I happened to look on eBay for the word Belco to see if anything popped up, and to my surprise two items were there. They were a sales brochure showing the range of generators Belco sold and a general instruction manual. Of course I had to buy them. This first scan is the brochure front cover.
This next scan is the instruction manual cover page.
The below scan shows my 2,000 watt generator, although the air cleaner, belt guard and base are different than mine.
I was hoping the brochure or manual would have a print date but they don't. The sales brochure and manual do give a hint as to when they were printed though. The brochure is meant as a mailer, and has this jumble of letters/numbers: "SEC. 562, P, L, & R." The all-knowing internet repository of knowledge expounded on those cryptic letters and numbers:
"From October 1, 1932 (until it was superseded in 1949) anything sent third class bulk rate had to have the phrase Sec. 562 P.L.&R. printed on the envelope, indicating the article was in compliance with Section 562 of the Postal Laws and Regulations..."
Below is the brochure's hint as to the date of printing. It mentions a three-day test run was done in January 1946. An interesting tidbit is that the price of gasoline when the test was done was 14 cents per gallon (4-1/2 gallons cost 63 cents.)
The Wisconsin engine's serial number on my generator dates to 1946 and the sales brochure and manual were printed between 1946 and 1949, so I'm very confident my generator was made right after the war ended.
One last scan from the instruction manual, this being the decal on the belt guard as shown in the instruction manual. Too bad it wasn't in color and a little easier to read...
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