Zenith Carburetor Company
Zenith Carburetor (later the Fuel Devices Division of Bendix Corporation) was an American manufacturer of gasoline engine management systems and components, chiefly carburetors and filters. It was founded in Detroit, Michigan in 1911 as a subsidiary of the French Société du carburateur Zénith.[1]
Carburetors in most cases were replaced by fuel injection systems, also provided by Bendix, during the 1970s.
Francois Baverey[]
The design of the Zenith was perfected around 1906–1908 by Francois Baverey of Lyon, France. The carburetor had two jets, one for rich mixture, one for lean. The mixture was then combined in the right proportions for the engine's speed and load.[2]
The Zenith design won first prize in a competition with 14 others organized by the Royal Prussian War Ministry in 1914.
Ford[]
Zenith's product was one of a small number of different carburetors used on the Ford Model T. It was also fitted to 3.5 million Ford Model A cars.[3]
Harley-Davidson[]
Their big twin motorcycles were fitted with Zenith carburetors.[4]
Farm tractors[]
Zenith carburetors were also standard equipment on some International Harvester Farmall tractors, such as the Zenith 161X7 on the Farmall Super A. They were also found on farm and heavy machinery applications from Allis-Chalmers and others.[5]
Other applications[]
Zenith carburetors were also found on aircraft and marine engines.
Notes[]
- ^ Zenith Carburetors (PDF)
- ^ Special-interest Autos, Volumes 5-8 (Bennington, Vt., Special-Interest Publications, 1999), passim.
- ^ H Eugene Weiss. Chrysler, Ford, Durant and Sloan: Founding Giants of the American Automotive ..., Jefferson: McFarland, 2003 ISBN 0786416114
- ^ Tom Murphy, Harley-Davidson Shovelhead, Motorbooks International, 1996 ISBN 0760301646
- ^ Guy Fay, Andy Kraushaar, Original Allis-Chalmers, 1933-1957, MBI, Osceola, 2000 ISBN 0760304394
External links[]
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- Manufacturing companies based in Detroit
- 1911 establishments in Michigan
- Carburetor manufacturers
- Bendix Corporation
- United States company stubs