28/2/25 IHC Mogul Tractors Q. Over the years I
have collected a pretty good amount of original literature and
photographs of IHC equipment. I have an old photo album with
hardback covers with the IHC logo on every page. There are over 100
pictures in this book with no labels except a very few. I have
several pictures of a tractor which appears to be an experimental
12-25 Mogul (Photo 25-A) or possibly a 20-40 Mogul of which I
believe there were ten built. Any information will be greatly
appreciated. LeRoy A. Baumgardner Jr., PO Box 1313, Hanover, PA
17331.
A. There are so few identifying marks that this
tractor could be either the experimental 12-25 or the short-lived
20-40. However, we have a gut feeling that it’s the early
12-25, perhaps a pre-production model. International Harvester is a
most interesting company, especially in their early developmental
work. This company had done very well in other endeavors and had
the financial resources for some in-depth tractor research. Their
efforts paid off, with the immensely successful Mogul and Titan
tractor line, and even more so when the McCormick-Deering
Gear-Drive tractor appeared. Harvester wasn’t content to stop
at that point. The company knew that farmers were clamoring for a
decent row-crop tractor, so they poured immense amounts of money
into experimental work that finally resulted in the famous
Farmall.
28/2/26 Help Needed! Q. See the three photos of
an unidentified engine. I’m usually pretty good at identifying
engines, hut need help on this one! Any assistance will be greatly
appreciated. Gilles Marcil, 1745 De Brie, St. Hyacinthe, P.Q. J2T
4T1 Canada.
A. We’ve never seen anything with a hopper
like this one! Can you help?
28/2/27 Detroit Mower See the two photos of a
1925 Fordson Model F with a Detroit mower, It was made by Detroit
Harvester Company, Detroit, Michigan. The power for cutting is
taken through a two-speed transmission direct from the Fordson
pulley gear ahead of the Fordson transmission. The mower bar is
six-foot, although a five-foot was avail-able. This unit was shown
at the Pageant of Power Show, July 4 & 5, Greenfield Village,
Dearborn, Michigan, and also at the Third Annual Southeastern
Michigan Antique Tractor & Engine Show, Morn roe, Michigan.
Russ Schafer, 14050 Grafton, Carleton, MI 48117.
28/2/28 United Engine Q. I have a United Model
A, 2 HP engine, s/n 118367, as pictured on page 521, bottom right,
of American Gas Engines. Can anyone tell me the year built and the
correct color scheme? James Dubiel, 670 Afton Ave., Youngstown, OH
44512.
A. We have DuPont 93-2622-H red listed as the
correct color. The head is painted silver. No serial number records
exist.
28/2/29 Wiscona Pep Q. See the photos of a 1?
Wiscona Pep engine, s/n 12010. It has quite a few parts missing. I
need all the info possible so I can make the missing pieces. The
engine has 16? inch fly wheels, and a 11/8
inch crank shaft. It uses a 3? x 4? inch bore and stroke. Any
information on this engine will be greatly appreciated. Paul CD.
Schopbach, PO Box 102, Three Oaks, Ml 49128.
28/2/30 Busch-Sulzer Engines Recently we
acquired some information on the Busch-Sulzer engine factory at St.
Louis. This photograph is undated, but shows a 750 horsepower,
two-cycle engine to the left. It is on the test bed where it will
be carefully adjusted and tested prior to shipment. To the right,
in the foreground, is the bed for another large Busch-Sulzer
engine. The massive proportions of the bed casting are obvious.
High pressure air bottles are visible next to the completed
engine. Since these engines used air injection systems, high
pressure air was necessary for starting. After the engine was
running, a three-stage compressor provided the 1,500-2,000 psi
needed for injection. Mechanical fuel injection systems brought a
virtual end to air injection. Ironically, the time-honored
mechanical fuel injection pump will probably be replaced eventually
by electronic fuel injection, monitored and controlled by a printed
circuit board.
A CLOSING WORD
In all the years of the Reflections column, this is the first
time we haven’t had any comments for the Readers Write section.
There are several possibilities: 1) Everyone was too busy to write;
2) The questions were too tough to answer; 3) The questions were
too easy to answer; or 4) The questions weren’t worth
answering! So, if you can be of help regarding any of the queries,
please don’t hesitate to do so!
Likewise, we haven’t heard much from the modelmakers lately.
Surely there must be some of you buried in a model project. Those
who haven’t built any models have no idea of how much work it
is to fit a one inch piston or to grind some tiny valves to an
absolutely airtight fit. Those of you who have built or are
building some models, let us hear from you, and be sure to send
some photos of your work.
Earlier in this column one reader suggested that perhaps GEM
should take a position regarding the question of leaded vs.
unleaded gasoline. As has been our rule for many years now, we try
to avoid editorializing within this column. Sometimes it happens,
just from the very nature of things, but since there are two very
viable sides to this issue, we’ll stay out of this one. The
Reflections column is intended as an exchange of information among
our readers as its primary purpose. Beyond this, we doubt our
position would change anyone’s mind anyway.
On November 18, 1992 the local newspapers announced that the
White-New Idea factory at Charles City, Iowa will be closed in
mid-1993. Over 400 employees will be given pink slips. Whether any
portions of the factory will be taken over by others is unknown.
However, this will mark the end of about 90 years of tractor
building at Charles City. The factory there was originally built by
Hart-Parr, and from this factory Hart and Parr proceeded to
revolutionize the farm tractor industry.
The purpose of the Reflections column is to provide a forum for
the exchange of all useful information among subscribers to GEM.
Inquiries or responses should be addressed to: REFLECTIONS, Gas
Engine Magazine, P.O. Box 328, Lancaster, PA 17603.
