Continental Motors Corporation

Continental Motors produced engines for various independent manufactures of automobiles, tractors, and stationary equipment (i.e. pumps generators machinery drives) from the 1920s through the 1960s. The company had two major production plants located in Muskegon, Michigan and Detroit, Michigan(closed in 1965). Continental Motors also produced Continental branded automobiles in 1932/1933 based upon the 1931 De Vaux, a product of the De Vaux Motors Corporations of Oakland, California, which had been using body dies left over from the former Durant, which been produced by Durant Motors until 1930.

Continental was also contracted to produce the air-cooled V12 "AV-1790-5B" gasoline engine for the U.S. Army's M47 Patton tank and the diesel AVDS-1790-2A and its derivitives for the M48 Patton and M60 series main battle tanks.

The company produced motors for many automobile lines including, Checker Cab (pre-1965), Durant Motors (including Durant, Flint and Star brand cars), Jeep (during World War II), Kaiser-Frazer Corporation (including Allstate, Frazer, Henry J, Kaiser and post-1953 Willys brand cars), Keller, Velie and Willys.

Today, the company is part of the Teledyne conglomerate.


Certificate: Common Stock, issued in the 1960’s

Printer: American Bank Note Company

Dimensions: 7” (h) x 11” (w)

State: VA-Virginia

Subject Matter: Engine Makers

Vignette Topic(s): Engine Featured | Unique Theme

Condition: Vertical fold lines and punch hole cancels in the signature areas and body.