27/7/13 Stickney Engine Q. See the photo of a
10 HP Stickney engine on original factory trucks. We bought the
engine in 1990 at Sigourney, Iowa and completed the restoration
about half a year ago.
I’m also writing concerning the injector cup system that was
used for example on the Thermoil, Evinrude, St. Mary’s and
other engines, all working under the Hvid patents. I am very
interested in learning more about this, as we own a Timmer 9 HP
vertical engine of Dutch origins. This engine has hit-and-miss
governing. There are some other Dutch engines, for instance, the
Brons, but they are not hit-and-miss. Any information will be
greatly appreciated. Dries Juffer, Bovenstraatweg 11, 8096 PC,
Oldebroek, The Netherlands.
A. See our dissertation on the Brons-Hvid
connection at the beginning of this column.
27/7/14 Vaughan Engine Q. See the photo of a
Vaughan motor. I would like any information I can obtain on this
engine. It was built by Vaughan Motor Works, Portland, Oregon and
is a 4 HP model. D. Taylor, Lot 190, Dexton St., Mt. Helena,
6555 Western Australia.
A. If anyone has any Vaughan information please
send it to Mr. Taylor.
27/7/15 Gardner Compressor Q. See the photo of
a Gardner 3 x 3 compressor, s/n 13189. The valves were frozen in
place and after getting them loose I discovered that the stems are
badly corroded. I am concerned they might break off and mess up the
top of the piston and whatever else. Are valves available, or if
they are fabricated, do they have to be heat treated or require any
special conditioning? Any information or literature will be
appreciated. Bob Itnyre, 73818 White Sands, Twenrynine Palms,
CA 92277.
A. We can’t say for sure whether the valves
will have to be made from a special alloy. If they are poppet
valves, perhaps some discarded engine valves might be modified to
work. Using some good carbide bits, they actually can be turned,
but you’ll sure get some blue chips! By the way, when turning
really hard materials, it helps to hone the carbide bit with a
diamond hone, or even with a hard and smooth carborundum stone.
When honing, be very careful not to dub off the edge you are trying
to bring up.
27/7/16 Hercules Gas Engine Works Q. I am
seeking some information on this open crank vertical engine I found
a few. years ago. It was made by Hercules Gas Engine Works of San
Francisco, California. Some parts were removed before I got it. It
has eight different patents between 1893 and 1898, with others
pending. Any information on this engine will be appreciated. G.
Goody, 10 Lawrence St., Moranbau, QLD Australia.
A. We made brief reference to the Hercules on
page 228 of American Gas Engines. However, we illustrated a
horizontal engine, and were unaware of a vertical model. Can anyone
shed further light on this rare bird?
27/7/17 Sieverkropp Engine Q. See two photos of
a Sieverkropp engine. No. 17 A shows the exhaust side, and 17-B
shows the carburetor side. The engine has two cylinders, but only
one spark plug in the middle. Do both pistons top out dead center
at the same time? What is the original paint color? Any information
on this engine will be greatly appreciated. Tom Pemberton, RR2,
Centralia, MO 65240.
A. Can the Sieverkropp collectors be of
help?
27/7/18 Unidentified Equipment Q. See photo
18-A of an unidentified engine. It resembles a Gade Model C or B
engine as shown on page 195 of American Gas Engines. It has a 3? x
5 inch bore and stroke. Do these engines have a serial number, and
where would it be located?
Photo 18-B shows a Gamble’s Farmcrest tractor. It resembled
a Cockshutt. On the radiator shell it has ’30’ but on the
hood it has Gamble’s Farmcrest. On the left hand motor frame it
has 48 10978 which resembles the Cockshutt method of serial
numbers. Any information, including the proper paint color for this
tractor, will be greatly appreciated. Verne Smith, RR 1, Box
202, Motley, MN 56466.
A. The cylindrical design of the governor
weights suggests to us that this is a late style of Gade engine,
especially since this engine has the auxiliary exhaust port.
Perhaps some of our readers can speak to the matter of the
Cockshutt-Farmcrest connection.
27/7/19 Unusual F & J Pumper See the photos
of an unusual Fuller & Johnson pumping engine. This one is
equipped with a Dixie magneto. The magneto is mounted on the
battery case bracket and was turned through two gears coming off
the crankshaft. Two gears were needed to get the mag going in the
right direction, since the F & J pumpjack engine runs
counterclockwise. I thought perhaps the readers might like to see
this unusual variation. Everett Hayden, 8912 N. Rasmussen,
Tucson, AZ 85741-9620.
Thanks, Everett, for sending along this information. We
encourage all of our readers to likewise help the cause.
27/7/20 Air Compressor Q. See the photo of a
vertical single cylinder air compressor. The upper brass tag reads:
Briggs-Schaffner of Winston-Salem, N.C., Manufacturer of Jigs and
other Contract Work. Tag No. 2 has # 18-408 stamped on it. I assume
a small vertical tank may have sat on the left side originally.
Would anyone have any information on this air pump?
Also, in some past issues of GEM, the paint color for Ideal air
cooled lawn mower engines was given as Martin Senour #817. Our
local Martin Senour rep checked at the main office archives and
found the number to be 90T-817 synthetic enamel. Jim Windle,
4001 Fox Run Rd., Powhattan, VA 23139.
A. Has anyone heard of the Briggs-Schaffner
firm?
27/7/21 Fairbanks-Morse Information Q. What is
the year built of the following Fairbanks-Morse engines: 90859,
C13891, A46514. I understand that the ‘C’ prefix is for
Canadian engines; what does the ‘A’ prefix indicate? H.
B. VandenBerg, 1409 Satsuma St., Clearwater, FL 34616.
A. The first number indicates that the engine
was built prior to 1911. We have no listing for Canadian
Fairbanks-Morse numbers, and we do not know what the ‘A’
prefix signifies. Can anyone supply this information?
27/7/22 Burnoil & Waterloo Boy Q. See the
photos of two different engines. Photo 22-A is of a Burnoil 5 HP
engine, s/n DO649. I would like to hear from any owners of Burnoil
engines in the United States; I understand that the Burnoil is a
rare bird
Photo 22-B is of a 1? HP Waterloo Boy engine. I need help to
date this engine, plus some information, mainly to locate some
missing parts. I have heard these are commonish engines in your
land, so there must be parts around somewhere. P. L. Meacheam,
Box 4, Sanson, Manawatu, New Zealand.
A. The Burnoil engine is indeed scarce! It is
another of the engines using the Brons design. Isn’t it ironic
that we should have inquiries from around the world about the Brons
(Hvid) engines all in the same issue!
27/7/23 Pump Jacks Q. See the photo of two
speed jacks. One is a Dam and one is a John Deere. The only
difference is the size of the pulley. We all know that Deere bought
out Dam Mfg. Co., so one was built earlier than the other. They are
both short the cap for the fill hole on top. I need information on
what this cap looks like, and what the proper color is for these
jacks. Harold Langbehn, 501 Connell, Dyson, IA 52224.
A. Can anyone provide Harold with the needed
information?
27/7/24 Unidentified Items Q. See No. 24-A. The
brass tag reads, Remy Electric Company, Anderson, Indiana, Model
A-D 6 volts. Could this be a lighting generator?
Photo 24-B has a brass tag reading Holtzer Cabot Electric
Company, Boston Chicago A/C Current Motor 110 volts, 1150 RPM. The
electric motor on one end reads 1/10 HP and
on the opposite end are ten magnets which carry a warning that they
should not be dismantled. The magnet end lights a normal light
bulb, but the bulb flickers. Can anyone suggest the original
purpose of these items? Clarence J. Hickman, P.O. Box 2866,
East Liverpool, OH 43920.
A. We think that 24-A is a Remy lighting
generator. We think that 24-B might have been a telephone
generator. The warning to not disassemble the magnets was to keep
some ignoramus from taking them off and then not replacing them
with the same polarity.
27/7/25 An Interesting Letter Here’s an
interesting letter from Harry C. Middleton, 425 Castle Drive,
Paradise, CA 95962. Harry is 85 years of age. He writes:
‘I was raised in manufacturing: ammonia compressors, ice and
light plants. We cast and made steam engines. Then in 1916 we began
to handle and install Fairbanks-Morse engines. Everyone was
changing to oil burning engines, and the ratio was about ten
Fairbanks to one of the other brands. We made pistons, rings, etc.,
and rebored cylinders for the rice farmers in our section. We were
close to Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana.
‘I was a youngster and took to the Fairbanks-Morse
installations. These engines in the rice fields were ‘Y’
Type H, with DN pumps. We used the H with electric flywheels in the
ice plants and electric plants. In the larger cities they used the
‘Y’ vertical in 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 cylinders.
‘Our company went broke in 1932. I had learned to fly and
had gone into airline work, but never lost my love for the oil
burners. Oil was cheap. I was operating an ice and electric plant
for the man in charge so he could be off for two days. A railway
tanker was spotted at the plant. I signed for it and pumped it off
into underground tanks. The next day the bookkeeper and then the
owner raised cain! It [the diesel fuel] was billed at 2? cents per
gallon, up from 2? cents a gallon. It was a long time before they
quit talking about that! We used to have pictures of the new plants
we built, and the engines, but I lost the ones I had. Also, I am
trying to get the city of De Queene, Arkansas Library to make a
search. The city installed four six-cylinder Fairbanks-Morse
engines in their light plant in 1927…it was a beautiful
installation.’
Thanks Harry, for sharing some of your experiences with us. It
is greatly appreciated. -The Editors.
27/7/26 Engine Index Thanks to Ken Evans, 130
Malcom Drive, Pasadena, CA 91105 for sending a complimentary copy
of A Combined and Expanded Index to Alan C. King’s
‘Gasoline Engines’ Volumes 1-8.