REFLECTIONS

By C.H. Wendel
Published on September 1, 1995
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30/9/7A
30/9/7A
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30/9/10E
30/9/10E
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30/9/11B
30/9/11B
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30/9/11A
30/9/11A
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30/9/11C
30/9/11C
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30/9/13A
30/9/13A
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30/9/13B
30/9/13B
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30/9/16A
30/9/16A
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30/9/13C
30/9/13C
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30/9/16B
30/9/16B
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30/9/16C
30/9/16C
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30/9/22
30/9/22
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30/9/16D
30/9/16D
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30/9/7B
30/9/7B
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30/9/23B
30/9/23B
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30/9/23C
30/9/23C
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30/9/23A
30/9/23A
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30/9/7C
30/9/7C
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30/9/8
30/9/8
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30/9/9
30/9/9
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30/9/10A
30/9/10A
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30/9/10C
30/9/10C
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30/9/10D
30/9/10D
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30/9/10B
30/9/10B

30/9/7 Fuller & Johnson Q See 7A and 7B of
a Fuller & Johnson 4 HP engine, s/n 410238. I need more
information on this engine. Also, in photo 7C, see the huge
Stromberg carburetor I inquired about in a recent issue. I’d
like to know what sort of engine used this carb. T. J. Shipman, RR
2, Box371-12, Buckhannon, WV 26201.

A For further information on the F &. J,
we’d suggest that you contact Verne  W. Kindschi, S9008B,
Hwy 12, Prairie du Sac, WI 53578. We’ve never heard from anyone
having information on the Stromberg. Can anyone be of help?

30/9/8 Witte Info Needed Q. I’d like to
know the age, horsepower, and original color of my Witte engine,
s/n 50448. It was connected to a drag saw, which I removed for
safety reasons when on display. Also see the reproduced check to
Witte Engine Works. Could this have been the payment for my engine?
Also, I have a Taylor Vacuum engine, 2 HP, Type C with sin 13032.
I’d like to know the age and the original color scheme for it.
Any help will be appreciated. James E. Hall, PO Box 57,
Philadelphia, NY 13673.

A Your engine left the production line in
September 1920, so the bank check you’ve sent might well have
been the payment for this outfit. Log saws were not given a
horsepower rating, although they ran from 2 to 3 HP, perhaps higher
if speeded up a bit.

30/9/9 Old Mill  See the photo of an old
mill which I picked up. It has a patent date of May 27, ’55 and
was made by Superior Drill Company, Springfield, Ohio. Can anyone
supply information on this company? Garry D. Rosenfeldt, 27099
Emery Rd., Cleveland, OH 44128.

A Superior operated from 1867 to 1903 when it
was part of a merger that formed American Seeding Machine Co. We
have no specific information on your mill.

30/9/10 Unidentified Engine Q. See the photos
of an early aircraft engine. I found the copper electrotypes in a
box of auction goodies many years ago. Any information will be
appreciated. M. H. Norton, Box 254, Brewster, KS 67732-0254.

A. Here’s a new one for us; can anyone
identify this company?

30/9/11 John M. Smythe Q. This 2 HP engine is
from the John M. Smythe Mdse. Co., Chicago, Illinois. Can you tell
me when it was built and who built it, also the original color? It
originally had a Webster magneto, but I need the bracket number.
Any information would be appre’ dated. Ronald Williams, RD I,
Box 642, Uorrisdale, PA 16858.

A This engine was built by Waterloo Gasoline
Engine Co., Waterloo, Iowa. We don’t find a Smythe listing, but
the Waterloo listing for the Webster bracket is 303K8A. We’re
not sure this one will fit, but it’s worth a try. To date, no
one has sent us a color match for this engine … indeed, this
would be appreciated.

30/9/12 Information Needed Q. I would like to
know the year built of the following: Witte 8 HP, s/n 60295 Witte 3
HP, s/n 38892 International Type M, 6 HP, s/n 24080. Bill De Wire,
RR2, Box 376, Hughesville, PA 17737.

A The year built, in order, of these engines is
1922, 1918, and 1922.

30/9/13 Unidentified Engine Q. See the three
photos of an unidentified engine. It is a hit-and-miss, four-cycle,
with a 3’/2 inch bore and stroke. It has an auxiliary exhaust,
removable cylinder head, and hinged connecting rod cap. It was
originally equipped with battery ignition which was missing, as was
the carburetor and exhaust valve rocker assembly.

For ignition I used a Fairbanks-Morse magneto which I had to
alter for slow speed running; the present carb is from a B & S
lawn mower engine. It is 27 inches high with a 16 inch flywheel.
Any information on this engine would be greatly appreciated.
Vincent Durham, Site 8 Comp 34, RR I, Sicamous, BC VOE 2VO
Canada.

30/9/14 Waterloo Boy Q. I have a Waterloo Boy 4
HP engine, s/n 112445 and would like to know when it was built,
also the correct color scheme. Joesph J. Englert, 3825 Wal-Ont Rd.,
Walwarth, NY 14568.

A. There are no known records for the Waterloo
Boy. We have the early engines as DuPont 2564-H Red, the later ones
(probably including yours) as DuPont 5316 Green, with a few engines
being Sherwin-Williams JX4030 Gray .

30/9/15 Witte Engines Q. What is the year built
for a Witte engine, 2 HP, s/n B40474? William I. Wright, 804 8 St.,
Nitro, WV 25143-1910.

A Your engine was built in 1926.

30/9/16 Sandow Engine Q. I need information on
the Sandow engine of about 1912, as shown in the four accompanying
photos. It may have been built by Detroit Motor Car Supply Co.
under the Sandow tradename. Does anyone have a similar motor, or
any literature they might copy? The motor had a unique fuel
induction system, not a carburetor, or even a mixing valve. The
fuel seems to have just dribbled into the combustion chamber. Part
way up the cylinder there is an auxiliary poppet valve on the
crankcase. I need to find out how this worked, and how the flywheel
governor was set up. Art DeKalb, 51 Van Alstyne Dr., Pulaski, NY
13142.

A Several engines used a fuel system that was
at least remotely similar. Liquid fuel was metered into the air
passage at the proper time. The high velocity of the intake air
tends to vaporize the fuel on the way into the cylinder. The
auxiliary poppet valve on the side of the crankcase permits a
slight vacuum and this draws fuel up into the fuel feeder by the
suction in the crankcase.

30/9/17 Witte Information Q. Can you supply
information on an 8 HP Witte, s/n 37814? I would like to know when
it was built. Also, can anyone provide information on the ignition
system, as well as the crankshaft gear which turns the cam? Any
help will be appreciated. Craig Blakenan, Rt 5, Box 339A,
Charleston, WV 25312.

A Your engine is a 1918 model.

30/9/18 Thanksto Mr. Ralph T. Unterzuber, 3132
Bradwill Rd., Richmond, VA 23225 for sending along a photocopy of
the Great Western engine catalog. It is much appreciated.

30/9/19 Gibson TractorsHarold Sherron, 2154
Shaw Rd., Boaz, KY 42027 would like to get word to a fellow in
northern Alabama that called him about some Gibson tractor parts.
Harold tells us he lost the gentleman’s name and would like to
make contact.

30/9/20 Foos 30 HP EngineDave Babcock, 3491 E.
Deckerville Rd., Cass City, MI 48726 writes that he has a 30 HP
Foos hopper cooled engine and would like to know of any other 30 HP
or larger hopper cooled engines still in existence.

30/9/21 American Sawmills? Q. Is the American
Sawmill Co. still in business? I have an old American mill. Any
help would be appreciated. Franklin Griffin, 209 S. 4th Ave.,
Mayodan, NC 27027.

A To our knowledge, American is no longer in
business, but they may have merged with someone, somewhere along
the line. Can anyone tell us for sure?

30/9/22 Unidentified Crawler Q. See the photo
of an unidentified crawler. The tracks and sprockets look as if
they were made sometime after the original manufacture. The lower
rollers don’t fit the chain at all, and the chain that supports
the track is high speed roller chain. The only numbers to be found
are on the transmission, which is WG-DIV T92-1. Any help will be
appreciated. Marcus Comes, PO Box 9371, Bend, OR 97708-9371.

30/9/23 Gifford Compressor Q. See the three
photos of an engine or air compressor from Gifford Engine Co.,
Lansing, Michigan. There is no ignition or fuel accessories, but
there is a valve in the middle of the piston, and it was run by an
electric motor. Was this an original from Gifford, or an
after-market conversion? Also, when was it built? Carl Justice, 86
Belle Ave., Delaware, OH 43015.

A This was built as an air compressor by
Gifford, probably sometime 1912-18 when the company was
manufacturing engines of similar design and appearance.

30/9/24 Information Needed Q. What is the year
built of a 3 HP Witte, sin 29547, abo a Witte 4 HP, sin 26538? Paul
R. Bell, 247 Eldorado Ave., Louisville, KY 40218.

A Number 29547 was built in 1917, and 26538 was
built in 1924- Witte used a peculiar numbering system that
isn’t at all in consecutive order, nor do the numbers seem to
have been ascribed in blocks for say, a 4 HP engine. Our most
recent issue of Wendel’s Notebook has a rather generalized
listing of the Witte numbers, but as noted there, getting the
precise year built often requires a perusal of the manufacturing
records. Various people have tried to figure out the rationale
behind the Witte numbering system, but without success.


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