27/5/26 Hobson-Clinton Corn Sheller Q. See the
two photos of a Hobson-Clinton Corn Sheller built in New York. Can
anyone provide any help in dating it, or can anyone tell me more
about the company? Any information will be greatly appreciated.
Jonathan Taylor, 24 LeSouef Rd., Gembrook, Victoria 3783
Australia.
A. We’ve looked through our various product
guides and can find no reference to this company whatsoever! Can
anyone be of help to Mr. Taylor?
27/5/27 Ford Free Piston Engine Q. When the
Ford Motor Co. had open house at Romeo, Michigan, I saw a tractor
on display with a ‘free piston engine.’ It was not running
at the time. Is this tractor in a museum or someone’s
collection now? George Tincknell, 66291 Mound Rd., Romeo, Ml
48065.
27/5/28 Before & After Q. See the two
photos of a before-and-after restoration job. It is an Associated
Six Mule Team Engine, 6 HP, s/n 609368. Can anyone tell me the age
of this engine? Howard Fay, 19073 Route 52N, Richardsville, IA
52039-9613.
A. There are no serial number records for
Associated engines. Unless there is a definite lineage through a
series of owners, the only way to set the age is approximating from
information such as is found in American Gas Engines.
27/5/29 Bessemer Compressor Q. See the photo of
an air compressor made by Bessemer Mfg. Company. It is almost like
a Model T Ford engine cut in half. The power piston and the
connecting rods are Ford. The crank and cam are also from the Model
T. One very odd thing is it has a high tension magneto, but also
has an old Model T Ford timer with a roller contact. This engine
does not have a carburetor or intake manifold, so I don’t know
what kind of carburetor it should have. There is no governor. Can
anyone provide me any information on this unit? Joseph C. Hurd,
Star Rt., Box 132B, Maricopa, CA 93252.
27/5/30 Johnson Iron Horse Don Pachesny, PO Box
214, Manistee, MI 49660 needs information on a Johnson Iron Horse,
Model X-205, s/n 18052. If you can be of help, please contact him
at the above address.
27/5/31 Fairbanks-Morse Riding MowerQ. See the two photos of a Fairbanks’ Morse
Riding Lawn Mower that I recently acquired. It was missing the
handlebars and the seat. Can anyone provide any information at all
on this unit? H. L. Bachman, 5984 Eastern Valley Rd., McCalla,
AL 35111.
27/5/32 Unidentified Engine Q. See the two
photos of a small four-cycle engine of about 2 or 3 horsepower. It
is a tank cooled vertical, with the cylinder design being somewhat
like a marine engine. The base of the engine is extended to one
side and has babbitt bearings for a shaft that ran off the
crankshaft. The crank has a small gear inboard of the flywheel. I
think it may have been a combination engine-pump unit.
The engine has a counterbalanced crank, and the flywheels are
weighted at the rim. There is spark plug ignition and a
Lunken-heimer mixer valve. The number V-31-A is cast into the
cylinder head, and V-17 is cast into the throttle shaft. Any
information on this engine will be greatly appreciated. Brian
M. Lynch, RD 1, Box 120B,Wellsville, NY 14895.
27/5/33 Unidentified Engine Q. See the photo of
an unidentified engine. It has a two-inch cylinder bore. There is
an oil pan or sump which lubricates the crankshaft, and there is a
governor on the crankshaft, inside the base. I can find only
two casting numbers, one on the intake part of the head (VB10), and
on the base (8VB4). Any information will be greatly appreciated.
John Pordon, 349 Francisco Dr., Sonoma, CA95476.
27/5/34 Ignitor Points Q. For many years, every
story or repair manual tells me that an engine with a low tension
magneto and an ignitor, that the ignitor points are to be closed.
On engines with battery ignition, the points are to be open when
the ignitor is at rest.
I have an IHC ‘Type M 3 HP engine with the ignitor and low
tension magneto’. I cannot in any way get these points to be
together at rest, and could use some help. Philip E. Mullen,
1702 McKay Ave. N., Alexandria, MN 56308.
A. The first thing I would do is look at
another IHC ignitor and compare it to the one you have. Perhaps
someone of our readers has had a similar problem.
