F.W. Spacke Machine Company was founded in 1904 by Fred W. Spacke, a skilled machinist and inventor. Though born in Ohio, he moved to Indianapolis at an early age and well established himself in the state.
The F.W. Spacke Machine Company originally started as a modestly sized machining shop building air compressors, but soon expanded in 1907 to a larger facility. In the 1910’s the company was deeply involved in manufacturing engines for motorcycles.
In 1911 the company introduced a single chamber motor with a worm gear that drove a magneto, the only one of its kind in the US at the time. A twin version was also produced at the same time, though the patent application and approval were dated in 1913-1914. The motors proved to be well received by the industry. Its make was so popular that it was used by other motorcycle companies and models under the Spacke De Luxe brand name.
Some of the companies that used the Spacke De Luxe motors were:
-Sears (Dreadnought model)
-Dayton
-De Luxe
-Eagle
-Minneapolis
-Crawford
During that same period, the F.W. Spacke Machine Company also made engines for cycle-cars, which were modified versions of the motorcycle engines. In 1913 the company expanded further to accommodate for the production of motors.
Fred W. Spacke’s death in 1915 ushered in a reorganization of the company and was renamed to the Spacke Machine and Tool Co. The reorganized company continued to produce the Spacke De Luxe engine, but approaching 1920, the engines were more geared toward cars.
