[SEL] On Topic IHC Famous Engine

[MBellar at aol.com]

After looking for a 2 hp Famous engine for the past 5 years, I found one in  
time for Christmas that I could afford. It has had a rough past in that a  
previous owner started to restore it, but unfortunately he ran out of  
interest/money/health. A long story short, the person that I bought it  from purchased 
it in a bushel basket at an executors sale. Other  than a few missing nuts, 
bolts, tanks and plumbing the bushel basket  appears to contain enough repairable 
parts to assemble an operational engine. As  with most vertical Famous 
engines the cylinder jug and water pump bracket have  been brazed or welded and it 
had been repainted with a broom. To  date, I have removed the old paint, 
removed broken-off bolts and pipe  fittings and fabricated a number of bolts and 
studs. Fortunately for me I  have a Starbolt reprint of the I.H.C. "Directions 
for the Vertical Tank-Cooled  Gasoline Engines" which shows many details and 
part numbers for the engine  some of which are confusing because one poor quality 
picture/drawing contradicts  another. I suppose what I may be seeing is the 
differences between the 4  different engines covered in the reprint. I wonder 
if I could get  input from the List members as to where I can get additional 
detailed  information ( web site?) for my 1908 vintage 2 hp vertical screen  
cooled Famous.
The only awshit I have found to date is an old repair on the lower crank  pin 
box. It appears that at some time the shims were removed and the rod bolts  
were tightened to the point that the lower journal fractured as it was  drawn 
around the crankshaft. The break was brazed and refitted to the  crankshaft 
with babbitt. I repoured the babbitt and scraped the box to fit. What  do you 
think is this a good repair, or should I try to find a replacement  crank pin box 
#GB1060.   
Thank you for any help;
 
Tom Bellar SW  Ohio   



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