27/7/27 Information Needed Q. See the photo of
a Komatsu-Bucyrus Excavator that I have. It is Model No. 15-HT-2,
s/n 4389. It was built by Komatsu Std. Japan for Komatsu-Bucyrus KK
under license from Bucyrus-Erie Co. of Milwaukee. I tried
everywhere in New Zealand to find any manuals or information on
this machine, but with no success. With some patience this machine
could be brought back to service, so any assistance will be greatly
appreciated. P. H. Williams, 112 Buller Road, Reefton,
Westland, South Island, New Zealand.
A. Can anyone help Mr. Williams?
27/7/28 Reid Engine Q. I recently bought a 15
HP Reid engine, with the number 5612. I would like to find out when
it was built, the original color scheme, and operating information.
It is currently run on propane. Any help will be greatly
appreciated. W.H. Brans ton, RR 3, Harriston, Ontario, N0G 1ZO
Canada.
A. Does anyone have specific information on
Reid?
27/7/29 Unidentified Engine Q. Can anyone
identify the engine in the two photos? I cannot find out what year
it is. The only thing on the engine is 6DV2 on the cylinder head,
and 75DV2 on the block. Any help will be appreciated. Roy
Royal, 8525 N. Gratiot, Richmond, MI 48062.
A. This is a Stover DV-2 engine of the late
1930s.
27/7/30 Rotary Tillers See the three photos of
walk-behind tractors I own. No.30-A shows all three, a Little
Farmer, Frazer Rototiller, and the Original Swiss Tiller or
Simar.
The Little Farmer was made in Orrville, Ohio by the Willburt
Company in 1953. It has a 6-S Briggs & Stratton engine. It is
belt-drive with a single front wheel to drive it. It is fitted with
cultivators, but came with plows too.
Photo 30-B shows the Frazer Rototiller. It has a 7 HP two-cycle
motor built by Frazer Company. It has a rear-tined tiller. This
tiller is used every spring for garden use.
Photo 30-C shows my pride and joy, the original Swiss Tiller or
Simar. This tiller I bought last summer. It gets a lot of looks at
the shows. I replaced the condenser in the magneto and it runs
really good now. I would like more information on this machine if
possible, and also the proper color scheme. Doug Baker, 10284
Mill St., Senecaville, OH 43780.
27/7/31 Cushman Oil Level Q. I have a Cushman 4
HP engine, Model C. I do not know how to check the oil level in the
crankcase. Is there supposed to be a crankcase breather? It forces
oil out of the main bearings and the shaft driving the water pump.
Any information will be appreciated. Duane Baughman, 5955
Marylew Ln., Dayton, OH 45415.
A. The Cushman instruction manuals don’t
spend much time talking about this. However, the manual indicates
that there is a sight glass screwed in at the bottom of the
crankcase. Oil should appear in the glass to mark filed in the
sight gauge. The drip oiler should be adjusted so as to keep the
oil at this level.
If this sight glass is missing, the only way to determine the
level is to remove the cover plate and determine that the
connecting rods are just dipping into the oil.
Another Cushman manual notes that ‘oil should drip from
drain cock in gear cover.’ This indicates that some engines
were thus equipped, rather than having the sight glass. Having
operated some Cushman engines, we can tell you for sure that
getting the oil level at its proper level will pretty much end the
problem of its coming out all the bearings.
27/7/32 A-C WD-45 Q. I have two Allis-Chalmers
WD-45 tractors. One has s/n 185546 and the other is 157442. Could
you tell me the year these tractors were made, and the year the
first WD-45 standard-tread was made? Doug Jacobson, 9903
Holdridge Avoca NE 68307.
A. The first one was built in 1954; the second
one was built in 1953. We cannot tell you when the WD-45 standard
tread was first made.
27/7/33 Information Needed Q. I am working on a
? HP Baxter engine, similar to the one shown on page 42 of American
Gas Engines. However, I am missing the cam and gear, hot tube and
mixer. My engine has two flywheels. Any photos or drawings of
missing parts would be most helpful.
I also need help on colors and striping of a Western Malleable
& Grey Iron engine as shown on pages 548 of the above book.
Charlie R. Conner, Route 1, Box 465A, Waynesboro, VA
22980.
A. Can anyone be of help?
27/7/34 Hercules/Economy Thanks to Mark Pack,
737 Stratford Ave., Salt Lake City, UT 84106 for sending along some
information. Back in the September-October 1980 issue of GEM, page
11, there is some information regarding the identification of these
engines. To quote one paragraph in particular, ‘Hercules (and a
few Jaeger engines) had round sided hoppers with an oval water
hole. However, most Jaeger, Arco and Economy engines had squared
hoppers with a rectangular water hole.’ Perhaps this will help
in identifying these engines.
27/7/35 Empire Tractor Q. Having purchased a
1947 Empire tractor, I was anxious to find out as much history
about the unit as possible. Even the town historian in
Philadelphia, N.Y., where the units were made, had no information
about the company. I would like to hear from anyone owning a unit
or having any information about the company. I am compiling a list
of owners, along with model number, serial number, manufacturing
date and engine number, and will pass the completed list back to
all owners on the list. Please respond to Carl Hering, Box 921,
Cayuga, N.Y. 13034(315-253-8151).
27/7/36 Kinkade Garden Tractor I purchased this
from a family who bought it in 1910. The original brass plate is
attached to the wooden handles and reads: Kinkade Garden Tractor.
Serial No. 16998. American Farm Machinery Co., Minneapolis, Minn.
U.S.A. There is no name on the air cooled engine. Note the friction
drive off the flywheel to drive the cooling fan, also the old
horseshoe-type magneto. I hope this information might be of help to
someone. F. J. Schenider, Box 940, Eston, Sask, SOL 1A0
Canada.
27/7/37 Ottawa Mule Q. I would like to
correspond with anyone owning an Ottawa Mule tractor built in
Ottawa, Kansas, or anyone having any knowledge of Ottawa Mfg.
Company history, paint scheme, specs of tractors, and serial
numbers for owners registry. Jack Harrell, P.O. Box 142,
Roanoke, IN 46783.
27/7/38 Huber Threshing Machine Q. I purchased
a New Huber 28 x 46 threshing machine with a Hart weigher
mechanism. It is on steel. I have a number of questions, and would
like to hear from anyone with information on this machine. The
blower housing has the number 10939 on it. Anyone who can help me
date the machine or provide any information, please write:
Ernest Ricklefs, 2101-22 Ave., Sterling, IL 61081.
27/7/39 Ideal Mower Q. We were told to clean up
an old bam and look what we found under a pile of scrap metal (see
photo). This is the first year that it is operational. It is
powered by a 1? HP Ideal engine, 30-inch cut, self-propelled. We
don’t know when it was made or the name of the chassis. Was it
also made by Ideal? Was it built for lawnmowers or special areas
such as a golf course? Any help or information will be appreciated.
Erdie L. Carter, 31 Brangers Lane, Elizabethtown, KY
42701.
A. Finding an Ideal is a lucky find under any
circumstances!
27/7/40 What is It? Q. See the photo. Is this a
rattle star? I bought a 1? HP Hercules at an auction, and this was
found in the hopper when restoring it. Clarence D.
Whiteleather, RD 4, Box 4291, Spring Grove, PA 17362.
A. You guessed correctly. These were used to
rattle out the sand from castings, especially the core sand.
Castings went into a tumbling drum along with a whole pile of these
stars. After awhile, the sand is all broken up and can be poured
out, blown out, or whatever. This writer once had an engine that
wouldn’t run good, no matter what. One day we got to wondering
whether there wasn’t part of a mud dauber nest, or some other
organic stuff up in the long air passage of the mixer. On poking a
wire up there, we hit an obstruction that sounded hard and
metallic, rather than soft and mushy. After about an hour of
fiddling around, out came one of these blooming stars. It had been
wedged up there all these years, and we’ll bet that the
original owner had the same problems with the engine not running
its best. Maybe that was why it never ran very much!
27/7/41 What is It? Q. See the photo of what I
believe to be a Termaat & Monahan engine. It is 1? HP. What is
the proper color? Any information on this engine would be
appreciated. I also have a friend in Sweden who has a Waterloo Boy
Type K engine, serial no. 222828. He would like to know the year
made and the proper color. Any information will be appreciated.
Keith Johnson, Rt 1, Box 112, Hector, MN 55342.
27/7/42 Centaur Tractor Q. See the photo of my
Centaur tractor. I ‘inherited’ the Centaur in running order
with the house and farm I bought in 1951. The tractor has been
working ever since, with only minor repairs. The serial number is
93522, Model KV. The engine number is 114712. I am especially
interested in knowing the year this tractor was made, and its
approximate value, as well as some of the history of the Centaur
Tractor Company. I have reason to believe the Centaur is somehow
related to the Minneapolis-Moline Company, but I am not certain how
they are related. Any information your readers can give me would be
greatly appreciated. William Bleam Sr., 7201 Suter Rd.,
Cooperburg, PA 18036.
27/7/43 What is It? Q. See the photo of an
unidentified engine. It has a 4 x 6 inch bore and stroke. Any
information will be appreciated. Harley L.Collins, 2540 Fox
Road, Bath, PA18014.
A. We haven’t a clue… can anyone
help?
27/7/44 Husker-Shredder Q. See the two photos
of a corn husker-shredder machine. Nowhere can I find any
identifying marks. All of the casting numbers are three digits with
a ‘V’ prefix. The machine has six husking rolls. Any help
in identifying this machine will be greatly appreciated. Mike
Ewald, 6419 Hwy 147, Two Rivers, WI 54241.
A. Is there anyone with some knowledge of
husker-shredders? Our files are virtually bare on this subject.
27/7/45 Fordson Information The serial number
for Fordson tractors should be stamped in the engine block just
above the front end of the manifold.
I have an original quart can of Fordson red paint. There is a
nice color photo of a tractor on the paper label. It says M-212 Red
Supplied by Ford Motor Co. There is some spilled paint on the
label, and part of it is missing.
See also the photo of what Fordson tools I have. Some are
unmarked, and some have Fordson in raised letters; others have only
the part numbers. Alexander C. Black, 3105 9th St., Douglas, AZ
85607.
