Iron Strike in Africa

By Staff
Published on June 1, 1999
1 / 14
#1: The so-called Parker Plant.
#1: The so-called Parker Plant.
2 / 14
#10: The Deutz Diesel.
#10: The Deutz Diesel.
3 / 14
#13
#13
4 / 14
#11: Throttle handle and fuel injector pump.
#11: Throttle handle and fuel injector pump.
5 / 14
#12 Cam assembly.
#12 Cam assembly.
6 / 14
#14
#14
7 / 14
#2: Parker Plant.
#2: Parker Plant.
8 / 14
#3: Ruston.
#3: Ruston.
9 / 14
10 / 14
#4: Ruston.
#4: Ruston.
11 / 14
12 / 14
13 / 14
Pictures #5, #8 of 'No Man's Land.'
Pictures #5, #8 of 'No Man's Land.'
14 / 14
#9: Tractor in the Rezano Garcia border crossing area.
#9: Tractor in the Rezano Garcia border crossing area.

Text and Photos by Cris Nystrom, 1764 South River Road
Autryville, North Carolina 28318 Additional photos by Billy Cox,
5609 Birch Road Fayetteville, North Carolina 28304

Yea, verily, we go off to Mozambique, Africa, once again. Once
again iron collectors find time in an exceptionally busy schedule
to hunt for, photograph, and recover some old iron treasures. Our
travels in Mozambique pretty much covered the country’s length
and breadth. A quick look on a world globe shows that Mozambique is
about 200 miles wide by 1600 miles long. It is located just north
of the Republic of South Africa (also visited, with no luck) on the
African east coast bordering the Indian Ocean. Enough
geography!

Billy managed to get to Tete, Mozambique, which is on the
northwestern border with Zambia. He found numerous steam traction
engines and other steam powered devices.

In the same area, Billy also found a ‘Parker Plant,’
photos 1 and 2. Once again it is unknown what it did. However it
may have had a cylinder mechanism looking at the extended concrete
pad toward the front of the machine.

Mechanics in Mozambique are among the most ingenious and
creative, being able to repair anything with next to nothing.
Billy’s last find was the remains of a Ruston Diesel assembly
manufactured in Lincoln, England. See photos 3 and 4.

On the way to the South African border zone, I found a dump
filled with iron engines, tractors, and irrigation pumps. This area
is  infested with bandits and is generally referred to as
‘No Man’s Land.’ Mozambique is building a modern
multilane highway to replace this treacherous road, and it should
be operational in the next year. Photos 5 through 8 show some of
the treasures to be beheld. I suspect if one was Bill Gates
wealthy, the whole lot would be an interesting haul.

At the Rezano Garcia border crossing area at the South African
border, I mean on the border, there lies the tractor that I had
been told about two years ago. Is it in Mozambique or South Africa?
I guess if I could get a tow dolly and a truck and I hauled it
away, I could see who arrests me. Well, may be not. I nimbly
‘plucked’ this photograph (#9) from the window of my
vehicle as I passed by. I would be interested in someone telling me
what type it is. It is a rather compact tractor.

Photos 10 through 14 are of my first flywheel engine. It is a
Deutz engine of about 5 HP. It has a 4 x 6 inch bore and stroke. It
weighs right at 500 pounds. The serial number is 103755. The
builder’s plate has been removed. I do not know the model. It
powered a generator at the Maritamo Club on the Costa Del Sol
Avenue in Maputo, Mozambique.

Other information on this engine can be found in GEM December
1997 issue. It took two years and four trips to Mozambique to
negotiate the sale and transportation of this engine home. The
length of time it sat at the ‘Petromoc’ gas station, about
two miles from the Presidential palace, has contributed to a number
of restoration problems. The gas station is on the shoreline of the
Indian Ocean. It sat unprotected. A number of items really rusted
up, over the last two years. It had been inside a building prior to
its move in 1997. In September of 1998, Billy and I finally tracked
the owner down for a final offer. My offer in early 1997 was
politely refused since he, the owner, had no idea of its relative
worth or what an American was going to do with it.

Nevertheless, my second offer was gladly accepted. Now, Billy
and I were somewhat less than smart on how much one of these things
weigh. I figured 200-250 pounds. Nothing a couple of strapping
young men couldn’t lift.

We were terribly wrong! We could not even lift one end of the
engine! Finally after enlisting the aid of seven burly Mozambicans,
I paid them a day’s wages each to put the engine in the back of
the truck. In less than two minutes the engine was loaded and every
one was extremely happy.

The engine was unloaded at our house in Maputo for breakdown and
crating. It was easily unloaded by placing a HUGE ball of air
bubble wrap on the concrete floor and toppling the engine carefully
onto it. It worked and it was gentle. The engine was soaked for a
few days with cans of penetrating oil, disassembled, packaged, and
made ready for a trip home.

Finally, on the 20th of October 1998, the engine and I arrived
home from a rather long and wearisome flight. It is now in my
garage undergoing restoration. I would like to hear from anyone
with information on this engine. Hopefully, we can see another
article on its new life.

Online Store Logo
Need Help? Call 1-866-624-9388