8425 SW 7th Porlard, Oregon 97219
Whenever a crowd of gas engine buffs group around a trailer at a
steamup in the Northwest area, it’s usually to admire
54-year-old George Massinger’s collection of antique gas power
plants. Although only involved for two years in this new past time,
he has already learned how to restore his gas engines meticulously,
so they are second to none!
After going to a Antique Power-land Show in Salem Oregon, and
hearing that wonderful hit and miss sound, he immediately went in
search his own toy. Only a short time later at a friend’s farm,
he spied a 2 HP 1909 Economy tangled among the weeds and connected
to an old buzz saw. Spurred on by memories of his father using an
old Stover in the 1930’s to cut wood, George set out on his
journey to learn about the world of the hit and miss gas
engine.
Transported on his trailer to events all over the Northwest, he
counts five power plants and a giant 6-foot tall governor. These
five antiques include his 1909 2 HP Economy; a Hercules 5 HP,
#171320 made for the army in WW1; and a 3 HP Stover, #KF 198554
cast in 1927. Also along for the ride is a very rare 2 HP Cushman
Cub, #185, one of only six known to exist and owner of the lowest
known serial number, an engine put out by the Cushman Motorscooter
Company. George’s largest and most historic motor is his 8 HP
Root &. Vandervoort, #EL 37581 cast sometime between 1900 and
1916. Manufactured by the John Deere Plow Company, this particular
slow stroker was used to pump the entire water supply for the town
of Jacksonville, Oregon near the turn of the century. To round out
the mobile museum is a massive 6-foot tall governor taken from a
1000 HP Corliss steam engine, used to produce power for the Swift
&. Company packing plant on Columbia Boulevard in Portland,
Oregon. Belted to his 3 HP Stover the governor draws quite a
gathering as it spins round and round at breakneck speed!
What makes George’s engines so popular to gaze at is his
attention to detail everywhere, all motors are painted the original
color, then pin striped, and built to stock spec’s. Each one
has its own proper decals, original I.D. plates and a set of
stained and varnished wooden skids to rest on. He adds his personal
touch to each engine with the addition of highly polished brass
nuts, bolts, grease cups and covers for the magnetos. If there are
any parts he is unable to locate, George will hand craft them from
whatever material necessary, steel, iron or brass so he can finish
a project. An example of his desire to keep each engine as clean as
possible is the addition of a small replaceable piece of carpet
under each piston exit area and under each rod span to soak up
excess oil. A tandem axle trailer trimmed in two-inch brass plate
and sporting a stained wooden deck makes sure that George’s hit
and miss collection travels in style.
Always on the lookout for a new and unusual old engine find,
George can’t wait to finish his latest, a Fairbanks Morse. Mr.
Massinger thanks GEM and all its subscribers for their help and
information in the restoration of another small part of gas engine
history!
