REFLECTIONS

By C. H. Wendel
Published on March 1, 1993
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28/3/47 Never Too Late! Q. I am 77 years old.
Like you see on the photos, the carburetor is missing. Two months
ago I found a marine engine, good compression, no rust, and made in
Montreal. WAJAX is the engine name. It is two-cylinder, and weighs
32 pounds. Can anyone tell me anything about this engine, and what
kind of carburetor I need? Edouard Racicot, 375 Bel Horizon,
Lennoxville, Quebec, Canada.

28/3/48 Ingersoll-Rand Q. See the photo of an
Ingersoll-Rand radial compressor. It is a Model 3R30, s/n 409, 2? x
2? inch bore and stroke. Three cylinders are for power and three
for air compression. There is no air tank on these, and you hook up
directly to the jack hammer. What is the cubic inch and the
horsepower of this compressor, also its age? Any information will
be appreciated. Donald R. Brantmeier, RR 5, Box 77A, Eldon, MO
65026.

28/3/49 Montgomery-Ward Tractor Q. I have a
Montgomery-Ward tractor. The engine is a Montgomery-Ward, Model
14LC50261, s/n A43229, Cat. No. 87-50261. 1 HP, 2400 rpm,
‘Lausen’ cast in engine block. Tag on gear box is SS3208R.
It has the original Wards Riverside Power Grip tires. Any
information, especially its age, will be greatly appreciated.
Raymond L. Gray, 740 Honeymoon Hill, Gatlinburg, TN 37738.

28/3/50 Lykke’s Grand Island Foundry Q. I
am seeking any information or any whereabouts of any gas engine
which my grandfather built at the turn of the century. My
grandfather was Albert Lykke, proprietor of Lykke’s Grand
Island Foundry, Grand Island, Nebraska. He was a machinist who
built 2 to 8 horsepower engines. Style A was 2 and 4 HP; Style B
represented 6 and 8 HP. The only information I have is a business
card of my grandfather’s which also shows a picture of the
Style B, 6 & 8 HP engine. Grandfather also built an automobile
in 1901 at Grand Island.

Any information will be appreciated. Donald R. Lykke, PO Box
237, Mayer, AZ 86333.

28/3/51 Information Needed Q. My name is Marty
Coffey. I am 8 years old. I go to motor shows with my grandpa, Tom
Coffey, and my dad, Tommy Coffey. I have a Briggs WMB kick start.
See the photos of garden tractors: 51A is a George made in
Sullivan, Illinois. Can anyone date this machine, or does anyone
have a manual? 51B is a Simplicity with a Briggs Model U. Photo 51C
is a Handyman, Type #60754, serial #D2708. We would like to hear
from anyone about these or other tractors, mowers, or engines.
Marty Coffey, 200 Power Cir., Box C 64-2, Hudson, NC 28638.

A. Here’s a young man who’s obviously
interested in old iron. If anyone can be of help to this lad, would
you kindly do so!

28/3/52 Termaat & Monahan  Max F.
Homfeld, 7964 Oakwood Park Ct., St. Michaels, MD 21663 sends
additional information, subsequent to his article on T & M in
January 1993 GEM):

The first refers to my table of T & M models for 1907, on
page 19. The model at the bottom of the list was a two-cylinder
engine of 7 x 7 inch bore and stroke and rated at 30 HP. Joe Suydam
of Chestertown, MD, sent a T & M ad from the April 4, 1909
issue of Motor Boat. It shows a new 30 HP model with three
cylinders of 5’/4 x 6 inch bore and stroke. It is called a
‘Heavy Duty Engine.’ The two-cylinder 30 HP engine is still
being of freed as their ‘Extreme Heavy Duty Engine.’

I was told that Universal was selling a marine conversion of a
small Japanese Kubota tractor engine, built so that it could easily
replace the Atomic Four, as it was given identical mountings and
shaft location. Bill Thien of Trappe, MD, informs me that Universal
was purchased by Waterbuck Corp of Avon, MA, and is being operated
as a division of Waterbuck. Universal continues to convert the
small diesel. They manufacture no parts for the Atomic Four, though
they sell some parts that come from suppliers; valves, bearings,
piston rings, etc. Waterbuck converts four-cylinder Mitsubishi
diesels, mainly for use in cruising sail boats.

Last item, a call from Larry Beehering of Oshkosh, WI. He owns
many papers from the Universal Motor Co. factory.

28/3/53 Friend Engine The New Jersey Museum of
Agriculture has recently taken in a Friend combination engine/pump,
as shown in the photographs. It came from a bam in Franklin Lakes,
New Jersey on land that had not been farmed for 45 years. It is in
excellent condition, and still has good, original paint. The engine
turns freely and the magneto delivers a good spark, although we
haven’t yet tried to start it. It is on display in the Museum
at New Brunswick, New Jersey. Coles Roberts, Curator, New Jersey
Museum of Agriculture, 1668 Church Road, Southampton, NJ 08088.

28/3/54 Unidentified Engine Q. See the photo of
a two-cycle marine engine adopted over to stationary use. It has no
sign of a water pump, so it must have been set up for screen
cooling. The only marks are a serial number of 161. The following
parts have numbers: A-2, water jacket; A-52, piston; A-56
connecting rod. It has a 4? inch bore and stroke. Any help will be
appreciated. Louis Werner, 305 E. Mill, Freeburg, IL 62243.

28/3/55 Unidentified Engine Q. Can anyone
identify the engine in the accompanying photographs? Charles
Mikesell, 9800 La Hontan, Boise, ID 83709.

A. It’s an R &. V engine made by Root
& V underfoot Engineering Company. This company is discussed on
pages 432-35 of American Gas Engines. However, your engine
isn’t illustrated. It was a ‘competition’ engine made
to sell at a price, and didn’t even have a brass nameplate, all
in an effort to lower the cost.

Readers Write

MARCO Etc. Max F. Homfeld, 7964 Oakwood Park
Ct., St. Michaels, MD 21663 writes:

I have long known about a horsepower formula which I called
‘taxable horsepower’ because it was used to determine
license plate fees in some states. The formula is cylinder bore in
inches, squared, times the number of cylinders, divided by 2.5. The
formula gives about 22.5 HP for the Model T Ford, which is about
right. However, it is ridiculous for a modern engine. Recently, I
found the source of the formula. It is in the book, American
Cyclopedia of the Automobile, 6 volumes, edited by Russell and Root
(Motorcars and Motoring, Self-Taught) 1909 edition. The formula is
the A.L.A.M. (Association of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers,
formed in 1903).

I also ran across literature on the MARCO light plant of 1919.
It was built by the Marmon Company, Chicago, to be sold through
Marmon auto dealers. It was rated at 4 HP, 800 rpm, and air cooled.
There was also a grain binder version.

28/1/13 Stover Vacuum I believe the Stover at
one time had a vacuum cylinder with the rod connected to the power
cylinder rod. I have seen a K Stover and a ZB Fairbanks (Empire)
like this. F-M Z engines are still produced in Mexico and a copy is
produced in Bowie, Texas by Bell Mfg. They are used for oil field
pumpers using natural gas from the oil wells they pump. Engines in
28/1/6 are of this type.

28/1/26CIs a Climax or a Continental. These are
modern versions of the old iron. They have Timken bearings and
electronic mags. If you look close at the Ajax you will see the
electric starter. 28/1/6

I have two Edwards engines, both dark blue. . .I would call it a
royal blue.

28/1/35I once talked to a man in New Mexico who
had one of these with lots of chrome. He told me that his
brother-in-law had been employed at a Ward’s-owned plant called
Hummel Plow Works. He said they tooled up to build this engine. His
was a show model. He said after a short production run the company
decided to purchase engines from Briggs & Stratton and stopped
production.

The above was submitted by Robert Johnson, Route 2, Box 358,
Canyon, TX 79015-9637.

Oshkosh Engine While looking through the
November 1992 issue the Oshkosh engine on page 6 caught my eye. I
have an engine with no name that appears identical. I am enclosing
a photo (see RW-1). A collector told me it is a Gray, but I
don’t know for sure now. It has a 3? inch bore, unfortunately,
it is missing a cylinder head. Everything else is there, and in
very good condition. Do you know if this engine was made under
several different names, or what brand this one is? Chuck Fanucci,
211 McPherson St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060.

27/12/9In 1944 or 45 I bought a new engine like
this one. It was war time and to get machinery a person had to find
it, then get a permit to buy it. It was rated 2? HP @1800 rpm. It
was built by Onan for Fairbanks-Morse. I bought it to run a seed
cleaner. I also had to get a permit to get the seed cleaner. I was
in the certified seed business at the time.

In regard to the Gilson tractor of 27/12/10 [Compare this to]
the Plow Man Tractor of the 1920 Chilton Tractor Index. It used a
Buda 4? x 6 L-head engine running at 1,000 rpm.

Merl Barnes, 7013 North view, Boise, Idaho 83704.

27/12/9 Fairbanks-Morse This engine was made
around 1944. .. .also on page 26, the F-12 would be a 1933 or
later, as they started making the F-12 in 1933, starting with
serial no. 501. Delbert Kaesser, 221 First Ave., Rowley, IA 52329.
[Years ago, Delbert made a replica of a John Deere toy tractor for
his boy to play with, using one of the above engines, Delbert says
it turned out better than he expected, and ended up looking very
much like a small John Deere A, complete with hand clutch,
throttle, and individual brakes. He sold it about 1959, and
it’s had several owners since, but at last report, it’s
still going! Ed.]

27/7/43This engine exhibits several features
that tell me it’s a Witte. The first is the shape of the air
inlet on the fuel mixer and the choke plate. Secondly is the style
of the flywheels, a rather thin wheel but with a wide web and a
rather large diameter. Next is the design of the cam gear and
detent lever; this is the same as used on my Witte 4HP headless
engine. However, on my engine the detent points straight down and
engages the end of the large rocker arm. The governor weights are
also of the same style as my engine. Also, a timing, or speed
control lever is shown in the photo. The style of the lever is the
same as the advance/retard lever on my engine. The lever on my
engine is located behind the cam gear which is below and behind the
flywheel on the left side of the engine. The base and cylinder
castings also exhibit Witte styling.

This spring I purchased a Goold Shapely & Muir engine. It is
a Type K, throttling governor style with a Webster magneto. Rated
at 2 HP, 500 rpm, s/n 13797. It is hopper cooled, with the kerosene
tank cast into the engine base. The engine is styled considerably
different from the IDEAL model shown on page 211 of American Gas
Engines. Several fellow collectors say they have not seen another
Goold engine like it. Can anyone supply additional information?
Mark L. Rembis, 2190 Buford-Bardwell Rd., Mt. Orab, OH 45154.

Chevrolet 216 Engines I would like to comment
about the John G. Ruff article in the November 1992 GEM:

John G. Ruff’s little article about the Chevy tractor was
amusing to say the least-then I got a little more than upset. I
would like to know how Mr. Ruff gained such expertise on the 216
Chevrolet engine.

First of all, Mr. Ruff refers to the 216 as being a ‘splash
lubricator.’ That in itself is misleading. A ‘splash
system’ in the true sense is like what a small four cycle lawn
mower engine uses. The Chevy Manual states, ‘Rod bearings are
lubricated at low speeds by means of dippers on the rod bearing
caps which dip into oil filled troughs in the oil pan. At higher
speeds, lubrication is amply maintained by oil nozzles which direct
a stream of oil that is intercepted by the dippers, thereby,
forcing oil into the bearings under high pressure.’

What usually happened was people would pull the oil pan off and
bump the oil nozzles or put the oil dippers on the wrong way, and
presto, you have a rod or rods knocking.

As far as getting only 40,000 or 50,000 miles out of a 216, Mr.
Ruff must not have known how to take care of them. I have a 216 in
my 1949 Chevy ? ton that I have put over 100,000 miles on. Early in
the summer I pulled it down and the cylinders were only about 1?
thousandths out. You are allowed .003′. I put new rings and
main bearings in, and I have put around 7,000 miles on it since
then.

As far as a 216 in a tractor.. .my father used one in a log
skidding tractor that he made in the 1960s, that most certainly had
more than 1200 hours on it.

The whole point to this article is, I have noticed that there
are [people] claiming to be experts on older things but don’t
seem to be remembering things right or they are too young to have
had any real experience with the equipment. I use 1880s and 1890s
equipment in my business, with hit-and-miss headless Witte
[engines] for power. Please,.. .if you.. . [are] going to write an
article, do your homework before [writing it]. . .I do understand
Mr. Ruff could have had a bad experience with the 216, but
don’t make it sound like everybody did. Mark Farnsworth, 1641
Tolley Drive, Sissonville, WV

25320.[Mr. Farnsworth’s letter is presented
virtually intact, although edited by us. Please bear in mind, that
as with Mr. Ruff s article, the Farnsworth comments are likewise,
his own opinion in the matter. We respect the opinions of both
writers. Beyond that, we won’ t editorialize, nor will we
comment either way regarding the quality or lack thereof in the
Chevrolet 216 engine. In engineland, there are a couple of
different engine makes that come to mind which ye olden Reflector
doesn’t care about, but in the overall perspective of the
hobby, we’ll keep our opinions sequestered. Diversity is a
great asset to our hobby, and with that positive input, ’nuff
sed!’

A Closing Word

What’s happening on the model scene? As we put this column
to bed in early January, we’ll confess our disappointment at
not hearing from any of the model makers for awhile. Have you folks
all gone underground? I’ll bet that we haven’t heard from
any of you because you’re just too darn busy at the lathe to
fiddle around taking any pictures.

Call the GEM office (717)392-0733 for a brochure of the Engine
Extravaganza in merrie old England this summer. If you’re on
the fence, we think you’ll be pleasantly surprised when you see
the itinerary. They’ve got a lot of wonderful activities
planned, and we’ll have the benefit of Alex Skinner, a resident
expert, during the entire tour. Many of you have met Alex on some
of his trips over to see what we have.

By the time this copy is in your hands (mid-or late February),
those in warmer climes will probably be thinking seriously about
the coming shows. (Those of us in the frigid belt will be quite
content to warm ourselves by the fire for a few weeks yet). How
often do you think of our hobby in terms of its historical
significance? By preserving this old iron we’re preserving a
bit of our mechanical past, and as we said at the beginning of this
column, considering what those folks had in the way of tools and
equipment, it’s doubly amazing that they could build anything
at all!


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