[SEL] Taralga Rally

[Arnie Fero]

G'day Mate,

Thanks so much for the "back story" on the Wombat!!

See ya,  Arnie

On Mon, November 21, 2011 3:29 am, Kerry wrote:
>
> 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
>>
>>
>
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