1615 San Francisco St. San Antonio, Texas 78201
One thing I’ve always liked about GEM, and the IRON-MEN
ALBUM, is that Editor-Publisher Elmer L. Ritzman, and his fine
staff, use a few worth-while words of praise for Jesus Christ,
Christianity, and Christmas. First, let me state my entire story,
refers to the Jan.-Feb. 1970 issue of GEM. So, in that issue, on
page 2, in the SMOKE RINGS Column, by Anna Mae, I’ll quote a
portion that Anna Mae wrote: ‘. . .so one thing I’ll say —
its’ as usual — harried, bustling, busy, and a BEAUTIFUL time
of the year. Just think — what else is as important as the birth
of JESUS?’ Yes, TODAY is the time to accept Jesus
whole-heartedly; tomorrow may be too late! Anna Mae is right, with
those words of wisdom! And, as a Christian-nation, we should not be
quality of saying, ‘glad THAT’S over (Christmas)’!,
we’re to live close to our Savior all throughout the year, not
just Christmas-day.
A good portion of GEM readers, I feel, realize there are now
many, many young boys (and some girls, too) and also some of the
more mature men (and women, too), who have had only little gas
& oil engine and tractor experience previously, who are now
eagerly reading GEM and trying to gain as much engine & tractor
knowledge as fast as they now can; thus getting started in this
do-it-their self hobby, trying to catch up with many of us older,
more experienced, fellows and many are doing a real job, too.
That’s as I see it, and I do believe some do get confused at
times, at the differing reports they hear or read about on one
specific unit of early-day equipment, now and then. I might note
errors at a glance, while the younger and less-experienced may
begin to wonder when two or three different versions are given on
that particular machine, come to their attention. That’s why I
like to correct, or help correct, some of the instances that come
up; if they are a little off-color, especially if I know something
about it. Remember, I only know a small percentage of the business;
the greater percentage of the business, the hardest part, I wish I
could still learn. In this light, I am not reflecting on
anyone’s inexperience; so just keep on expressing yourselves in
the pages of GEM. From your contributions written in your own
words, is where I usually learn a little more, too.
Let’s look at the picture on page 12, It is not an I.H.C.
engine; rather it is a FAIRBANKS-MORSE, type ‘Z’, style
‘B’, either a 5 hp. or a 7-? hp. If a 7-? hp., which I
surely believe it is, it will weigh about 900 lbs. The trailer and
engine, together, would hardly weigh a ton, unless the trailer is
extra-heavily-built. Anyway, as the wording goes (page 12) the
weight applies to the engine, as I see it. This F-M engine has
5-3/4 x 8 inch cylinder, and rated at 550
rpm.
The lower right-hand picture, on page 26, shows an engine with
the bluted-cooler. The engine’s name should be corrected to
AERMOTOR. It was built by the AERMOTOR CO., Chicago, builders of
the famous AERMOTOR wind-mills.
On this 1? hp. Sandwich engine, the block, water hopper,
crankcase and crank-case cover are all cast in one piece. I found
this one in a barn. It is missing the cranking handle in the
flywheel. It runs good.
A tractor that definitely needs a name-changing is the tractor
Andy Michels refers to. But, it is not Andy’s error. Find
Andy’s story near the bottom of the first column, page 30,
which is the continuation of Anna Mae’s SMOKE RINGS. That
tractor is by no means a McCormick-Deering; it is the 8-16 hp.
4-cylinder INTERNATIONAL, year about 1921-22. Andy’s #3 item,
that of the I.H.C. 10 hp. type ‘M’ kero, engine -this size
engine came out in 1920; these engines were factory-equipped with
roller in the exhaust rocker-arm from 1920 to 1933. Therefore, it
is likely newer than 1920; anyway, if I had its serial number, I
could tell you when it was built. I’d like to hear from the
owner on that.
On page 32, in IRENE’S COLUMN, Mr. Bert Lehman, evidently,
has a 1hp., I.H.C., 600 rpm. engine built in years 1911 to 1917.
The prefixed letters in the serial-number could be VC; VD; VE; or
VH; depending whether the factory shipped it out as a portable,
stationary, sprayer-outfil, etc. Prior to 1914 it was called
VICTOR; and, FAMOUS; since then it was called TITAN. Some points of
identification other than those Bert has given, are: cylinder is
bolted to the base; has water-cooled head; has a horizontal
intake-valve in the head, set at 90 degrees to the cylinder-axis;
two governor-weights in the flywheel; igniter in the head; had
three different connecting rods, namely: Nos. G 6530, yr.
’11-’13, $4.25; GA 6530, yr. ’14-15, no price; and GB
6530, yr. ’15-’17, $3.50; the kind of metal used is not
given. As Bert says, his has a bronze-rod, so I’d guess the G
6530 rod for 1911-13 was his, because it is priced higher. I do not
have one of these engines; nor have I ever seen one. I’ll try
to send you some little helps on it soon, Bert. If you will, go
back to your May-June 1969 GEM, page 7, and you’ll see a TITAN
1 hp. like I’m describing above, with 15-1/2 inch flywheels,
water-cooled head, geared low-tension magneto, likely a SUMTER
magneto. The engine shown on page 7 is NOT A TOM THUMB. The TOM
THUMB is an air-cooled engine, with a belted-fan driven from the
flywheel. See what I mean by off-key description? The same May-June
1969 issue, page 12, is shown as I.H.C. TITAN Jr., 1 hp., built
1915 to 1917; in this instance the description is correct. I might
add, there is an interesting deviation from I.H.C. standards in
this 1 hp. TITAN Jr., in that it has a single-weight governor
attached to the cam-gear!
Back to the Jan.-Feb. 1970 GEM, page 23, regarding Gordon
Warehime’s question about the NELSON BROS, engines. I’ve
written about them a few times, now and then, those portions on
NELSON BROS. engines will be found in my stories that were
published in GEM in the past. You will find a little on NELSON
BROS. in Vol 1, No. 3 page 25; in Vol 3, No. 1, page 21; in Vol 4,
No. 4, page 3; and, I guess that is about all I have to offer on
them. If you will look up the above notes, and then look up the
referred-to issues of GEM, you may gather some help. The engines
you and Mr. Bochantin refer to are all NELSON BROS. built, but 1
can’t tell you the years built. The little differences in
design-details vary thru the years, because the Company does make
changes from time to time. The engine shown in May-June 1969 GEM
page 9 is an early design. The air-cooled engine (same issue) page
24 is one I never dreamt NELSON BROS. built, before I saw that
picture and it could be a real early model or one of the more
recent models offered around 1915-1920 era. I’ve never seen
much of any literature on the NELSON BROS., thereby being able to
supply a prime-mover to their customers, under their own ‘Trade
Name’ as has been a lot in the past.
In GEM, Jan.-Feb. 1970, page 32, I’ll offer Berton Blazek
some helpful information on the BULL DOG engines, made by the BATES
& EDMONDS MOTOR CO., if he will refer to the following
back-issues of GEM: Mar.-Apr. 1969, pages 6,22, and page 26, the
latter is by John Wilcox. Then, see the May-June 1969 issue, 4th
cover (page 36) for a view of a 4 hp. size, where it is stated in
error that the engine was made by the FAIRBANKS COMPANY. Lastly,
see the Nov.-Dec. 1969 issue, page 27, for a view of the design of
the valve-actuating-mechanism of the larger than 1-? hp. BULL DOG
engines. This particular view is a close-up of the 8, 12, and 16
hp. horizontal, hopper-cooled, construction. Their vertical engines
also employ this pull-type method of actuating the exhaust-valve
and tripping the igniter. Back to the page 36 view, please note
that the negative was placed wrong-side up while that print was
made; but, at that, you can see that the engine is equipped with a
WEBSTER OSCILLATOR.
This small size Rumely Oil Pull was built by Roland & Kevin
Endelman of Charles City, Iowa. Almost a year was spent in building
it. It is powered by a 3 to 5 hp. International gas engine.
Mr. Endelman also owns a 1926 Star and 1928 Moon automobile and
an array of gas engines
Another little ‘as I see it’ joke, if any of you readers
have the January, 1970 copy of WESTERN ENGINES, look at the bottom
of page 19, there you will see a line-up of (‘steam
engines’), which the old-timers used to call
‘STINK-POT’ engines! How come such description gets by the
all-seeing-eye of the Editors? I don’t take WESTERN ENGINES,
but Ted Worrall, Loma, Montana, a good pen-pal of mine, of long
standing, was so kind and sent me the copy, the first one I ever
saw; I sure was glad to get a copy, tho. Well, there was an issue
of GEM one time, namely the Sept.-Oct. 1968 number, when the
cover-photo on it got the mis-interpreted description given it.
Reporting that I noticed it, was published in the Mar.-Apr. 1969
GEM, bottom of last column, page 3. Having just these two instances
before us, I’d have to say, ‘Where have all the
steam-traction-engines gone?’
