It hardly seems possible that this is the last issue for Volume
35 of GEM. We’re not sure where the year has gone, but with
each passing rotation of the seasons, it seems that the years go by
more quickly! We mentioned it last month, and we’ll mention it
one more time . . . are your engines dry? We just acquired one that
has a good-sized crack in the head (easily repairable) because the
water space around the sides and bottom of the cylinder was
completely loaded with rust, lime and other debris. This did not
permit the engine to drain completely. There are probably few
things in the engine and tractor world more disheartening than
filling’er up in the spring, only to find that water streams
forth from the cracks that nature made over the winter!
Looking back over the past year, we’re quite happy that our
Standard Catalog of Farm Tractors is now in print, we’re happy
for good health, and we are looking forward to spending a few weeks
in Australia and New Zealand!
During the next few months we’ll be working on our Handbook
of Antique Tools & Machinery. This book will be different than
anything you have seen. There aren’t many books of this kind on
the market, and oftentimes they include a horde of ancient tools
from the 1700s. That’s all well and good, but we’ve found
that most folks interested in old tools and equipment are looking
for information on relatively new things from the late 1800s
onward. Right now we have about 70 different categories.
Thanks also for those who have provided us with some additional
printer’s engravings relating to vintage tools and machinery.
One of our friends was at a swap meet during the Mt. Pleasant show,
and picked up a couple of nice copper electros for us. We enjoy
antique letterpress printing, but making repro proofs of these old
engravings is a job for the winter months-sometimes it takes a lot
of patience to coax a good image from an ancient electro. When we
do, you will see them here in GEM.
Our first query this month is:
35/12/1 LeRoi Crawler Q. I recently purchased a
LeRoi crawler tractor in Belgium. It has LeRoi on the front and
sides of the radiator, but also has a plaque on the instrument
panel, TOBIAS TRACTOR MODEL G-140. LeRoi was in Milwaukee and
Tobias was at Oakland, California.
I have been told this tractor was made for the U.S. military for
the Normandy landings in World War Two. I recently met two retired
Army persons who said they had three attached to their unit, and
the other said that they were used in France and Belgium during the
war.
Can anyone provide further information? Geoffrey Morison, Upper
Neatham Mill Farm, Upper Neatham Mill Lane, Holybourne, Alton,
Hampshire GU34 4EP England.
35/12/2 Wogamon Engines Q. Recently we received
an interesting letter from Daniel H. Weaver, 6014Folkerth Rd.,
Greenville, OH 45331. He is the eldest living grandson of Harry
Howard Wogamon. The latter was the moving force in Wogamon Bros.
Company, Greenville, Ohio. This firm built the Sure-Go gas engines.
Mr. Weaver says he has seen about six of the Wogamon engines in the
past 40 years, and the 4 HP size seems to be the most common. He
also indicates that the nameplate was attached to the wooden sills
for the engine, so when the sills rotted away, the plate was lost.
If you are interested in a reprinted sales brochure or have other
information, kindly contact Mr. Weaver at the above address.
35/12/3 Country Life (NZ) Ltd.
Richard Robinson, publisher of Country Life (NZ) Ltd.
comments on how things have changed over the past few years. Over
the past couple of years we have commented that publishing has gone
digital and that our old methods of pasteup, burning negatives,
etc. were fast becoming obsolete. Mr. Robinson comments that
recently he compiled a small book on crawler tractors in the usual
paste up method and took it to the printer for a quote. The printer
told him that if he could put everything on CD’s he could save
the tidy sum of $2,800.
Thus the days of the oldtime print-shop are about gone, and in
only a few years time. First we lost the letterpress and the
Linotype to the advent of offset printing, beginning in the 1950s.
Now we are losing the time-honored methods of cut-and-paste to
digital technology!
Richard may be contacted at 659 Hamurana Rd., RD 2, Rotorua, NZ
3221.
35/12/4 Q. Michael Marks at marks2308@ex-cite.
com writes that he is looking for fenders for a 1948 Case Model DC.
He has found a set of fenders for a Case VAC and wonders if they
are the same dimensions. Michael also wonders whether there are any
web sites for antique tractors and parts.
A. There are a number of websites. Try typing
in tractors or antique tractors, and you might be surprised at what
you will find.
35/12/5 Waterloo 2 HP Q. I have a Waterloo 2 HP
engine, s/n 128792. What is the color scheme and when was it made?
Also see the photos of a small engine that is 14 inches high, and
is a hit-and-miss. Does anyone have a clue about this engine? Pete
Fisher, 4722 W. 45th Ave., Gary, IN 46408.
35/12/6 Unidentified Q. See the three photos of
an unknown two-cycle air-cooled engine. There is no identification
whatsoever on it. Some have suggested it was made from an air
compressor, others have suggested it looks like a Hume, so if
anyone can provide an identification we will be glad to hear from
them. Jim L. Brown, 7309 Baldwin Ave., Lincoln, NE 68507.
35/12/7 Cushman Cub Q. See the photos of a
Cushman Cub that has just been restored. It is a Model R30, 4 HP,
and s/n 82589.1 would like to know the age and the reason for the
extended water hopper. Jim Fisher, 2048 Webb St., Stockton, CA
95205.
A. We can’t tell you the exact age of the
Cub, since no s/n listings are known to exist. The extended hopper
was used to provide greater water storage capacity, and thus a
longer running time without attention.
35/12/8 Information Needed Q. Can anyone tell
me where or what happened to E. J. Earles of Milwaukee, Wisconsin?
The February 1960 issue of Popular Mechanics page 143 has two
photos. One is of a 1916 steam engine and threshing machine. The
threshing machine was based on a scale of one inch to the foot,
‘and the thresher threshes.’ Any information would be
appreciated. Tom Zulkoski, PO Box 468, Wood River, NE
68883-0468.
35/12/9 Unidentified Engine Q. Can anyone
identify the engine in the photos? It is about 1? horsepower. Any
help would be appreciated. Kevin R. Behnke, 33125 North 65th St.,
Wausau, WI54403.