Hicks Engine

Hicks Engine

This guy is sitting on the Hyde Street pier. It's a 1925 4-stroke Hicks engine. Made by (James L.) Hicks Engine Sales company here in town, it shows that San Francisco once made things other than sourdough bread and grand speeches. Two fellows who were beside me were disparaging it in comparison to their motorcycle engines, but I don't think you could run their bikes on whatever (including hootch) or repair them with a file and a ball peen hammer. Saltwater cooled, make-break ignition, 799 cc with a , six and one half inch bore, they powered the Monterey fishing boats and tugs. There is a video of a restored Hicks here and a discussion by Lauren Williams here