A Brief Word
For those interested in our Germany 2002 tour, we’re pleased
to tell you we finally have all the arrangements completed.
We’ve added Holland to the itinerary so we can visit the
fantastic one-man collection of Wimvan Schayik at Langenboom.
We’ve been good friends with Wim for a number of years, and
believe us when we tell you that this is quite possibly the
greatest one-man collection of engines and tractors in the
world.
We’ll also spend a day at the HMT Rally, the biggest engine
and tractor show in Europe. Engines and tractors are mixed
throughout the many rows, so you almost have to walk one row at a
time. The ‘flea market’ has almost everything imaginable,
and there are always working demonstrations of some sort. In order
to catch the HMT we changed the tour dates to July 14th to July
29th.
Here in the Midwest we still marvel at the delightful weather we
are having in early December. We’ve barely had a killing frost
here in Iowa, and in fact a few farmers are still doing a bit of
field work. By the time you have this copy, though, we’d
suppose that payback time will have arrived. Iowa is right in the
middle of the great barren waste of snow, ice and northwesterly
winds during the winter! However, we have the snow blower all ready
to go, just in case, and there is an ample supply of dry wood for
the heating stove out in the shop, again, just in case we are
forced to stay home from work with nothing else to do but be forced
to work on a greasy old engine that needs a bunch of new parts.
We’re beginning work on our magneto and carburetor book as
we revive our Power in the Past Series we began several years ago.
However, we have yet to find any service information on the Sumter
Oscillating magnetos that were used on numerous engines. We all
know there is a fair amount of info available for the Webster, but
there seems to be virtually nothing out there about application
data and other information on the Sumter Oscillators. If anyone
knows of something, let us know right here at the column.
Speaking of carburetors, kerosene was a very popular tractor and
engine fuel in the early days. It was incredibly cheap, even
compared to gasoline prices of those days. Carburetors of literally
hundreds of different makes appeared in an attempt to prepare this
clear liquid for burning inside the cylinders. There were all kinds
of pre-heaters and other devices to enhance the process, and the
injection of water into the mix was essential to retard
pre-ignition. So far as the carburetor part was concerned, much of
the problem was (and is) related to physics, chemistry and other
high sciences. The bottom line is that gasoline can be vaporized to
create the fuel-air mixture while kerosene can only be atomized. No
wonder that by the 1940s, gasoline came into general use, except
for the momentary dash for distillate fuels, especially during
World War II.
Our first inquiry this month begins with:
37/2/1: Unidentified Engine Wesley Faust, 1153
White Chapel Dr., Central Point, OR 97502 sends some pix of a
marine engine mounted on a yoke permitting it to tilt as well as
swivel. All the parts have numbers such as 7-A-XX. The muffler is
7-E-XX. Bore and stroke is 2-5/8 x 2-1/2 inches, and the flywheel
is 9-5/8 inches in diameter. Any information would be appreciated.
Wes is also trying to restore a 1-1/2 HP dishpan Fairbanks, and
needs info on missing parts.
37/2/2: Friend Engine See the photo of a Friend
Pump Engine Model DPA117, s/n DXA1100. The engine is from Friend
Mfg. Co., Gasport, New York. Ron Baer, R.R. 1, Port Colborne,
Ontario, Canada L3K 5V3 would like to know the year this engine was
made and the correct paint color. Can anyone be of help?
37/2/3: Lufkin-Cooper-Bessemer Q: See the photo
of a Lufkin-Cooper-Bessemer engine, Model L-1235, Type GSDH, 7-1/2
x 9 bore and stroke, 2-cylinder. It was built by Lufkin Foundry
& Machine Company, Lufkin, Texas. Alton Garver, 1899 N. U.S.
Hwy. 385, Levelland, TX 79336 writes: This engine was purchased in
July 2001 from an oil field service company here in Levelland,
Texas. They bought it about 10 years ago from the Oklahoma oil
fields. It has not run since being taken off the pump jack. I
cleaned the engine up, mounted it, and put on a B&S starting
motor. I have no info on this engine, nor have I found anyone who
has seen one of them. Any information I can gather on this engine
would be greatly appreciated.
A: We have never heard of this firm, nor have
we ever seen one of their engines. Can anyone be of help?
37/2/4: Unidentified Engine Walter A. Taubneck,
11801 52nd Dr. N.E., Marysville, WA 98271 sends along an
interesting illustration and information about a
‘semi-turbine’ engine described in a 1915 edition of
Dyke’s Motor Manual. Does anyone have further information about
this device?
37/2/5: Unidentified Engine See the photo of an
unidentified air-cooled engine. There is no name or model number on
the engine, but the number 1VC1 is stamped on the flywheel, 1VC3 is
stamped on the base and 1V017 is stamped on the bottom of the
cylinder. The flywheel is nine inches in diameter, the engine is 21
inches high, and the shroud is missing. Can anyone be of help in
identifying it? Contact Earl M. Anderson, 3032 Siggelkow Rd.,
McFarland, WI 53558-9583.
37/2/6:Bolens Riding Lawn Mower J.D. Albert,
18478 N. 900 E.R., Oakwood, IL 61858 needs information on restoring
a Bolens Riding Lawn Mower, Type 23601, s/n 52653 F.M.C. He is also
looking for Bolens decals. If you can help, please contact Mr.
Albert.
37/2/7:Chicago Pneumatic Engine Q: See the
photo of a Chicago Pneumatic Giant Gas Engine. It is Model AO3, s/n
11886, 50 HP, and was built in 1924. That is all I know about the
engine. Is there anyone out there having any information or who
knows the whereabouts of another? Also, does anyone know where I
can locate the s/n for a IHC 10-20 Titan tractor? The nameplate is
gone, and the number on the right front frame isn’t there.
I was told to check the end of the crankshaft, but found no
number. I did find a number on the end of the transmission shaft.
Any help on either inquiry would be greatly appreciated. Michael P.
Greene, 5709 Gold Hill Road, Concord, NC 28025.
A: On page 36 of Wendel’s Notebook the
Titan 10-20 numbers are shown. These have either a TV or a TY
prefix, although the prefix may not be stamped onto a shaft or
other part of the tractor. We find it curious that there are no
numbers stamped on the frame members someplace or other.
37/2/8:Identification Needed Ken Marnoch, 3056
Waukegan Avenue, Simi Valley, CA 93063 sends along a photo of a
water pump used in a lumber mill in Ontario, Canada. Originally it
may have had two pump cylinders, with one of them being replaced
with the flywheel. Any information would be appreciated.
37/2/9:Hill Diesel Engine Art Schabla, 77427
Hwy. 21, Covington, LA 70435 writes that he is new to the old iron
hobby, and has recently acquired a Hill diesel engine. It is a
single-cylinder model, 11-1/2 HP, Type PB. He has been unable to
find any information on this engine, and ye olde Reflector has
virtually nothing on the Hill diesels, either. On page 231 of
American Gas Engines we list a couple of models, but not the one
described by Mr. Schabla. Does anyone have further information?
37/2/10: Stover Air-Cooled Bert Dado, 33
Village Woods Drive, Crete, IL 60417-4341 inquires concerning a 3/4
HP Stover air-cooled engine, and would like further information.
This model is shown on page 45 of Power in the Past, Volume 3,
Stover Engine Works. Stover introduced this engine in 1933,
offering them for a few years. The engine was actually built by
Nelson Bros. at Saginaw, Mich. If you have further operating or
service materials, please contact Mr. Dado at his address.
37/2/11: Saunderson Cyclone Drill Co. Q: See
the photos of an engine from Saunderson Cyclone Drill Company,
Orville, Ohio. It is a single-cylinder with two spark plugs and two
timer point sets. The engine uses a 7 x 8-inch bore and stroke,
fuel tank is in the cast iron base. How many of these were built,
what is the horsepower, and how do the wires go to both plugs? Any
information would be appreciated. Andrew C. Troyer, 10540 W. 050
N., Middlebury, IN 46540.
A: We would suggest that this engine is some
how related to the Cook engine made at Delaware, Ohio. We base this
in part on a physical resemblance as well as the unique dual
ignition system. (See page 109 of American Gas Engines). The dual
spark plug design was seldom used, especially with two separate
sets of ignition points or timers. One other method was using a
four-post coil, whereby the high tension circuit went into the
center electrode of the first plug, the current passed through the
engine casting, and emerged from the center electrode of the second
plug. In other words, the secondary of the coil was completely
isolated from the primary. Using two separate timers would allow
the use of ordinary three-post coils, but would require some
careful timing so that the spark occurred at the same instant in
both plugs. Dual ignition systems have often been used in special
applications, but rarely on a stationary engine. If anyone can
supply Mr. Troyer with further information, please do so.
37/2/12: Stover and Hardie Questions Q: Can you
tell me more about a Stover T, s/n T39095 and a Stover W, s/n
W48710? I would like to know where these engines were originally
shipped to from the Stover factory. Also, can anyone tell me the
color of the Hardie engines (American Gas Engines, page 219)? Any
help will be appreciated. Randy Ackley, 21321 County Road X,
Cadott, WI 54727.
A: We have the Stover production records, and
except for the later years they show only the time of production
and other occasional data. Wendel’s Notebook does not list a
color for the Hardie engines, although we once owned one, and it is
a dusty blue. From memory we would say it is close to DuPont
BS019.
A Closing Word
American Gas Engines Since 1872 is going out of print. We will
be working to update and republish this book. Since many of you
have this book, and know its contents, we invite anyone having
photos or information on engines not listed to contact us so that
additional items can be included in the second edition.
Also, our new book, Encyclopedia of Antique Tools &
Machinery is now available (see our ad in the classifieds). This
255-page book, with over 1,000 illustrations, is divided into over
50 different categories. Whether it is organ building, foundry or
fence-making tools, you will be likely to find it in this book.
This is a project we wanted to do for several years, but once we
got started it was far more complicated than we anticipated. There
are also sections on black-smithing and machine tools.
We’ll see you next month!
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 question for C.H. Wendel,
send it along to Gas Engine Magazine, 1503 SW 42nd St., Topeka, KS
66609-1265.
