Looking back over 25 years of GEM, it soon becomes evident that
our hobby has grown beyond anyone’s wildest imaginings. Going
back still further to the late 1940s and Elmer Ritzman’s
Farm Album, later known as Iron Men Album, it is evident that
gas engines and tractors occupied very little attention; at that
time, steam was king! By the mid 1960s, tractors and engines had
come into the scene so strongly that steam power was forced into a
holding pattern, and so Rev. Ritzman embarked on the new venture of
Gas Engine. Magazine.
We suppose that there are a great many reasons for the
tremendous popularity of engines and tractors, and we also suppose
that there are many reasons for the comparative change in priority
of gas power versus steam power. It must be remembered that eighty
years ago, the old-line steam engine and thresher builders held the
new-fangled gasoline tractor in low esteem, and given its early
shortcomings, they were at least partially correct. Even in the
1920s, many manufacturers and agricultural journalists felt that
steam power would always play a role in mechanized agriculture.
Thus, there have been two trains of thought over the years; there
are those who still believe steam is king, and there are those who
have little or no interest in steam power, preferring instead to
devote their energies to the restoration of internal combustion
engines.
The Reflector opines that steam and gas power have both played a
major role in the development of mechanized agriculture and
industry, and that both have a role in our preservation of the
past. From a practical standpoint, steam power is fitted for
relatively few collectors. It just wouldn’t do to have a 65
horsepower Case steamer sitting in the driveway of a residence in
Covina, California. However, a dozen gas engines can be stowed in
the garage or a backyard storage shed. The high cost of maintenance
on a steamer is another factor not in its favor. Repairs of any
kind are expensive, and if extensive boiler work is required, the
cost can become exorbitant. By comparison, the cost of restoring a
rusting and corroded hunk of iron that still claims to have been a
gas engine, usually is but a fraction of the expense.
Perhaps the most important factor is that today’s generation
has been raised with gas power. Many of today’s generation have
never thrilled to the heartbeat of a steamer strutting her stuff on
a thresher or a sawmill. Their veins aren’t tainted with coal
smoke and steam cylinder oil, and they have only the most
simplistic understanding of steam power. On the other hand, the
relatively simple mechanism of a hit-and-miss engine is easy for
anyone to understand, given a little study.
We know that there are other factors involved, and we know that
there are other opinions on the subject of gas versus steam power.
We also know that a balanced approach to the preservation of our
mechanical past requires that we give attention to both. With this
in mind, it is our hope that during the next quarter century of
Iron Men Album and Gas Engine Magazine, we can in some way continue
the pleasant task of helping both fraternities. Perhaps the unique
feature of the steam and gas power hobby is that we can restore and
preserve these engines, literally bringing them back to life. In
this way, ours is a living hobby, rather than one where our
precious artifacts are stowed away in glass cases where we can
look, but never touch.
25/3/1 Unknown Engine Q. Back in the December
1988 GEM I had a letter about a Dixie gas engine, but had no photos
of it. Since that time I have had it out to some shows, but so far
I have found no one who has ever heard of this engine, or who might
have built it. See the two below photos. Any information regarding
this engine will be greatly appreciated. Richard Glass, 5812 E 300
S, Hartford City, IN 47348.
25/3/2 Press Release
Heavy Equipment Parts Company, manufacturer of the Bulldog line
of Hydraulics and Gaskets products, has announced the availability
of the company’s new gasket catalog. Designed for easy
reference, the new Bulldog Gaskets catalog is one of the most
comprehensive and detailed listings of gasket applications produced
for off-road, over-the-road truck, industrial and marine engines
manufactured by Caterpillar, Inc. Included in the catalog are both
late series and many popular early series kit applications. For
more information on the above, and other Bulldog products, as well
as the name of the nearest distributor, contact: Heavy Equipment
Parts Company, 6750 Caballero Blvd., Buena Park, CA 90620.
25/3/3 Fairbanks-Morse ‘N’
See the two below photos of my newly restored 8 hp FBM Type N
engine. It was factory equipped with hot tube and electric
ignition, as well as the match starting device. Glen Meyers, 3387
Carson Rd., Adrian, MI 49221.
25/3/4 Coldwell Information Q. I need specific
engine specifications on the Coldwell twin cylinder and single
cylinder lawn mower engine, namely the engine rpm and the engine
horsepower. Jim Tomasetti, 91 Cedar St., Holliston, MA 01746.
25/3/5 Sandow Engine Q. What is the correct
color for the Sandow engine? John F. McCullough, 14091 Telegraph
Rd., Pecatonica, IL 61063.
A. It is comparable to DuPont 93-58740-H
Blue.
25/3/6 Fuller & Johnson Engine Q. See the
two photos of a Fuller & Johnson engine I acquired several
years ago. As you can see, some parts are missing. What was its
trade name, and what was the intended use? The plate in front of
the magneto has the Fuller & Johnson name on it. ‘D’ is
where the carburetor fits. ‘A’ needs a pulley and is belted
to the shaft. ‘B’ is where an adjuster fits to tension the
belt. The fan shaft tilts up and down. ‘C’ is an oil cup
fitting. It has a 3 inch piston, and I believe, a 3 inch stroke.
Any information will be appreciated. John Pribbenow, RR 2, Box 209,
Verndale, MN 56481.
25/3/7 Information Needed Q. In the process of
some historical writing I have come upon a publication entitled
‘The Gas Engine,’ and another entitled, ‘Gas
Review.’ My ultimate goal is to obtain a glossy photo of the
Hall-Scott engine illustrated in both. Is there anyone I might
contact who would still possibly have the original materialsl? F.
H. Bradford, 55 Gipsy Lane, Berkely, CA 94705.
A. To our knowledge, none of the original
materials for either of these magazines yet remains. There is
always an outside chance that one of our readers might have the
photos you require. Otherwise, we know of no alternative except to
use the photograph in the magazine and make a new negative. A
certain amount of quality will be lost, but this may well be the
only viable alternative.
25/3/8 Cushman Engine Q. As a new collector, I
recently acquired an engine with the following nameplate data:
Engine No. A2188, Mode! No. R-14, 2 h.p. The engine was originally
painted red. A nearby collector has an identical engine, but his is
a Bean Special built by Cushman, and another person told me that my
engine was a Cushman sold by Sears & Roebuck. Since I would
like to paint it as original, can you tell me the proper color
scheme? Donald Z. O’ Bier, Star Route, Box 584, Lottsburg, VA
22511.
A. Since your Cushman-built engine was probably
sold by Sears, as you have indicated, might we suggest using NAPA
Martin Senour 7822 Red, as was used on the earlier Economy engine
line sold by Sears & Roebuck.
25/3/9 A Restoration Project Q. See the four
below photos of a tractor I spotted last summer. It might possibly
be a good project for any British Columbia tractor enthusiasts. It
looks like a Massey-Harris four-wheel-drive model. The tractor is
at Shoal Bay at the north end of East Thurlow Island in British
Columbia. Jack E. Reich, Box 368 HSL, Hacienda Sun Luna, Colunbus,
NM 88029-0368.
A. We usually don’t include so many photos
with a caption, but this one was too good to pass up! Here are the
remains of a four-wheel-drive Massey-Harris in about as many pieces
as possible. From the photos, it appears however, that most of the
major parts are still there, undoubtedly with numerous others
scattered about and out of sight. If one of our readers acquires
this tractor, we already have the ‘before’ photos;
we’ll anxiously await a set of ‘after’ pictures!
25/3/10 Grand Haven Garden Tractor
John Heasley, 190 Paragon, Troy, MI 49098 (313/689-5634) is in
the process of restoring a Grand Haven Garden Tractor. This unit is
in rough shape and we would appreciate any information that might
be of help in this project. I am also having a hard time locating
rear tires for this unit; 6.00 x 16 tractor tread tires. I believe
this tractor was produced by the Grand Haven Mfg. Co., Grand Haven,
Michigan.
25/3/11 Nelson Bros. Jumbo Q. Together with my
brother and my father, I collect stationary engines and we are
enjoying it very much. As we have only been collecting for about
three years now, our collection isn’t very big, but it is still
increasing. Our latest acquisition is a Nelson Bros. Jumbo, Model
CB, 3 hp size. It is fitted with a Wico EK magneto. According to an
earlier issue of GEM, the color should be DuPont 2015 green, but
all the paint we can find on the engine is yellow. Can anyone
advise what might be the proper color, and the approximate
age of this engine? D. Juffer, Bovenstraatweg 11, 8096 PC,
Oldebroek, Netherlands.
A. There are several possibilities regarding
the color of the Jumbo. We suppose that the primary reason for the
yellow finish might have to do with the original importer. Perhaps
they favored yellow on their machinery, and it is also possible
that Nelson Bros. may have finished the export engines in a
different color than those used at home. We can’t give you a
precise date on when this engine was built, but suppose it to be in
the mid to late 1920s.
25/3/12 Some Questions Q. What is the year
built for a FBM engine, s/n 636550? Also what is the correct shade
of orange for a 1946 Avery sold by Montgomery Ward? Any information
will be appreciated. Robert Hildreth, RR 3, Box 202, Mattoon, IL
61938.
A. We would suggest the engine to be a 1926
model. So far as the Avery is concerned, we are of the opinion that
it was a dull red color, perhaps reddish orange might be
descriptive. Unless we previously got this information and have
mislaid it, we don’t recollect ever having a true match for
this finish.
25/3/13 A Grist Mill Q. See the two photos of a
grist mill I have rebuilt. It was given to me, and I have spent
many months replacing rotted wooden parts and repairing the
grinding stones. Can anyone identify the maker of this mill, where
built, color scheme, etc.? Walter H. Miller, RR 2, Box 2535,
Butler, TN 37640.
We’re not sure of the make of this mill, possibly it is a
Williams, but we have none of their literature on file. Hopefully,
some of our readers can identify the make, and from that point, the
proper color scheme and other information should come together.
Worthy of note, these mills were usually called stone buhr mills.
Of course, millstones were used already in ancient times, but by
the Middle Ages, they were also known as burr stones, or bur
stones. To satisfy our own curiosity, we checked Webster’s
International and the Century Dictionary for a clue of the origin
for buhrstone, but our search yielded no pay dirt.
25/3/14 Information Needed Q. What are the
proper colors for the Waterloo Boy and the R & V engines? Also
have you compiled a list of paint colors? Harry DeYoung, PO Box
106, DeMotte, IN 46310.
A. We have DuPont 93-5316 green listed for the
R & V, and the Waterloo Boy is listed with the same number.
Possibly the R & V might have been a bit darker than this-from
colored illustrations, and a few remaining paint chips, it is
difficult to determine. We published a listing of paint colors in
the September, 1988 issue of GEM, page 12.
25/3/15 A Cast Iron Funnel Q. We recently
acquired a cast iron funnel. It is large and must weigh 10 pounds.
Who might have manufactured it, and what kind of equipment might
have used it? No one around here seems to know anything about such
an item. Kim L. Rhoades, Box 179A, Leonard, MO 63451.
A. It may have had a special use for an
application with which we are no longer familiar. Then too, those
were the days when cast iron was cheap, and was the material of
choice for applications that are now unthought of.
25/3/16 FBM Engine Q. What is the year built of
an FBM engine, s/n 773706? Pat A. Gossett, RR 2, Stewertsville, MO
64490.
A. 1934.
25/13/17 Information Needed Q. What is the
proper color for a Witte, and the same for a Famous 10 hp, s/n
F433? Also, what is the year built for the Famous? Floyd Schmall,
5523 S. Peach, Fresno, CA 93725.
A. We have listed DuPont 93-5800 Green as being
a comparable match, although Witte has indicated a mixture of 1
part Rustoleum Black and 2 parts Rustoleum Forest Green. This
combination is somewhat darker than the DuPont color, and in fact,
it may be a closer match to the original. We have DuPont No. 674
Red listed for IHC engines and tractors. Many of these were
two-toned with 93-29609-H Olive Green on the flywheels, cam gear,
push rod, and crank fender. The Famous was built in 1913.
25/3/18 Fordson Super Major Q. I am restoring a
1961 Fordson Super Major tractor and was wondering if you could
recommend the proper color of reddish- orange paint for the wheels
of these English-built tractors. Also, I am curious if the blue
color is the same shade as used on the current Ford tractors. I
know it is close, but I am wondering if the Fordson blue isn’t
slightly darker. Any information will be greatly appreciated.
A. We can’t provide you with the proper
colors, but perhaps some of our readers might have this
information. We would also agree that the Fordson blue is darker
than that used on current production.
25/3/19 Vaughn Drag Saw Q. I need information
on a drag saw built by Vaughn Motor Works, Portland, Oregon. The
engine is of 2-cycle design. The paint may have been a dark green,
and the wooden frame red. I need help in the original lettering on
the frame, along with information regarding the electrical
configuration, and the mounting and location of the truck wheels.
Any information will be appreciated. Neal Collier, 3251 S. Pine
Barren Rd., McDavid, FL 32568.
A. Although our files have little to offer you
on the Vaughn, we are confident that some of our readers can
provide this information.
25/3/20 An Unusual Wrench Q. See the photo of a
wrench purchased at a flea market. The only markings are on the
spring steel cover, ‘Spark Plug Gap Gauge, .032.’ Under
this cover are stored two non-magnetic pins. An old-timer remembers
a wrench like this was used on an old one- cylinder engine that a
farmer used to pump water. Any information regarding the specific
company that might have used this wrench will be appreciated. U.
George Briggs, Wine Road, New Braintree, MA 01531.
A. Our guess is that the wrench was provided
with a specific make of engine, but we can’t tell you who it
might have been, nor do we know of the purpose for the two small
pins enclosed within the wrench.
25/3/21 Unknown Engine Q. See the two photos of
a recent engine acquisition. It has a 6 1/2×10 inch bore and
stroke, with a flywheel diameter of 38 1/2 inches. The only
markings are casting numbers, such as C2 Cylinder; C1 Base; D79
Carburetor. In looking through American Gas Engines, I have found
several similar styles, all built at Jackson or Albion, Michigan.
Can anyone provide information on this engine? I specifically need
pictures and/or sketches of the missing parts so as to restore it.
Barry E. Tuller, PO Box 1482, New ton, IA 50208.
A. We believe your engine is a Cook, as
illustrated on page 108 of American Gas Engines. We suspect there
may be a very few of these still in existence, and possibly some of
our readers might have some catalog data or other technical
information. Cook engines are rather scarce, so we hope you are
successful in what appears to be a challenging restoration
project.
25/3/22 FBM Information Q. In your reprint of
FBM Catalog 80N, reference is made to FBM Bulletin HI88 on the 15
hp ‘Z’ engine. Would you have this Bulletin, or where might
I locate a copy so as to better familiarize myself with my own 15
hp Type Z engine? Bill Palautzian, PO Box 415, Shaver Lake, CA
93664.
A. Fairbanks-Morse issued numerous bulletins
covering their equipment, and these covered the range from sales
literature to instruction manuals to parts books. However, even if
Bulletin H188 may not be available as a reprint, perhaps some of
our readers might be able to furnish a photocopy of same.
25/3/23 Witte Information Q. I have a Witte 2
hp engine, s/n BL5184 and need information on it, including the
year built, Joe Baxter, 6333 Melville Drive, Fort Wayne, IN
46816.
A. Your engine was built in 1923. Paint
information is included in 25/3/17 above. The Witte engines used no
striping or decals.
