[SEL] Taralga Rally

[Kerry]

G'Day Arnie, Curt

I was one of the few lucky ones that was able to obtain a much sort 
after Wombat engine, could not get one from the builder but from a 
resale from a friend that sold one, I took mine to the National Rally 
and was surprised at the interest it created.
I spoke to the builder, Frank Little at Taralga and he told me the story 
of the Wombat.
Frank was after a smaller English engine less that 1 hp that were 
produced in small numbers 80 odd years ago but found that they were too 
expensive when one came up, about the same time someone told him that 
there was still a course in pattern making and casting at a local TAFE 
(Technical Collage) they still had teachers but no apprentices and it 
was open for others, so he attended and designed an engine based on hit 
and miss principles then built the patterns and did the castings and 
machining he sold them as a running engine, the name Wombat came about 
when the first engine base casting was released from the sand upside 
down and the two pouring plugs and the breathers (I know there is a 
correct naming of these) but the four legs sticking up looked like a 
headless dead Wombat that usually has its legs sticking up when dead. 
Any way Frank designed both Air and Hopper cooled engines, in the hopper 
style like mine  he used his wifes flower vase shape.
He then set out to make more, hobbies / income until his eyesight 
started failing, he now cannot drive.
It seems that the exact number he made is in question but we know of 
number 12, mine is #7 and is a 2/3 HP the same as Patrick's photo
> http://www.oldengine.org/members/pml/tar011/images/taralga2011%20067_jpg_jpg.jpg

so at this stage thats it.

Kerry




On 20/11/2011 10:16 PM, Arnie Fero wrote:
> Looks like a nice rally Patrick and nice pics as usual.
> That Wombat is a really cute little engine.
> Are there many of those about?
>
> See ya,  Arnie
>
>