GREETINGS FELLOW ENGINE COLLECTORS!

By Staff
Published on May 1, 1976
article image
Rev. George I. Goodwin, Jr.
IHC Famous 6 HP screen cooled engine. Courtesy of Rev. George I. Goodwin, Jr., Box A, Worcester, New York 12197.

Box A, Worcester, New York 12197

I want to begin this article by sending a note of thanks to all
who responded to my request on of’ ‘LEROI.’ Now, what
about a color?

By the time this article appears, I will either be knee deep in
snow, or basking in the smell of spring. So far, it has been a
beautiful Fall. Nearly 60 degrees here on December 14th.

In October, I sold my entire collection of 6 engines, but for a
good cause. A friend of mine had located a 6 HP IHC screen-cooled
‘Famous’ that was for-sale, and the only way I could even
consider it was to sell my entire collection so I would have some
working capital. I am sure you understand when I say, ‘It hurt,
but it felt so good.’ I could see that FAMOUS in my future.

Finally, after the preliminaries were over, the ‘Famous’
rolled in piggyback on a low trailer. Boy, what excitement! It was
a raw, cold, windy day on October 30th, when out of the Est there
came the roar of a pick-up truck straining with a trailer loaded
with the most beautiful sight I have ever seen. There, in all its
beauty, was the FAMOUS in original good condition.

We didn’t seem to notice the meanness of the weather, as we
started the long and careful task of unloading my baby at its new
and final home. The work proceeded well, and within half an hour
she sat nestled away inside the garage. Needless to say, everything
else was displaced with no hard feelings on my part.

We oiled, gassed, scraped, turned and tightened for about 30
minutes and then, the big moment arrived. I opened the gas half a
turn, snapped up the release lever, turned on the oiler, took two
turns on those big fly-wheels and then POCKS  a beautiful
cloud of black smoke bellowed into the air. Praise the Lord! What a
sight that was.

The original muffler was still intact and 100% serviceable. In
fact, she ran so smooth and quiet that my wife could not hear it
running 100 feet away.

Now it is mid-December and I have commenced a complete take down
of the engine. With the able assistance of my good friend and
fellow collector, Ed Bell, we have completely disassembled the
entire machine. Base and all!

After Ed taught me to keep my hammer in the house and not to
pound on cast iron we had a successful take down. Now I have begun
‘to clean, sandblast and apply paint. I want her to look as
good as it did when it was new. 01’ JA3228 is alive and well at
62 Main Street, Worcester, N.Y. 13846.

My collection also includes a Le Roi model S, a Novo twin, a
complete and running sally-saw, 3 different Maytag’s, and two
‘borrowed’ units that I hope to some day own, a 7 HP
Hercules with buzz saw all in one unit and a 3 HP Fairbanks Z.

I am even planning to disassemble and rebuild the wagon she
rests on. If you are ever in the area, drop by. The latch string is
always out.

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