. (ironic that Wheeler-Schebler had much earlier shared floorspace with Langsenkamp-Wheeler Brass Works, before moving into 1911 construction and approx 40 years later, Linkert did the reverse.)

1956: Langsenkamp-Wheeler Brass Works Inc, were advertising dairy equipment, first known evidence of new L/W logo.

1957: L&L DC Linkert introduced on H-D XL

1959: Death of Henry J. Langsenkamp (Feb) aged 93, Henry J. remained active in business until shortly before his death.

1960-1985: Old Wheeler-Schebler building owned by Robert L Hartley Corporation, used for manufacture of Styrofoam pellets and other products.

1961: Langsenkamp-Wheeler Brass Works buildings vacant & derelict. (city block bounded by Sanders, Shelby, Barth and un-named alley).

1963: All Langsenkamp-Wheeler Brass Works buildings completely demolished.

1966: Final model year for H-D big twin use of L&L carburetors (Langsenkamp&Linkert) DC7 on FL & FLH.
Given that old Wheeler Schebler site occupied by others from 1951 to present day, and Langsenkamp brassworks site derelict 1961 and completely demolished 1963, where were DC Linkerts made at least 61-66?

1985-1995: Wheeler-Schebler building owned by American Excelsior after their purchase of Robert L Hartley Corporation.

1995-2003: Wheeler-Schebler building vacant.

2004: Wheeler-Schebler building receives Historic Place recognition.

2022: Wheeler-Schebler building re-named Wheeler Lofts, now loft apartments.

End of Part 1
Still some holes in knowledge of events, but lots more detail to come, including references to sources and lots of pictures. Additional data very welcome, watch this space for part 2.

Merry Christmas and stay safe.

Nifty
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