Highland Park Hummingbird

Highland Park Hummingbird is the starter motor used on Chrysler products from the 60s to the 90s. The name is of consumer origin, not manufacturer origin. It is a situation similar to consumers naming the Volkswagen Type 1 the Volkswagen Beetle, however, unlike VW, Chrysler has not adopted the name for its own use.
The prompting for "Hummingbird" is the distinctive sound of the starter motor. When operated, the motor has a sound that is higher pitched than the sound of starters used by General Motors and Ford Motor Company during the era. The distinctive high pitched sound is due to the comparatively high rotation speed of the armature and the starter's reduction gear design.
Origin
The word Hummingbird appears to have been selected due to the sound of the Chrysler starter, which is quite different from that of non-reduction gear starters common when it was introduced. The sound files in this article demonstrate the difference. Chrysler's world headquarters was located in Highland Park, Michigan, which provided the rest of the name.
Usage Of Phrase
"A twist of the pentagon-topped key in the column-mounted ignition switch is rewarded by the twitterings of the Highland Park hummingbird", from a story at Hemmings Motor News (While "pentagon-topped" is a correct description of the key, a more accurate description is Pentastar-topped.)
Those who prefer General Motors or Ford Motor Company products may use the name derisively. Those who prefer Chrysler products usually use the name with amusement or affection. The Highland Park Humminbird, along with features such as Torsion bar suspension, unibody construction, and the Hemi engine gave Chrysler product differentiation from General Motors and Ford Motor Company in the 60s and 70s.
Features
Several versions are available with higher horsepower versions used on larger engines. While "Hummingbird" implies fragility and lightness, the starter features heavy sturdy construction. The gear housing is die cast aluminum. The armature housing is stamped and welded sheet steel.
The starter features a reduction gear design so that the armature turns at higher RPMs than the output shaft. Mechanical connection between the armature gearing and the output shaft is accomplished by a solenoid activated shift fork.
General Applications
* G and RG engines, (Chrysler Slant 6 engine) 170, 198, and 225 CID
* Chrysler A engine, Poly 318 CID
* Chrysler LA engine, 273, 318, 340, and 360 CID
* Chrysler B engine and RB Engine 361, 383, 400, 413, and 440 CID
* Chrysler Hemi Engine 426 CID

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