What Is It?

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Courtesy of Wayne R. Hanson, Box 444, Mountain Lake, Minnesota 56159.
Courtesy of Wayne R. Hanson, Box 444, Mountain Lake, Minnesota 56159.
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Courtesy of Arthur W. Trometter, R. D. 3, Box 100, Sunbury, Penna. 17801.
Courtesy of Arthur W. Trometter, R. D. 3, Box 100, Sunbury, Penna. 17801.
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Courtesy of Arthur W. Trometter, R. D. 3, Box 100, Sunbury, Penna. 17801.
Courtesy of Arthur W. Trometter, R. D. 3, Box 100, Sunbury, Penna. 17801.

We have an engine we are in the process of restoring for our
show, August 19–20 at Butterfield, Minnesota. I’m looking for
a little assistance on this engine. The following is on the
nameplate: ‘The Plunket Jr. mfg. by Gas & Gasoline Engine,
J. E. Plunket, Chicago, III. No. 141 Patent Applied For’.

We wonder if anyone else has one. Does anyone have the idea of
what color it was? Please help us if you can. Readers.

Engine which I acquired in fall of 1971. I have sent pictures of
it to several sources in the United States. Some feel it may have
been used on a railroad section gang ‘jigger’ car. I would
like to know name and address of manufacturer, horsepower and
speed, also if a pulley were used and on which side of engine was
it fastened? Does not appear to have used a starting crank as there
is no place for one to fit. Also was a cooling fan ever used to
assist in cooling cylinder and head? I do not think it is an
‘English’ engine.

The Facts: Sheffield ’39’, 2 cycle, air-cooled, used
buzz coil for ignition, equipped with mixing valve (not float
type), Bore 4′, Stroke 4′, exhaust 1?’ pipe, cylinder
unbolts from block like on ‘Lawn Boy’ engine, flywheels
16′ diameter with 2?’ face width, uses advance & retard
of spark to control engine speed. Engine was painted bright red on
all parts except on fin area of cylinder and head; on that area it
was painted black.

Casting Numbers: A415012 on Inspection hole cover plate for
connecting rod cap, A21552 on advance-retard spark lever, A21547 on
1 flywheel, A1928 on underside of cylinder, A21550 on exhaust
manifold, A21578 on mixing valve, A1930 on adjustable rails
(sliding cast iron base). Does anyone know what company used these
casting numbers? I will try and answer all letters.

I was told by an 87 year old man that when he was a boy, they
needed to go to Sheboygan, Wisconsin and the people owned a
hardware store and they sold this engine to power a sewing machine
and victrola.

It takes about a minute and a half with a Sterno can to get it
hot enough to run and then it runs like a clock. I would like some
more information on this engine. Courtesy oj’Olaf.J. Venden,
7029 Hubbard Avenue, Middleton, Wisconsin 53562.

Shown at top is my little red school house and my’ nineteen
engines, four teen of which I have running.

Top picture is of my son, 12 years old; he is a big help to
me.

  • Published on Jul 1, 1972
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