It is a vertical ‘Ideal’ gasoline engine
Courtesy of Lyle A. Opperman, 801 Park Street, Barahoo,
Wisonsin, 53913
Pictured is a vertical ‘Ideal’ gasoline engine from my
collection. The brass name tag states ‘Ideal Gas Engine’
manufactured by the ‘Original Gas Engine Company, Lansing,
Michigan’, but cast into each flywheel are the words ‘Ideal
Gas Engine Company, Lansing, Michigan.’ The ‘Ideal’ is
a 1-1/2 H.P., type C, serial #7336, with a 3-1/4′ bore and a
4-1/2′ stroke. The gas tank is in the base, and above that is
the crankcase which holds over 1/2 pint of oil to lube the rod
bearing. The ignition is make and break, fired by a hot shot
battery. The fuel pump is mechanical and runs off the cam gear,
pumping gas to the brass overflow carburetor. To grind the valves,
one has to go down thru the water hopper by taking out two
1-1/2′ plugs. The governor is of the type with a counter weight
in the flywheel, which strikes the detent, which holds the exhaust
valve open.
I have seen pictures of Ideal engines similar to the one I have,
but with an oval water hopper. If anyone has information as to the
two companies or the year these engines were built, drop the G.E.M.
a card so we can share this information with our fellow
collectors.
The Fuller & Johnson Vertical Hopper Cooled Engine
Courtesy of G. W. May Family, 9152 Hector Avenue, San Diego,
California 92123
This engine was built in Madison Wis. from 1905 until 1910.
There were approx. 3,000 built in the 1 & 2-1/2 HP sizes. There
are 6 of these engines left in the hands of collectors. The
identification and information were a courtesy of Verne Kindschi,
Prarie du Sac, Wis. who has the F&J factory records. The
picture is from an original printers plate found in an antique
shop.
