What was the first clamshell chainsaw?

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Dph1256

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I was just wondering who invented the plastic cased clamshell chainsaw and what was the first model?

Thanks everyone?
 
I'm confused by what you mean by "plastic cased clamshell"
A clamshell is an engine where the case splits at the crank center line and the cylinder and half of the case are one piece.
McCulloch saws where clamshell engines all the way back in the late 60s when the 10 series first came out but there certainly was no plastic.
Clamshell engines have gotten a bad wrap mostly because they are found almost exclusively in throwaway homeowner saws these days.
They are also harder to replace a top end being that the piston and rings have to come out through the crankcase.
 
Is there a McCulloch chainsaw besides titan that isn't a clamshell design?

Too many to list. Typically referred to as large frame McCulloch. Typical cc range from 80 to 123. Some early ones had removal heads similar to the McCulloch kart motors. I believe the kart motors were derived from the saw motors.

Last saws were the SP125C, SP105 and PM105.

Ron
 
When I said plastic cased I was thinking of a farm boss where the engine sits is a plastic frame.

I didn't realize that the clamshell design was that old. I assumed it was a new design for homeowner saws
 
I have a red Poulan 42cc made in 1994. So, I would guess circa 1990 for the current clamshell in a plastic chassis.
 
015 Stihl early 70s. McCulloch and any of the minimacs, too many other brands to mention. I think everybody had that design at some point. The clamshell screwed to a plastic case, or cylinder screwed to a full bottom case are the latest types.
 
009 is metal bottom end I believe
It had a plastic insert between the cyl and block I think, but not a plastic block
 
009 is metal bottom end I believe
It had a plastic insert between the cyl and block I think, but not a plastic block
0092.jpeg009.jpeg
Partner P400 would be my second guess. While other chainsaws like the Partner P400 (1984) and the Poulan 1800 series (early 1990s) are also recognized for using plastic clamshell designs, the Stihl 009 holds a significant place in the timeline as one of the pioneers of this approach. The 009 series was well-regarded for its lightweight construction and ease of use, making it popular for light-duty tasks such as pruning and trimming
 
Although the 009 and sister saws are pretty good, it didn’t really pioneer anything as far as saw design like a xl12 did
 
Too many to list. Typically referred to as large frame McCulloch. Typical cc range from 80 to 123. Some early ones had removal heads similar to the McCulloch kart motors. I believe the kart motors were derived from the saw motors.

Last saws were the SP125C, SP105 and PM105.

Ron
They were. I had a pair of them on a GP Kart I had when I was younger. What a rocket.
 
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