1442 Lincoln Drive Flint, Michigan 48503
First, Frank Fretter found it. Guess he was visiting some uncle
up the other side of Chesaning — Michigan that is. Started talking
around them about old engines and someone remembered the Titan.
Seems it was used on a 22′ J. I. Case separator, silo filler,
buzz saw, feed grinder, and such around the neighborhood. Frank,
being as nosey as he is, chased it down; noticed it’s fine
condition and the good care it had had. A hundred bucks was more
than he wanted to part with right then so he stored the idea for a
while — then told the rest of us. It wasn’t my turn to take
one. Engines are hard to find around here. I had just recently
bought a fifteen horse Fairbanks – Morse, old separate cooling
tower etc., I think something near fifty years old. It was Bill
Mechems’ turn and we agreed to let Bill at it. Came Saturday
afternoon and we hopped in Bill’s car and headed to
‘Titan’ country — and Sam.
Sam was there — an old retired bachelor farmer — and a born
mechanic, if mechanics can be born that way. We looked the old gal
over. (Why are engines referred to as feminine?) All of us now
agreed that the price was right that is, all except Sam. He had
changed his mind — a hundred dollars worth. Didn’t have to
have much reason; just changed his mind. And he wasn’t wild
about selling anyway. Not right now. Didn’t need the money and
he sort of liked to see it sitting there — so many good memories.
I wouldn’t have blamed him if he would have said no right
then.
I’m only middle age — that is, if 1 live to be a hundred. I
have the fondest memories of times back on the farm of the folks I
worked with; they didn’t all have masters’ degrees or
doctorates — but they were mighty real people. We’ did things
together — no one kept track of the hours he helped the neighbors.
Together we threshed, buzzed, filled silo, husked corn, raised
barns, doctored sick cows and horses, worked on the old Oil-Pull.
It was quite something compared to my city life today of. Guess
I’m off the track a bit. Bill still thought the price was all
right — Agreed with Sam to pick the engine up the next day.
My wife wasn’t a bit enthusiastic about my missing church to
go get an old engine and Bill’s wife felt exactly the same.
Bill and I argued that it was something like doing the milking on
the farm. Regardless of the day, it just should be done right now.
Bill is a contractor — builds steel structures for buildings and
bridges etc. He just happens to have around some cranes, trucks
with booms, and all sorts of things handy to an engine collector.
We borrowed from his shop what he called a ‘cherry-picker’.
That was a truck with a boom capable of handling several tons.
Headed for Chesaning on the Sunday morning — early. Sam was up —
a little — but not too awake. We were both absolutely sure he
would change his mind again so we got right busy fixing a sling and
cables to hoist her up. In order that she might ride well and the
boom ride well on top it was almost necessary to remove the heavy
iron truck wheels. They came off easily after we sawed off the
pins.
On the day before, Bill had said he would buy the engine if it
would run. I think he was kidding about the running part but Sam
took him seriously. Knowingly, he yanked off the ignitor and took
it into his shop to clean it up. Might be interesting to note that
he sat on the running board of his ’33’ Chevy, and
that’s what he drives to town for groceries every week, and
used the running board of his 1921 Model T Ford next to it as a
work bench. The Model T is in fine condition but the license is
only 1938. Got some batteries and a coil and hooked them up to the
ignitor to test it. My — what a beautiful big blue spark. I just
don’t think anything can be quite as cantankerous as an old
ignitor. There are so many places for it not to work — for the
spark to go wrongly.
Anyway — by now we were loaded and busy with binding chains.
Ready to exchange some cash. Sam didn’t want any check, just
cash. He wasn’t particularly happy. Why should he be? His dad
had bought this engine a long, long time ago. It must have been
admitting something to let it go. And most of us don’t want to
admit we’re finished in any way. The Titan had been such an
important link during the many years when the farm would farm. The
land was too poor now to compete with present day farming. And, of
course, Sam was failing in health. We sort of made him promise to
come over when the restoration is complete — in fact, we’ll go
get him.
A very well restored 2? Mogul. Gentleman with oil can believed
to be owner and restorer. (Photo by Staff of Milton Champion.)
Think I ought to tell you something else — even though Bill and
I sort of agreed to tell no one. Sam doesn’t even know.
We’d rolled the flywheel a bit on Saturday to see if the piston
was free. It was. On Sunday we were checking it over some more.
Looked under the exhaust valve and spring cover and noted it was
well oiled. Being so knowledgeable of engines, I told Bill to move
the wheel a bit while I checked to see if the gas pump was free. It
was. An extra tug on the wheel showed what we thought was good
compression. Then it snapped. We both heard it well. Hung our heads
in shameful shame. You’ve guessed it. We didn’t force the
exhaust valve to make sure it was free. Just looked and noted the
greasy spring and stem. Now we had a real fine two-piece
rocker-arm. But it was weldable. Got a good job and it’s
dressed down and by now it doesn’t show a bit. Have a good
solid tongue on the trucks. Sam says it was quite easy to
‘set’ with a good team. Did work though. Going to take a
lot of scraping and sandblasting. This is hopper-cooled – 30
gallons of water. Twelve horsepower and manufactured by
International Harvester Co. Has about a seven and a half inch bore
and an eleven inch stroke. Speed should be around 300 RPM. Serial
number is NM 290. Probably some reader has a catalog or other
reference material and could tell us more We would certainly
appreciate it. I looked through the index of the old GEMs and
couldn’t find one like it. For those who use the magazine; as I
do, as a catalog of kinds and information, the enclosed picture
should help some. Fellow in the picture is Bill Mechem. As for the
magazine, I don’t miss a page of it. I’m so new at this
game – just over a year now — I don’t have a collection of old
catalogs and such literature to turn to. I like so much to see
these things in print. And your magazine is doing a most wonderful
job of just that.
Part of gas tractor line-up at Milton 1968. Visible are Rumely,
Sawyer Massey, Townsend, Fairbanks-Morse, Avery, Case, etc. (Staff
photo of Canadian Champion, 191 Main St., Milton, Ontario.)
