27/9/22 McCormick-Deering Q. What is the year
built of a McCormick-Deering engine,1? HP, s/n AW 104325? It is
painted black and looks original. Is this the correct color? Also
what is the year and paint color for a Co-op tractor 47 3C 1772,
plus year and paint number for B. F. Avery Model V, s/n 3V-349?
Gerry Canright, E1622 No. Crescent, Spokane, Washington 99207.
A. The McCormick-Deering was built in 1931. We
believe the Avery was made in 1948. It uses a combination of
Cletrac Orange and Tartar Red Light (Sherwin-Williams). We have no
information on the Co-op tractor.
27/9/23 Fuller & Johnson Q. See the photo
of a Fuller & Johnson engine, 3 HP, Model NB. However, the
governor weight is like for the Model N. Is it perhaps an older
Model NB engine? The serial no. is 96809. Also, the Burnoil engine
in New Zealand is a Thermoil Model T. Wayne Rogers, Rt 11, Box 433,
Tyler, Texas 75709.
A. If you haven’t yet, you may wish to
contact: Verne W. Kindschi, S9008B Hwy 12, Prairie du Sac,
Wisconsin 53578. The Kindschi have just completed an extensive
history of F & J, and they also have the production records for
these engines.
27/9/24 Chicago Flexible Shaft Dennis E. Spark,
P.O. Box 19, Goomalling 6460 West Australia sends along some
interesting history of the Chicago Flexible Shaft Company, with
excerpts as follows:
Organized at Chicago in 1896 by J. Stewart and Thomas Clark to
make horse clipping machinery which they had developed.
Incorporated as Chicago Flexible Shaft Company in 1897.
Cooper Sheep Shearing Machine Proprietary was established at
Sydney, Australia in 1902. This firm imported and sold the above
sheep shearing machines, and Fairbanks-Morse engines.
In 1914 Chicago Flexible Shaft took over Cooper and changed the
name to Cooper Engineering Company.
The article goes on to outline the subsequent developments of
Cooper, but especially significant is the early history of Chicago
Flexible Shaft Company. Thanks to Mr. Spark for sending this
information. He also indicates that so far he has located at least
ten engines built by Gray Motor Company of Detroit, Michigan, in
Australia.
27/9/25 What is it? Q. See the photo of an
unknown piece. The two tubular handles fit together … it has the
words ‘Auto tractor’ and also, ‘Made in Sweden.’ It
was found in an old house occupied by Swedish people, so maybe some
of the Swedish subscribers would know. Rich Howard, Hysham, Montana
59038.
27/9/26 Rumely Six Q. Can anyone advise the
paint and striping scheme for a 1931 Rumely Six tractor? Any
information would be greatly appreciated. William J. Gigstead, 6960
Deertrail Rd., Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin 54235.
27/9/27 Unidentified Engine Q. See the photos
of a four-cylinder, four cycle engine. The cylinders are cast in
pairs, with ‘Mora 20’ cast in each. Other features include
red color, a brass priming cup on each cylinder, and the flywheel
has trimming marks and spokes shaped as a fan. The bore is ?
inches, and the stroke is 3/2 inches. Any
information will be appreciated, Jack Shelly, 2114 Swamp Rd.,
Fountainville, Pennsylvania 18923.
A. We’ve never heard of this one before,
nor can we find any reference in the various directories. Anybody
out there who can help?
27/9/28 Information Needed Q. I have a 6 HP
National engine from Montgomery, Ontario. The tag says, ‘Made
in Canada.’ However, after the Southern Indiana Antique
Machinery Show, I now think it may be a 6 HP Stover with a kerosene
carb. Can anyone shed further information on this engine? All
correspondence will be answered. Steve Taylor, P.O. Box 64,
Farmersburg, lndiana 47850.
A. Rumors have floated for years that a few
Canadian companies made bootleg copies of American designs.
We’ve never been able to prove or disprove these allegations
However, there’s an old saying that if it looks like a duck,
walks like a duck, etc., then it must be a duck. We’ve never
found anything in researching Stover to indicate that they, sold
manufacturing rights to anyone at any time. So, if there is a
Canadian-built engine that appears to be virtually identical to a
Stover, then???
27/9/29 Proper Fuel? Charles Nunley, 2912 –
10th St. NW, Canton, Ohio 44708 writes concerning the currently
available gasoline, and whether it is suitable for engines like the
Ford Model T, and others. He asks the question because he intends
to use the engines for service, not for show. Are there recommended
additives? Is the commercially available Regular satisfactory?
This question is frequently asked, and frankly, we’re a bit
hesitant about giving an outright answer. We’ll put it this
way: if it was our engine, we’d go with ordinary Regular
gasoline. However, it isn’t our engine, and that’s purely
our own opinion.
27/9/30 Information Needed Q. See photo 30-A of
an Oliver 80 tractor. Can anyone advise the proper color scheme?
Photo 30-B illustrates an unknown engine of about 3 HP. What was
used for the ignition system? Any help will be appreciated. ]. F.
Mitchell, Box 106, Darlingford, Manitoba R0G0L0 Canada.
A. Will Oliver collectors please provide Mr.
Mitchell with the color scheme on the Oliver 80? Regarding the
engine, it was originally equipped with a low tension ignitor, and
most likely this was combined with a Webster magneto.
27/9/31 Unidentified tractor Q. See photo 31-A
of an unknown tractor. It carries serial number 1268. We believe
that it was sold by Sears & Roebuck. Any information will be
appreciated.
Photo 31-B shows a Planet Jr. cultivator using a Briggs &
Stratton engine, Model 5S. Can anyone supply the year, color
scheme, decals, etc. for this unit? Kathy Brown, 1058 S. Meridian
Rd., Mason, Michigan 48854.
A. Would someone shed light on these two
questions?
27/9/32 Colt Garden Tractor Q. What is the year
built for a Colt 10 HP garden tractor, sin 2309? Harold Edwards,
1201 E. Canter St., Warsaw, Indiana 46580.
27/9/33 Witte Information Q. I own the Witte 5
HP engine shown in the photo. The nameplate gives sin B20430. Can
you advise the year built, and the fuel on which it was intended to
run? Any help will be appreciated. Merv Seng, 4 Ramu Street,
Eagleby 4207 Queensland, Australia.
A. Your engine was shipped to Kimsley
Millbourne Company, New York, New York on March 5, 1925. This was a
kerosene engine, although it ran equally well on gasoline.
27/9/34 Thanks! To Ray France, 200 E. 13thN.,
Kansas City, Missouri 64116. Ray sent along a couple of informative
letters this past month, with additional data for the files. Thanks
Ray!
Readers Write
27/7/24B Holtzer-Cabot Generator Several people
informed us that this’ specialized generator was used for
ringing telephones.
27/5/51 Sattley Colors John Hamilton writes
that two different page sheets from the Montgomery Ward catalog
show the Sattley model with the solid flywheels was a medium gray
(darker than Ford 8N) with gray stripes. Some carry a concentric
stripe on the outside of the flywheel, and others have a starburst
design. We also got some similar comments from other readers on
this question. John’s address is 461 Algonquin Place, Webster
Groves, Missouri 63119.
27/7/10 Massey-Harris Richard Wood, 5098 S.
Livonia Rd., Livonia, New York 14487-9562 writes regarding the
wide-front for the Massey-Harris 22 tractor: ‘My parts book
shows a wide front end for the Model 20 that is similar and would
probably fit, as the part numbers are the same. You change the
steering gear because everything turns in the opposite direction
for a wide front end. The Model 81 would probably fit too.
‘As to Massey-Harris clubs or organizations, there is no
club that I know of. However, Keith Oltrogge gets out a bimonthly
newsletter ‘Wild Harvest Massey Collectors News.’ Every
Massey collector should subscribe to this. Keith also organizes an
M-H collector’s banquet each year, which meets various places
in the Midwest.’
Pontiac Tractor Inquiry ‘In the June GEM is
an inquiry about the Pontiac tractors. I have a 1920 Chilton
Tractor Index. It has some information on the Pontiac,’ writes
Merl Barnes, 7013 North view, Boise, Idaho 83704.
The following is extracted from the Chilton:
Pontiac, 15-30 tractor; Pontiac Tractor Company, Pontiac,
Michigan. Length: 148 inches; Width: 53 inches; Height: 72 inches;
Weight: 4,500 lbs.
Engine: Own, one-cylinder, 9 x 12, horizontal, 500 r.p.m.
Sight-feed lubrication, grease cups at bearings. Own carburetor.
Vibrating jump spark ignition with batteries. Transmission: Roller
chain from crankshaft to jack shaft. Plain babbitt bearings
throughout.
A Closing Word
This year, we’ve been able to attend more shows than has
been possible for several years. Even so, we can only get to a
fraction of the shows that are going on throughout the summer and
fall. We plan to be on hand for the big Fuller & Johnson
Reunion at Baraboo, Wiscon-
sin, in late August, and then it’s on to the Midwest Old
Threshers Reunion after that. In the interim come other important
matters such as continuing with the Oliver-Hart-Parr project, and
getting the October issue completed before the printing deadline of
August 7. Meanwhile, keep your letters coming, and we’ll do our
best to get them into the column for the nearest issue.
Awhile back we found a little book entitled The Gas Engine: How
To Make and Use It. It was written by B. P. Warwick in 1897.
Although the book is badly in need of rebinding, we note that a
single sectional drawing is presented of the Warwick engine. . . a
vertical model with a side crank design. From the accompanying
table, it appears that this engine could be built in sizes of ? ?,
1, and ? HP, just by varying the dimensions printed in the table.
For example, the ? HP model uses a bore and stroke of 1? * 2?
inches, while the larger 2? HP model carries a bore and stroke of 5
* 8? inches. Except for the drawing and dimensional data, there is
little in the way of manufacturing methods; the designer assumed
that no one would tackle the job unless they were already an
accomplished machinist. If space permits, we’ll try to include
the Warwick drawing and the dimensional data in a future issue of
GEM.
