[SEL] On Topic IHC Famous Engine

[John Hall]

There have been a couple of these in GEM over the last few years. One of 
them was a rather well written restoration account.

 Unfortunatley, John Hamnik (spelling?) is no longer with us. He was quite 
knowledgable on these. He pointed out that mine (1905) was a stationary 
engine and used user supplied gas and cooling tanks, and I believe 
muffler/exhaust plumbing also. Of course the local loudmouths tried to tell 
me otherwise but then again they only looked at pictures in the BYB and 
became instant experts. Same story with my 4hp.

 Don Oberholtzer (spelling?) supplied me with reproduction fuel pump, check 
valves, mixer, and muffler. I don't know how knowledgable he is about your 
engine, but he can probably point you to someone who is. Try this link
hometown.aol.com/agee1/


 One thing I did notice about mine is the part numbers cast into various 
parts are done so very poorly. When trying to properly identify something I 
would have to make 2-3 guesses as to what the part number was.

John Hall

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <MBellar at aol.com>
To: <sel at lists.stationary-engine.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 05, 2008 6:54 PM
Subject: [SEL] On Topic IHC Famous Engine


> 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
>
>
>
>