33 Village Woods Dr. Crete, Illinois 60417-4341
This story began in 1994. My son Brad and I left Crete,
Illinois; our destination was the Spangler Auction in Sharon,
Wisconsin. We arrived in Sharon and found a clean, comfortable
motel close to the auction site. Sorry to say, we did not get much
sleep. It seems the local high school seniors were having a prom
party without parental supervision. From here on, you will have to
use your own imagination. We had to remove the phone from the hook
so we could get some rest. Times have really changed.
The next morning we were up with the sun. After a good
breakfast, we were off to the auction. This was a large sale and
prices were normal. We bid on several engines but we were not
successful.
The sale was nearing a close when we spotted this engine. After
several minutes of bidding we finally won the prize engine. It is a
two cycle, two cylinder marine engine. The name on it: Seaman
Motors. It came with an extra crankcase and four spare pistons. The
engine is very sturdily built and is a prototype built in 1938. The
second World War was in the wings and the engine was put on
hold.
I did have to machine a flywheel and put copper pipe and an R.
V. water pump on it. The engine on the rear is a 3 HP which I use
to start the marine engine.
I do not know how Mr. Spangler came to own this engine. I did
speak to his brother Jerry, who has since passed on. If anybody in
‘Engineland’ has more information on this engine, please
let me know. I will answer all correspondence.
A special thanks to Brad Dado, George Wille who is an inventor
and an excellent mechanic and ignition man, and to George Panzer,
who is a very good machinist and a great friend of mine for some
fifty years.
