Old Homelite Dealers Info Needed - C-Series saws

[GPH85]

Hi, a question has absolutely been bugging me for the last while and I was wondering if anyone on here had one or knew of any info on them. Them and One referring to the C-Series saws designated with the letter (G) in the title "C5G, C51G, C7G, C71G, C9G and C91G". Now I know that Homelite offered the optional gear drive conversion kits for these saws if they were direct drive saws as shown below, but I was wondering if any of these saws actually existed or is the fact that when you put on the gear drive making it the "G" saws...



The only proof that I have ever seen of any of these saws existing is a post here on AS around a year ago. I haven't been able to contact this guy, so I guess there is no need in others bothering to try "I've tried on and off for the last 4 months " Here is the post made by the guy...

http://www.arboristsite.com/archive/index.php/t-25007.html

Now I don't think he would make up the info that he found on the saw, plus the only C-Series saw that I have ever seen to have decaling on the air filter cover was the C52. Looks like if it were a C7, he would have said it to be on the fuel tank. I really didn't see him needing to make any of this up. Then if you find another post that he made, he points out that Mike Acres told him that it was indeed a C7G...

Then there's the fact that acresinternet list the 14 different saws as actual different saws and even list different carbs for the C9 compared to the C9G. Possible misprints, who knows...

Then there's the final fact of the decaling hints in the IPL's for the saws. They show the symbol as C - G - Series except in the usual C-Series V-shaped decal.

I personally know of a few different C-Series saws with the optional gear drive, but this is the only one that actually had the gear drive because it is an actual gear driven saw.

I know it doesn't make a whole lot of since to have the conversion kit "have both direct drive and gear drive benefits" then offer saws just for the gear drives. To make more money perhaps? Plus there's the fact that the whole advertisement scheme for these saws was the ability to change them from Direct Drive to Gear Drive in just 9 minutes...

SO, I was wondering if anyone out there had any info or possibly pics of a C-Series saw that possibly has the "G" badging or decaling or is this C7G the only one to still exist out there...

Thanks for any replys on the subject...
Greg

 

[Bill G]

Homelite was not none for correct labeling. Take a look at the 1100, 1130, and 3100 saws. I have all of them and not a 1 has the G after the model.

Bill

 

[GPH85]

I completely understand that, but then there's this one post. Makes ya wonder, right

It's just like the XL-12 and XL-15. Didn't look at them closely, but from what I saw the XL-15 is just a XL-12 with the planetary gear drive. Any reason why they didn't just advertise the XL-Series with the conversion kit, instead of having identical saws listed as different models?

Thanks,
Greg

 

[lesorubcheek]

Homelite certainly used a variety of conventions for signifying their saws that were either gear drive or direct drive. When they used the horsepower/weight naming conventions, noting the weight increase was the indication of being gear drive as opposed to direct, like the 7-19 (direct) and 7-21 (gear) or 9-23 (direct) and 9-26 (gear). Then they started using the D and G conventions on saws like the 700, 775, 900, 995, etc. Recent models like the 1050 vs. 1130 and 2100 vs. 3100 had different model numbers and you "knew" that a 1050 was direct and the 1130 was gear driven, so no G or D was needed. The XL-15 vs. XL-12 appeared to be a kick back at identifying the saw based upon weight as being gear vs. direct, but then Homelite starting using XL on EVERYTHING which is another complicated story. The C series with its convertible drive is a bit of an oddball example compared to the other saws. I wish I knew the history of their marketing of these in their geardrive configuration so I could share, but unfortunately I don't. Hopefully someone on the site was around and actually remembers seeing a C7G in the shop next to a C91 and knows how they were badged if in an original gear drive configuration. Very interesting question.

Dan

 

[GPH85]

From what I know on the C-Series saws, from the info I've gathered durring my time so far collecting them, is as follows...

Original 3 C-Series saws were the C5, C7 and C9... These all had the older dogs "2 finger" type of rewind assembly's with starter cups. They changed the starter cups some time in their production over to a wider bowl looking thing to help keep fine saw dust from entering through the flywheel air shroud. Of course in doing this change, they had to change the flywheel air shroud to acommondate this new starter cup setup. They also originally had a 3 shoe clutch on all of these saws "had optional 6 shoe for the C7's and C9's" and later went to 6 shoe clutches on all of the saws as a standard setup. These saws also all came with the flat style air filter cover, but through testing discovered it to quickly stop up when being used in snow drift or any snow use situation. They started cutting out slots along the sides of the covers and offering it as an option when the saws were being used in these situations. I don't have any of these originally designed covers, but bassically they were the flat style with slots removed, not the newer "big hump" looking setup.

They later "aired" the C51, C71 and C91 saws with the different air filter cover as stock and also offered them with the new over running bearing setup on the rewind system "I wish all saws still used this - very nice as long as they're working". They of course had the flywheel air shroud changed once again for this newer rewind assembly. Durring this time they also started offering a rubber padded handle bar for these newer saws. All of these saws were identical "engine wise" to their predicessors. They did however offer a heat exchanger as optional equipment with these saws. With these saws, they also offered an automatic oiler option, where they used the bar cover as the resevoir and oil pump, however, they did use the stock oil port location provided by the saw by channeling the oil from bar cover over to the saw and pumping up through a removable screw that is located at the lower part of the oil channel slot on these saws.

Then a slight bit later they started offering the C52 to replace the C51 which had replaced the C5. This saw wasn't advertised to be convertible "guess they didn't sell enough units to fool with anymore". On this saw they went back to the "old style" dogs rewind assembly's that were used with the newer style starter cups.

Then they offered the C72, which replaced the C71 which had previously replaced the C7 and was probably the most moddern saw of the C-Series. They used a very modern "pawl" starter setup and was sold up till 1982. Other than the "pawl" starter setup, I don't know if you can rightfully call them that modern, but they were probably the most sold of the C-Series saws.

I also know, from an add of the original C-Series saws, that the C5 could be bought for 149.95 in 64' with a 14" bar... They also advertised them to be converted in just 9 minutes "that one I would have to see for myself". Then they advertise them to have Homelite's "hot spark" ignition for instant starting.

Other than all of this, I really have no idea on the "G" designated saws, because I've never seen any nor know of any and anyone out there who possible might have one, has more than likely got it stuck back in a barn somewhere and has forgotten about it...

Hopefully someone on here remembers possibly seeing one and can verify that they existed.

Thanks for the responses and keep em' comin...
Greg

 

[lesorubcheek]

That's great information Greg. Call me slow, but only after reading this did it sink in that the C5,C7,and C9 were all sold during the same time-frame (likewise for C51, C71, C91, etc.) The 350,450,550,650, 750 series sort of mirrors this in concept, even though not exactly in the same way. Actually, I'm not sure if the 650 was sold during the same time of the 750... Mr. Acres' site indicates 1978 as the end of the Super 650 and the beginning of the 750.
Anyway, back to the C series, their transition over time is a wonderful example of evolution. The origin of the XP series as it evolved from the C is another story that would be nice to hear.

Dan

 

[GPH85]

I think we may have to hear that one from Bill

All I can say about the XP's is that they used the C-Series shelling "like some other Homelite models" and some of them "after recent realization" used a very unique way to control idle. They used a controled air fuel bleed that fed the fuel straight into the cylinder just above the piston and delivered just enough fuel to the crankcase to keep everything lubed...

Other than this, I haven't really done that much studying on any other Homelite's other than some necessary info gathering of cc displacements of the saws...

Bill, can you help us out on this one?

Thanks,
Greg

 

[Bill G]

I think we may have to hear that one from Bill

...........................


Bill, can you help us out on this one?

Thanks,
Greg

What are you asking ?

Bill

 

[GPH85]

The origin of the XP series as it evolved from the C is another story that would be nice to hear.

Dan

This, I beleive Bill...
Thanks,
Greg