Hi! We’ve been having such beautiful crisp Autumn days
lately – always makes me feel happy that I live in an area that has
the four seasons. I thoroughly enjoy each one of the quarters of
the quarters of the year – just don’t know if I would want to
adapt to one type of season all year.
I love the colors of the Autumn landscape and enjoy the
decorations of harvested grains, pumpkins, gourds, etc. I think the
children enjoy these things too, but their ideas also drift to
costumes for the upcoming Hallowe’en parties, Jack-O-Lanterns,
Trick or Treat night and such items. Which reminds me, our Tommy
was nine in September and still enjoys this type of thing and I
must get busy and get his disguise together for school and town
affairs. I’m sure a lot of your folks are doing the same things
– I know we have lots more in common than just our magazines.
N.J. HICKOCK, Amboy, Minnesota 56010 sends us this thought –
‘All the time I keep reading about every one cleaning and
painting these old engines – It’s every one for ‘each his
own’. It’s true, they maybe look nice, but most of the time
the color isn’t right or there is too much trim and etc.
We clean our engines pretty good, but we like to see’em in
their working clothes and just a wee, wee bit of old grease on
’em yet.
We just recently bought a little old 1-1/2 HP Galloway
air-cooled with a fan from a Mr. Anderson at Judson, Minnesota,
This nice gentleman is 85 years young and he bought this little
engine from Waterloo, Iowa when he was 22 years old and he has had
it all these years. We bought it, gave it gas and spark from the
original coil and away she went. It’s a real jewel and a
pleasure to hear run. Pease, don’t write and ask a price, cause
it’s not for sale – No Way!
We found and bought a nice 6 HP upright Monitor from a
gentleman, Mr. Gracy at Olatha, Kansas. We think this engine is
sort of a winner, too.
We have a few other engines and love to have company. Come and
see us just off 169 at Amboy, Minnesota. (Now, there’s a
sincere invitation to stop and get acquainted!)
Mr. Hickock’s son, Tom, is as interested in these engines as
his father which makes for double the pleasure when you can share
your hobby with a loved one.
JIM SYMONDS, Chalet Road, Healesville, Victoria, Australia is
interested in having some of our readers correspond with him,
especially if they have Rumelys. He has a Rumely Oil Pull Model L
or 15-25 HP twin cylinder oil-cooled and would appreciate any
information available. He has fully restored it to new condition
with canopy and gold leaf transfers and signe writing. As far as he
knows there are only three Rumelys in Australia – it is probable
there are more, but that is all he has been able to locate. He says
his Rumely is valued at $4000. and runs like new, but he must learn
a lot about it as to adjustments. (Get the pens poised, Pals, and
correspond with Jim.)
MAX HORST, R.D. 1, West Salem, Ohio 44287 needs some data as his
letter conveys: ‘I recently purchased an old gas engine in a
very rough condition. It had no name-plate of manufacturer or
horsepower. It possibly could be a 3-1/2 or 4 HP. In due time I was
told it was a Worthington. (I have since then cleaned and painted
it and it works fine.) The previous owner had bought it used over
fifty years ago. I need all the information I can get on the
Worthington company and engine parts. I also have an Alpha and two
Fairbanks-Morse engines in my collection.’
WALLACE TINSLEY, Route 10, Box 176, Anderson, South Carolina
29621 tells us: ‘I am restoring a Witte headless 12 HP Model
No. 41673 engine and would like to know more about it. This engine
is almost complete. I also have a 5 HP Economy, complete and a 3 HP
International, not complete.’
WILLIAM FLOWERS, Box 332, Route 2, Adena, Ohio 43901 typed us
this short plea: ‘We just purchased a gas engine called (The F.
& W.). It was built by The Flint and Walling Mfg. Co.,
Kendallville, Indiana, U.S.A. Can any of our Gas Engine Friends
give us any history of this make of engine? I judge it is about
1-1/2 or 2 HP with a very short stroke and large bore. It has
battery ignition. Hope to hear from someone who has one of these
engines.’
Ms JUDITH E. BIEDKA, 310 S. Meridan Street, Lebanon, Indiana
46052 would like any information about Leroi engines and also on
Dixie magnetos, the firing order. (There fellows, you can write to
the opposite gender if your wife doesn’t mind – but check with
her, please. I know engines are referred to as ‘she’ or
‘her’ but when it comes to engine owners your corresponding
with – that classification may be a different matter).
I had a letter from TOM CAMPBELL, Route 1, Box 115, Zion,
Illinois 60099 and it goes like this: ‘In your July-August
column you had an inquiry from Neil Erickson about his 12 HP Witte
thas set up. I’m sending my letter to you instead of him
directly, because if you print it more people can use the
information.
My Uncle has a very old 6 HP Challenge engine that belonged to
his father. For approximately 35 to 40 years it lay down in the
pasture in the weather.
Two years ago this fall, we built a stone boat to put it on and
pulled it up to the shed. We were very lucky. Everything came off
easy, except one valve stem that had to be drilled out and
replaced, and the piston. Even four people jumping up and down and
pulling and shoving on the 32′ flywheels wouldn’t move it.
Lucky, Uncle Charles set it to BDC one day back when it was still
loose, so we tipped it up on end and filled the cylinder with
kerosene. It soaked that way until July 2nd this year, then we gave
it a valve job and put a fitting in the spark plug hole with a
grease fitting in it. Then we emptied about 18 guns full of grease
into the cylinder and when it was finally full, it only took about
three good licks on the grease gun and she said ‘Ping’ and
‘Pop’ about two or three times and started to back out. It
was so near BDC, we had to take the flywheels and the crank out in
order to get the rod off of the crank, so the pistons could come
all the way out the bottom.
This system should work on any type of engine if the valves and
ring are not leaking and if there is a tapped hole somewhere into
the combustion chamber. It could be for spark plug or ignition or
primer cup or if it’s possible to drill and tap a hole without
getting into the water jacket, it could be plugged later.
We also thought about soaking it in Ruse-olium thinner. It is
fish oil base and is supposed to go through rust to bare metal. We
thought that might break the bond.
On July 14, 1973, late in the evening, the old Challenge fired
up and barked again for the first time in almost forty
years.’
Thanks Tom for the information -I’m sure many readers are
happy to know this data.
WILLIAM OWEN, 2324 Beatrice Street, Springfield, Ohio 45503
wrote to tell us how much he enjoys our magazine and also he thinks
collecting gas engines is so much fun because gas engine people are
so friendly and don’t get jealous of one another. They try to
help one another.
Bill also says he has two old Briggs & Stratton engines, one
made in 1936 and one made in 1950. He would like to get to know
other collectors in the Springfield Ohio area.
Another fan writes us in the person of FRANKIE R. HUDSON, 1004
9th Street, Radford, Virginia 24141 – ‘I have been receiving
your outstanding magazine (Gas Engine Magazine) for about two years
now and I really enjoy it. I find each copy extremely helpful and
am constantly reading the magazines over and over.
I have eight engines and really enjoy running the five that I
have in running order. I recently obtained a 12 HP Hercules EK that
is equipped with a Webster low tension magneto.
I am the only one anywhere around this area interested in old
engines and ‘stuff and therefore I have trouble obtaining much
help. I would really appreciate anyone that could give me any
information on my Hercules engine and Webster magnetos as I want to
restore it soon and run it.
I also have an 8 HP Model U. Thermoil diesel of which is in good
running condition. I can’t find any history on the manufacturer
of this engine and would greatly welcome any data on this
engine’s history.
Please continue your excellent publishing of a most enjoyable
magazine.’
(Thanks Frankie, that’s a boon to our ego and makes us want
to do better all the time.)
From CURTIS SCHLUETER, JR., 875 – 38th Avenue, Winona, Minnesota
55987 comes this interesting missal – ‘As my wife and children
and I drove along on our vacation in July, going from Spring Green,
Wisconsin toward Baraboo, we joked as we sae the countryside whiz
by – ‘If anyone see a gas engine in a farmyard, holler gas
engine!’
Phil Gores, Royal Oak Michigan is retired and winters in
Florida. He built the model gasoline engine over thirty years ago.
It has a 1′ bore and 1′ stroke. About two years ago, he
built the tractor he calls ‘Oil Power’. Just about
everything is either from a junk pile or he made it.
He also built the log wagon and the bundle wagon about two years
ago. You must see these models in person to appreciate them.
In the background is a model threshing machine. It is hand-fed
and has a drag straw carrier. I do not know whose it is. These were
displayed at Keith Oderkirk’s Show, Haines City, Florida in
March of 1973.
My wife was really looking, not expecting to see anything. Then
we drove by a neat farm yard where a small gas engine was mounted
near the road. We turned around, drove back and parked the car and
got out to examine it. Parts were missing off the engine, but it
was mounted and painted with care, that showed someone appreciated
gas engines.
A few minutes later we met the farmer that lived there, leaving
the yard and we stopped him to inquire about the mounted engine. He
graciously took the time to show us his personal collection of
restored and unrestored gas engines under three sheds. We wished
there had been more time to look closely at everything and ask more
questions. I bought a small gas engine from him and moved suitcases
out of the trunk and into the car to make room for it. We noted his
name on cards in one shed was Verne Kindschi and he introduced
himself as well.
When we arrived home, my first issue of Gas Engine Magazine was
waiting. We were surprised to learn from an article in the magazine
that Mr. Kindschi is somewhat of an authority on gas engines,
especially Fuller & Johnson. What a coincidence that we should
just happen to stop at his place!
I have begun collecting recently and have restored a Sears
Economy hit and miss engine and an I. H. engine, with my wife’s
help sanding off old paint. I’m almost finished building a hit
and miss model engine made from Cole’s Power Model
castings.’
(That was a nice experience, Curtis, and yes, Vernie is an
authority on engines – he can write interesting articles and has
contributed to our magazine – he’s one of the Gas Engine
Magazine family).
An odd opposed piston engine shown at Bradenton, Florida in
February 1971.
Fairbanks-Morse 35 HP engine shown at Bradenton, Florida in
February 1971.
A letter of gratitude from NEIL ERICKSON, 2113 E. Wheeler Road,
Midland, Michigan 48640 as he tells us: ‘I want to thank the
fellow enthusiasts and readers of G.E.M. for the advice I received
regarding the stuck piston in my 10 HP Witte engine and the means
of ignition.
I have been so busy getting things in order for our Farmers and
Threshers Reunion that I haven’t had a chance to try the
suggestions yet, but am looking forward to the challenge. I’ll
try to send at least a card to each of the 14 folks from whom I
received advice, after I get time to try their suggestions. (Make
that 15 Neil, one answered through this column this issue. –
Isn’t that great to have such response?)
In the meantime – Thanks to all and I’ll send G.E.M. a
summary of my success or failure at a later date.
Before I close, I’d like to tell all of you that Earlene
Ritzman has been sick for several weeks now. She has arthritis of
the spine and has been quite miserable, but was getting no relief
and the doctor put her in the hospital for tests and it ended up
she had a disc operation. She is coming along as well as can be
expected – but I thought some of your folks might want to drop her
a card or a letter -I’m sure she would appreciate it. I would
send any mail to her home at 808 Wertzville Road, Enola,
Pennsylvania 17025 and she will be sure to get it, even though she
is still in the hospital.
It doesn’t seem possible but this is the Christmas issue –
also will end eight years for Gas Engine Magazine – our
‘Baby’ as we used to call it is ‘growing up’.
May you share the warmth of the Christmas Spirit throughout the
coming weeks and may it continue all through the next year. God
Bless Each Of You!
