Parts Manufacturer Mark - W in a circle

[kfazenbaker]

Hi all!

This is a long shot as this actually refers to a transmission out of a Model A. But does anyone recognize the manufacturer mark of a W in a circle? [see picture below]

I tried the Model A Restorers Club group on Facebook, but so far have come up empty there. My gut tells me the casting for this transmission is newer than the early 30s, although I could be wrong about that. I’m guessing it was some kind of after market replacement transmission but I’m striking out of trying to find any information on the company that made it.

The same mark of a W in a circle is on all the internal components as well, and I can find “Made in USA” stamped on several of the gears.

There’s some folks here that have been in the hobby a very long time, and I thought it was worth checking to see if anyone recognized the mark. Thanks all!

~Ernie

[Jerry VanOoteghem]

My guess would be that it's a foundry mark, placed by the foundry that cast the parts, and not the manufacturer of the transmission. If you want to know the identity/manufacturer of the transmission, then post a photo of that.

[kfazenbaker]

The same W in a circle is on all the metal gears as well. It doesn’t seem like the same foundry would be doing the cast iron case as well as all the internal gears?

Other than that W, the case is the same size and shape as an original Model A transmission. The gears all have the same number of teeth as the original. The main difference I see is that the universal housing of the one with a W has a… I don’t know what to call it, but a raised area in the mold. You can see it clearly in the second picture below.

The transmission is very well used, so I don’t think I’m going to do anything with it. It’s just different and I’m curious at its history.

~Ernie

[TXGOAT2]

It might be a Ford transmission that was produced in another country.

[Alan Long]

Too early for Warner Gear??
Alan In Western Australia

[Kerry]

May never know, Ford used so many suppliers, this list is just for T con rods.

[TeveS-Nor Cal]

Do you think it could be an M in a circle any you are reading it up side down?

[Jack Putnam, in Ohio]

Webster Co.

[Wayne Sheldon]

I doubt I can help any. As the Dodge Brothers pulled back a bit from Ford manufacturing, and Henry wanted to reduce his dependence upon single suppliers, along about 1911two of the foundries Henry began using were "Transue" and "Williams". However, very soon after that, the two merged into "Transue Williams". Their earliest Ford parts had a "W" or a "T" only, most of all their pieces had a "T" over a "W", usually not in a circle, but some parts had the mark in a circle.
Very unlikely that a later model A would have early "Williams" parts, unless maybe much later they spun off somehow?

Warner Gear Company might be a possibility? They go way back into the early 1910s and manufactured transmissions for hundreds of automobile companies. I don't know if they ever made parts for Ford or not. Warner Gear Company got into trouble during the post (WW1) war recession and struggled for several years. The quality of some of their mid 1920s transmissions was not good. Around 1930, they were absorbed into another struggling gear company (but I don't recall who?). Some of their products continued to be manufactured for years into the 1930s.

Is it possible that Warner made some of the early model A transmissions?

[Jerry VanOoteghem]

The same W in a circle is on all the metal gears as well. It doesn’t seem like the same foundry would be doing the cast iron case as well as all the internal gears?

Not inconceivable that the raw gear forgings were made by the same company that cast the housings.

[Mark Gregush]

Try asking on Fordbarn.com in the Model A section.