An Amusing Tale by

By Staff
Published on January 1, 1988

2203 Parker Road Greenville, South Carolina 29609

The story I am going to tell you has brought a lot of chuckles
from people I have told it to and perhaps others will enjoy it.

A fellow collector and neighbor took me one day to look at an
engine he had heard about but had not seen as yet. When we arrived
at the owner’s home he showed us the engine lying upside down
partly in and partly out in the weather. It was a rusty mess. The
magneto was gone and it had been allowed to freeze, a large piece
had fallen out of the water jacket and we could not find the piece.
We decided we did not want it so we left.

A year later I began to think about trying to buy it for parts
so I went again to look at it. When I arrived I knocked on the door
but got no answer. As I was walking back to my pickup I heard
voices behind a large shed. Upon investigating I found the owner
and a friend each with a half empty can of Budweiser and they
apparently were discussing how to get more. I made a modest offer
and bought a 3 HP Fairbanks Morse Z. We three loaded quickly, I
paid and started to leave. As I got into my pickup I heard the man
say to his friend, ‘The Lord will provide.’

I repaired the water jacket with a piece of 4′ cast iron
sewer pipe and most of the time my engine will start the first time
it turns over.

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