Rumely Collector’s News 12109 Mennonite Church Road Tremont,
Illinois 61568
One thing I’ve learned through years of attending antique
farm machinery shows, is that the folks there tend to look at the
bright side of things. The people who attended Rumely
Collector’s EXPO II in Canandaigua, New York, were no
exception. Standing in the exhibitor’s tent during one of the
frequent downpours, packed elbow to elbow with other soggy
show-goers, one fella summed up the general mood when he said,
‘Well, at least there ain’t no dust!’
Dust was one scarce commodity alright, but the show was no
rainout either. There were enough breaks in the drizzle for
Expo-goers to take in what might be a once in a lifetime collection
of some of the rarest pieces of Rumely machinery in one place! On
Friday, the one rainless day, a 15-30 model F OilPull kicked things
off with a plowing demonstration. How many times have you seen
that? And a walk around machinery row encircling the big Expo tent
was like the feeling archaeologists must have had when they opened
King Tut’s tomb!
Some of the treasures included one of the two surviving (of only
two manufactured) Rumely Line Drive tractors. The experimental Line
Drive was Rumely’s brief entry into the ‘woo-’em away
from horses by sellin’ a tractor that drives with reins’
business, and it sure wowed the crowd by backing up, snaking around
OilPulls and turning on a dime. The Rumely 8-16 Ideal-Pull
All-Purpose tractor also got its share of stares. This odd looking
three-wheeler sported a swiveling driver’s seat and gear lever
so it could be driven from either direction! One of three known
Rumely trucks, a 1918 1 ton model, navigated the muddy roads,
reminding the old timers of trips down the wagon-rutted lanes to
town on Saturday morning with a load of egg crates and milk
cans.
A 12-20 OilPull with chain drive was another rare bird thought
to be the result of an after-the-sale factory add-on. Perhaps the
rarest of all was the 15-30 Model F OilPull road roller! This
tractor was specially converted with a roller attachment to do work
in the LaPorte factory yards. A 20 HP Rumely-Falk engine and 18 HP
Rumely-Olds engine harkened back to Rumely’s attempt to expand
their line ala International Harvester. A rare Rumely Gas Pull, a
former Advance-Thresher Co. product, drove over the grounds at a
stately two MPH.
A bit more common, but rare pieces in their own right, were
almost 50 Rumely OilPulls, ‘6’s and Do-Alls that crowded
the grounds! On hand were seven 25-40 Xs; three 30-50 Ys; two 40-60
Zs; two 20-40 Gs; six 20-30 Ws; two 15-25 Ls; three 25-45 Rs; one
30-60 S; one 20-35 M; two Rumely 6s; two Rumely Do-Alls; one 14-28
H; six 16-30 Hs; one 25-45 B; one 30-60 E; one 15-30 F; one 18-35
F; one 15-30 F Roller; three 12-20s; one 12-20 chain drive; and one
25-40 Oil Turn skid engine.
In the implement category were a rare Advance-Rumely silo filler
and a Rumely 5-bottom plow. An Advance-Rumely 22-inch threshing
machine put on a good threshing display, matching up with various
OilPulls and the occasional steam engine. The old girl was rigged
with a bagging attachment, giving the crowd a rare view of
‘sack threshing.’
The Canandaigua Show is located in the beautiful Finger Lakes
region of western New York state. A banquet Saturday evening was
held at a beautiful ‘Inn on the Lake’ resort supper club on
Lake Canandaigua. Besides some interesting speakers and the
traditional auctioning of the Rumely Expo Show banner, more than
100 Rumely fans were on hand for the creation of the Rumely
Products Collector’s Association. This organization has been
created to help support the yearly Expos and generally promote the
preservation of Rumely machines and history. Family memberships are
available at $15.00. More information may be obtained by writing
George Bronson at 6406 West Q Avenue, Kalamazoo, Michigan
49009.
It rained enough Sunday to make loading up a real adventure, as
the loading ramps slicked up and OilPulls were pressed into service
to push their brothers up the muddy inclines. The Case steam engine
incline looked almost friendly after watching a couple of these
boys slop around onto their trucks!
A king’s ransom of rare catalogs, books, dealer signs and
posters, fobs, photos and memorabilia were displayed at the
exhibitors tent. In all, it was ‘One mess o’ Rumely,’
as someone put it!
Rumely Collector’s Expo III will be held in Georgetown,
Ohio, on August 10-13, 1995. They have quite an act to follow, but
claim they are up to it! Some of the rare pieces expected include
several 30-60 E OilPulls, 25-45 B OilPull, 8-16 AllPurpose, Gas
Pull, 30-60 Aultman-Taylor, Rumely corn sheller, clover huller,
ensilage cutter and threshers, and much, much more!
Please remember, the Rumely Collector’s Expos welcome
collectors of all related companies associated with the Rumely
Empire, including Advance Thresher Company, Aultman-Taylor,
Gaar-Scott, Northwest Thresher, Falk and Olds Engines, etc. We
extend a warm welcome to all our friends who are fans of these
companies! For more information on Expo III ’95, please contact
Ed Fiscus, 2466 Bethel Maple Pike, Bethel, Ohio 45106, (513)
734-2791.
For more information on the Rumely Expo Series and available
videos, please contact the official Expo magazine, Rumely
Collector’s News, c/o Scott Thompson, 12109 Mennonite Church
Road, Tremont, Illinois 61568.
