On May 24, the Reflector made the annual pilgrimage to the
Central Hawkeye Swap Meet at Waukee, Iowa. Over the past few years
this event has grown substantially, but we believe this year’s
event to be by far the largest swap meet we have ever seen. Even
after a full day of walking the grounds, we missed a lot of the
items offered for sale or trade. Despite every effort to the
contrary, the Reflector still managed to return home with the
pickup half full of engine parts, books, and miscellaneous other
items.
The Reflector was overwhelmed with letters and phone calls
concerning the ‘crankshaft deflection gauge’ mentioned in
21/6/20. If you recall, this writer was looking for where to obtain
one of these gauges to help in aligning the crankshaft on a
Fairbanks-Morse Model 32, six-cylinder diesel engine. Although we
won’t set our engine on its new concrete foundation until this
Fall, getting the necessary equipment sometimes takes several
months, so it seemed a good idea to start looking ahead of the time
such an instrument is required.
A large number of letters pointed us to L. S. Starrett Company,
and in fact, Mr. Ed Berquist of Starrett sent us their current
catalog, price book, and several other brochures concerning
Starrett products. For your further information, Starrett is
located at 121 Crescent Street, Athol, MA 01331.
Several people wrote us, offering to loan us their own gauge,
and a collector in Calais, Maine offered us a complete set. All in
all, the response was very gratifying. Now we know firsthand the
kind of response that one can get from an inquiry in GEM. So, if we
can help any of you in your quest for information on an engine,
tractor, or other vintage farm equipment, we’ll be happy to
include your query in the Reflections column. Our hobby seems to be
blessed with an awful lot of generous and helpful people, so send
your letters in whenever the need arises!
From the comments we have received, perhaps we should clarify
that the Fairbanks Diesel mentioned above and in 21/6/20 is owned
by the Reflector, C. H. Wendel. We fully intend to restore the
engine and the 2300 volt generator unit. By the way, our request
for any information on the Fairbanks-Morse Type D, 2300 volt, 300
kva, 3 phase alternator brought not one single response!
Having done a lot of magneto repair work over the years, and
still at it, the Reflector has noticed that a lot of the ignition
problems we see are involved with the trip mechanism rather than
with the magneto itself. The Wico EK magneto was built and sold by
the hundreds of thousands. This fine little unit is an excellent
magneto, but has its own idiosyncrasies. The design permits only a
very low primary voltage, consequently all internal connections
must have virtually no resistance. Fortunately, reproduction parts
are available from several GEM advertisers, including coils,
condenser, and points. Certain drive types have a tendency to crowd
the movable armature on its stem, and after many years of running
the steel stem becomes worn, as does the hole in the armature. This
allows one magnet pole to break slightly ahead of the other, and in
this situation, getting a good spark is difficult, if not
impossible. Boring out and bushing the armature is one approach to
restoring this portion of the mechanism. Usually two separate
springs are required for the successful operation of the Wico EK
magneto. The heavy drive spring works against the magnetic pull
between the armature and the magnet poles. As the trip shaft moves
tighter and tighter onto the drive spring, this force is overcome,
and the drive spring is ready to pop the armature and points open
very quickly this gives a good spark. A somewhat weaker return
spring then snaps the armature firmly back into place against the
magneto poles for the next sequence. If either of these springs is
lost, broken, or just plain weak, then it is time to start
experimenting until the proper combination is found. Perhaps in
some future issues we can delve into some details of magneto
ignition.
This month’s first letter comes from Canada:
21/8/1Q. Here is a picture of a 1 HP Maytag
upright engine. Would like to know the proper color this looks like
it was an orange red. Are there many of these engines in existence?
Also would like any information on a 1 HP McLeod engine, including
the color. Harold Seibold, 32710 Okanagan Drive, RR 8, Clearbrook,
BC V2S 6A9 Canada.
A. This writer can’t recall ever hearing
anyone comment on the proper color for the Maytag vertical model.
While a few of these engines are still lurking about, they are
scarce enough to command a good price in nearly all instances. We
have no data whatever on the McLeod engine.
21/8/2Q. We are presently restoring a 5 HP
Galloway with a round connecting rod, s/n 7125. Can anyone date
this engine? Also, does anyone have information on a 1 HP engine
built in Chicago by Mudge & Company. In addition we have a
McCormick’ Deering TD32, #TDBB4601. It is a hand-cranked diesel
that starts on gasoline. Morris & Dave Cronk, Box 209,
Torrington, WY 82240.
A. American Gas Engines, in discussing the
Galloway notes that these engines came into their own during 1908.
The early models used a turned and machined connecting rod, to
which you refer. Although there is no available serial number data
on the Galloway line, their tremendously large sales figures and
the rather low serial number you indicate would lead us to believe
that you engine probably came into being sometime prior to 1910. We
have no data whatever on Mudge &. Company. With regard to your
question on the McCormick-Deering TD32 engine, we plunged into our
IHC material with great confidence, and after a lot of digging came
up dry on this one, so we implore some of our IH experts to give us
the answer!
21/8/3 Q. I recently acquired this IHC
engine s/n LAB 4673. This was an oilfield engine in West
Texas. It has the auxiliary water hopper complete with the original
clamping device for holding the auxiliary hopper to the engine.
What years was this engine built. I would be happy to provide
dimensions and other information on this engine for anyone desiring
same. Time Warner, P.O. Box 6187, Las Cruces,
A. Your engine was built in 1937.
21/8/4Bernard V. Barber, RR1, Box 332, Hamlet,
IN 46532 writes that he has acquired a Falk 10 HP engine and is
looking for another owner of same to get information and dimensions
on some missing parts. Mr. Barber would also appreciate hearing
from anyone with color information, operating data, etc. in short,
anything that might get this engine running again.
21/8/5 Carl Setterlee, RD 7, Box 13, Somerset,
PA 15501 writes that he has acquired a Mallalieu & Conrey 1 HP
water-cooled engine and needs to correspond with anyone concerning
paint color of same.
21/8/6 John Tisdale, Sterling Hill Road, Lyme,
CT 06371 is looking for information on an IHC UD-282 6-cylinder
diesel engine. Numbers stamped on the tag are 1527 and 2125. Mr.
Tisdale reports that so far specs and information have been very
hard to find. Anyone with information on this engine kindly contact
Mr. Tisdale at the above address.
21/8/7 Q. I have a Panzer garden tractor built
by Panzer Products Inc., Waynesboro, Virginia. It is a Model T70B
and carries s/n 76281. Any information at all will be appreciated.
Robert Penn, RR 2, Box 23, Camden, IN 46917.
A. The 1956 FIN Buyer’s Guide lists a
Panzer tractor as being produced by Copar Inc., 21 Avondale St.,
Laurel, Maryland. At right is a Panzer brochure, year unknown,
which we received from a New York state subscriber on a recent
visit in Lancaster. Note Panzer was at this time a division of
Virginia Metal crafters unfortunately that’s all we have on
this one.
21/8/8 Ray Rylander, 805 E. San Rafael,
Colorado Springs, CO 80903 asks about how to get insurance for his
display that makes various wood puzzles. The insurance companies
say that should a spectator get hurt, the ‘show’ insurance
is not good because the puzzles are sold for money, albeit a
fun-filled hobby type of business. Since it is a ‘business’
they say we need insurance.
21/8/9 Q. A friend of mine suggests I write you
in regards to the Reid Gas Engine. The Reid Gas Engine Company was
founded by my grandfather and great-uncle. I would appreciate any
help you can give me in baiting a Reid gas engine in or near
Oklahoma. John L. Reid, Route 4, Box 222, Tahlequah, OK 74464.
A. Since I know that a number of GEM readers
are quite familiar with the Reid engine, how about corresponding
with Mr. Reid. With the information some of you people have, plus
what is certain to be a lot of background information that Mr. Reid
might be able to supply, perhaps an in-depth history of this
interesting engine might be waiting in the wings. Mr. Reid’s
phone number is 918-299-5646.
21/8/10 Q. I have a Fairbanks-Morse Model Z, 5
HP engine, style B, s/n799855, and would like to know its age, what
it was used for, and would like to hear from someone who could
supply further information on it. Jim Ringsrud, 3407 Cherry Lane,
#3, Fargo, ND 58102.
A. It would appear that your engine was built
in late 1937. You mentioned its having 3 v-belt grooves cut in one
flywheel. Possibly it was set up with a generator Fairbanks built
some complete engine-generator units on this plan, and using an
ordinary radiator system. Fairbanks-Morse actively pursued the sale
of these engine-generator combinations at least into the World War
Two years, offering both A.C. and D.C. models in several sizes.
21/8/11 Q. I recently purchased a Standard Twin
garden tractor, s/n 407C9496. Would like to know the year made, and
would like to find a parts book for same. Although steel wheels
seem to have been standard equipment, my tractor uses 18′
tractor tires. Was this an option, or something homemade? The
original colors appear to be: Engine, transmission, and
handles Dark blue Cylinder and cylinder heads: Aluminum Wheels and
Fuel Tank Red
Do you have matching numbers for the above?
Also have a David Bradley garden tractor, s/n 917.5751,
Series 191, and would like to know the year made. On this tractor
we also need to know the OEM engine, appropriate color scheme, and
other information.
Thanks too for the information on the RC Case tractor 1
received through your column. John Turick, RR 2, Clubhouse Road,
Lebanon, CT 06249.
A. We don’t know of anyone who has
reprinted a parts book for the Standard Twin, although it seems to
be one of the most popular garden tractors appearing within this
column. A perusal of various implement trade yearbooks and other
literature indicates that very few pre-WW2 garden tractors came on
factory rubber. As with farm tractors, many models that featured
rubber tires in the late Thirties were forced back to steel wheels
for the duration. The great impetus to rubberize garden tractors
started about 1947, exploded in 1948, and has continued to grow
ever since. By the early 1950’s rubber tires were standard
equipment on almost everything.
21/8/12Herman Sass, 20 East Morris Ave.,
Buffalo, NY 14214 would like to hear from anyone owning a Huber
tractor in the U.S. and Canada, presumably for a directory he is
compiling. We assume too that Huber tractors existing overseas
would also be welcome to Mr. Sass’ efforts.
21/8/13 Q. Can anyone identify this engine? The
cam gear carries #A-64, connecting rod A-46. #9300 15 stamped on
end of crankshaft. The engine has a 4 x 5 inch bore and stroke. Any
help will be appreciated. Raymond Urton, Box 86, Syracuse, KS
67878.
A. The top of the water hopper resembles a
Waterloo Boy engine, but the numbers do not match anything we have.
Further, the governor is entirely different. After going through
much of our material, we throw this one out for your response as
‘what is it?’
21/8/14 Q. I would like more information on the
40-70 Flour City as built by Kinnard & Sons Mfg. Co.,
Minneapolis, Minnesota. Would like the year made the s/n is 2094.
Also would like the proper colors for this tractor. Jim Luper, 881
Fitzhugh Dr., Apt. 15, Traverse City, MI 49684. (You can see this
tractor at the Buckley Show the third weekend in August.)
A. We have a photocopy of their Catalog 23, and
of course from this we cannot tell you the exact color scheme.
Somewhere we have seen an original catalog for this tractor, and
perhaps a response might come as a result of this inquiry. Although
the serial number is quite low, the total production of these big
tractors was also quite small, so definitely establishing the age
of this tractor might be quite difficult. Congratulations on having
a very rare tractor!
