38/4/1 Elgin Haf-a-Hors Q: When I purchased
this odd little engine several years ago it was one solid chunk of
rust. It shows serial number 15084, but other than that I have
found no information on it. It is now mostly restored.
It has a Bosch magneto and a brass carburetor with an air valve
and a check valve. The check valve uses a glass marble, I do not
know if this is right. The aluminum air valve in the carburetor
needs a spring and I have no idea what it looks like. It has a
pendulum-type governor that shorts out the ignition to govern
engine speed (like a Maytag). I have it connected to cut out the
spark plug. The engine has a rotary valve on the crankshaft, and it
has an inverted cylinder and a bearing on the opposite side of the
flywheel. This was a ball bearing, but with no visible means of
lubrication I replaced it with a sealed bearing.
I have only seen one other Haf-a-Hors, but it was not exactly
like mine. It had a different carburetor, battery ignition and did
not run. I don’t know when it was made, but a friend of mine
who made the fiber gear driving the magneto said it was a type not
used since 1920.
Any information regarding wiring, air valve spring, adjustment
and type of oil and mixture for this engine would be greatly
appreciated. Vernon Scheiderer, 16732 Robinson Road, Marysville, OH
43040.
A: Available information suggests your engine
was first introduced around 1920, which gives credence to your
friend’s thoughts on the fiber gear. Made by the Elgin Wheel
& Engine Co., Elgin, Ill., it’s thought that quite a few of
these little engines were built, but very few seem to survive. They
do show up at shows; we’re hoping a knowledgeable reader can
give you some assistance getting yours back to proper form.
38/4/2 New Way
A: Thanks for a great magazine, which I think
is the best one around. I am seeking information about a New Way I
obtained recently. It’s just about complete, except for the
oiler and maybe the crankshaft/cam gear lower cover, if there was
one (the Type A, Model C I have has a gear cover at the
bottom).
My new engine is a Model RC, serial number R1837K, with 540 mm
(21.25 inches) flywheels. The Model C has 510 mm (21-inch)
flywheels. It’s a throttle-governed kerosene engine with a
Bosch BA1 EB3-V4 magneto. Interestingly, the Bosch insignia has
been obliterated, possibly due to anti-German product sentiments
during World War I.
The main crankcase is green and the flywheels may be maroon,
although the inside of the spokes show green. The cylinder, fan,
etc., is silver. Were the RC engines green all over instead of
having maroon colored flywheels and fan shrouds?
I also have 1-1/2 HP open-crank Jewel, serial number 1326, and a
3-1/2 HP Model A, Type C, serial number 7862. I got decals for
these through Ed Grimsey, but I’ve lost his address. Do you
know of him, or do you know where I can get decals?
Finally, if anyone knows if there was a cover over the
cam/crankshaft gears, could they be kind enough to sketch the
cover, with dimensions, so I could fabricate one?
The carburetor on this is interesting, with the exhaust muffler
coming up through the body of the carburetor to, I presume, heat
the kerosene. I’m still trying to figure out the pipe between
the exhaust manifold and the carburetor, though! Neil Harvey, 33
Viewpoint St., Ararat, Victoria, Australia 3377, (035)
352-1702.
A: Unfortunately, Ed Grimsey passed away a few
years ago, and at this writing we don’t know of anyone making
decals for New Way engines. Perhaps someone out there has a stash
of decals and could help Neil?
38/4/3 Canadian Monarch Engines
I am enclosing two photos of engines that I do not see listed in
C.H. Wendel’s American Gasoline Engines Since 1872.
American Monarch engines are shown but not Canadian Monarch
engines, which were built at Canadian Engine Limited, Dunnville,
Ontario and commonly called Dunnville engines.
Engines were built as horizontal and upright units ranging in
size from 1-1/2 HP to about 20 HP. The exhaust manifold extended
the full length of the cylinder and was double ported.
The Sprywheel engine has no serial number, I believe it is about
3/4 HP.
Like Robert F. Grimm of Amsterdam, N.Y., who wrote in for
information in the February 2003 issue, I have an old Delco
generator (mine runs), but I need a wiring diagram for the
generator. I would appreciate a reply from anyone in engine land
who has such a plan. The serial number is Delco Lite 229510.
William Harry Bryant, R.R. 2, #3415 Road 112, Tavistock, ONT Canada
NOB 2R0, or e-mail: bryn@gate-way.com
38/4/4 Big Boy Lawn Tractor
I bought this little lawn tractor last fall. It has a large
steering wheel like a farm tractor, and the hood tilts forward for
access to the engine. There’s no tag on the tractor, but on the
hood in faded letters you can still read the words, ‘Big Boy
Gemco Deluxe World’s Finest.’ Power is by chain driven back
to the rear axle. To go forward you pull back on the lever on the
left; pull back another notch and it goes a little faster; push the
lever forward and you’re in reverse. There are little brass oil
cups on the rear end housing. The engine is a Briggs & Stratton
Model 141302, serial number 3475. My good friend, Don Little, got
it running and moving for me, and he thinks the motor is too new
for this tractor. I’m looking for any information on this unit,
such as color, year made and where it was made. Danny Rutsky, Box
157B, Road #1, Pittsfield, PA 16340.
38/4/5 Root & Vandervoort Q: Enjoy every
page of your magazine, the only thing better would be getting one
every two weeks.
I have a Root & Vandervoort, manufactured for John Deere
Plow Co., Syracuse, N.Y., serial number BL16714, rated at 2 HP at
450 rpm. When was this engine built?
I also have a Stover serial number V136911, rated at 2 HP at 500
rpm. Can anyone tell me when this engine was built, and what color
it should be? Paul Luckman, 4006 Hall Center Road, Wahworth, NY
14568.
A: Your best bet for information on your Root
& Vandervoort is to contact R&V registrar Peter Lowe. You
can contact him at: 9 Jamefield Drive, Maclean, Australia 2463, or
e-mail: plowe@turboweb.net.au
As for your Stover, according to Wendel’s Notebook
it was built in 1920, and the original green is comparable to
DuPont GS188 or Ditzler 44616.
38/4/6 Unknown Device
I am writing to find out if anyone can tell me what this device
is. It was made by the W.M. Sharp Co., Philadelphia, Pa. USA.
The patent date is unreadable, but I think it says 1903. It is
built like a press, with 15 graduated pins with rounded ends
attached to the upper portion that fit loosely into corresponding
holes in the lower base. I don’t think it is a punch, as it
could not apply a lot of pressure. Dennis Spark, P.O. Box 19,
Goomalling, West Australia 6460
38/4/7 Alpha De Laval
I am rebuilding an Alpha De Laval 1-1/2 HP engine. This engine
is in poor shape and some parts are missing. I would like to
restore it, but need some help with parts and information.
I want to paint it, but I need to know the correct paint code.
The head needs new valves, and I need two valve caps. Does anyone
make these? Does anyone know how long the exhaust valve is? I’m
also looking for tag pins to hold the engine tag to the block. A
good picture or two of the left side of the engine would also
help.
I knew I wouldn’t get it running this year, but there is
always next winter. If anyone can help, please write to GEM so
everyone can benefit. Ron Konen, 19324 Leon Road, Genesee, ID
83832.
38/4/8 2-1/4 HP Galloway Q: I have a 2-1/4 HP
Galloway, serial number 026875. I would like some information on
year of production. The ‘G’ on Galloway has a tail, and the
engine has a Webster tri-polar magneto. My engine looks a lot like
the one in the old cut I’ve included. Kris Hendricks, P.O. Box
1843, Pinedale, WY 82935.
A: We don’t know of a comprehensive listing
of Galloway serial numbers, but Galloway engine collector John
Cullom’s Web site (www.oldengine.org/
members/jcullom/index.html) features a partial listing that can
help narrow things down. Reading between the lines on John’s
serial number page, it appears your engine was built in 1914. The
tail you refer to on the ‘G’ in Galloway also shows up on
Galloway engines from that year. Further support for a 1914
production date comes from the image you supplied, which shows a
small-mouthed hopper and the piston oiler located behind the hopper
and on top of the rear of the cylinder. Galloway made changes to
the 2-1/4 HP engine in
1915, including opening up the hopper mouth and running the
piston oiler tube through the hopper.
C.H. Wendel is a noted authority on antique engines and
tractors. His books constitute a vital reference resource for
collectors and hobbyists. If you have a query for C.H. Wendel, send
it along to Gas Engine Magazine, 1503 S.W. 42nd St., Topeka, KS
66609-1265.
