Q: How long have you been collecting gas engines?
A: I’ve been collecting and restoring engines for about four years now, but I’ve been helping my grandpa with them since I was little.
Q: What attracted you to the hobby?
A: Being out in the barn with my grandpa, messing around with the engines and being at the shows. I love watching and listening to them run.
Q: Who else in your family collects engines?
A: My grandpa and I are the only ones who collect them. He’s the one who got me into collecting.
Q: What engines do you have in your collection?
A: I currently have two engines: a 2 HP Cushman Cub and a 1925 McCormick-Deering M.
Q: What is your favorite engine in your collection?
A: My McCormick-Deering is my favorite because you can see more moving parts than on a typical engine, and I love the way it runs and sounds.
Q: What projects are you currently working on?
A: I just recently finished restoring my McCormick-Deering M.
Q: Which shows do you normally attend each year?
A: I usually attend the Portland, Ind., show and my hometown’s annual Forks of the Wabash Pioneer Festival. I would love to go back and visit the Coolspring Power Museum in Pennsylvania again.
Q: What are some of the biggest obstacles you’ve come across in the hobby?
A: Some of the obstacles I’ve come across as a young collector are the prices of engines, having the time to work on them and finding a good project.
Q: What are your favorite engines and why?
A: My favorite type of engine would have to be the oil field engines because they are big, and I like they way the look, run and sound.
Q: If money weren’t an issue, what is your dream engine to own?
A: If money weren’t an issue, I would love to own a South Penn oil field engine or a Muncie oil engine. I like how the South Penns run and look. I don’t see or hear of very many Muncies, plus they were built not too far from where I live. I find it hard to pick just one type of engine that I want. There are too many to choose from.
I would like to say thank you to my grandpa Mel Fruit Sr. for introducing me to this hobby, teaching me, and helping me start and restore my collection.
Young Iron is looking for gas engine collectors, age 35 and younger. If you or someone you know would like to be profiled, please contact Associate Editor Beth Beavers: (800) 682-4704 or bbeavers@gasenginemagazine.com.
