Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1980-07-31, Page 13Maybe it's time you jumped into something more demanding than a .car pool. Aaw>sawr?W s F Have over 80 examples Antique en. By MARY WARBURTON Brian Triebner, R.R. 3 Kippen, has travelled as far as New Brunswick to buy gasoline engines and has paid as much as $1,800 for one. But these aren't your average, everyday gasoline engines that you'd put in your car. They're collectors items from the early part of the century. Brian and his father, David Triebner, Brucefield, together own about 80 an- tique engines. You can't walk too far in their barn without tripping over one of them. • The problem with this hob- by is that "it takes five or six years of making mis- takes before you know what you're doing," Brian said. At the first auction sale he went to, Brian passed up a rare engine which went for a relatively small price. And at a second one he bought a very common engine for a high price. "As you progress you pick and choose a little more," Brian said. What you should look for when buying an antique engine is whether it has all its original parts. It doesn't matter how seized and rusted it is if it's a complete engine and a collectors item, Brian said. The. object of the serious collector Is to put the engine back as close as possible, to its original condition. You run into a lot of problems if all., the parts- aren't there because it's hard to get old partsthat are no- longer manufactured. David Triebner said that the most common parts mis- sing are the carburetor, ig- nitors and magneto. Sometimes these parts can be bought at flea markets, but for a very high price. Sometimes you* have to make parts yourself. Brian said that he .gets the most enjoyment out of get- ting the engines working and then tends to lose interest when' it comes to getting rid of the rust and painting them. Brian said ` that 10 years ago many antique engines Six vie for Miss re I 1 . Oitizans Haws, July 31, 1980 Page 13 ices fascinate futher;sin were being sold for scrap at $5. "Now you're lucky if you can get one for $300 or $400," he said. Brian and his father started . collecting engines five years ago at the in- fluence of a neighbour. David said they wouldn't sell any of their rare engines., bait they do have some duplicates 'they'd sell if offered a good price. Despite the fact that they own about 80 engines, Brian said, "We're just a nickle and dime operation." This is in _comparison to a fellow they know in Toronto who owns 250 engines. Most of the engines Brian and his father collect are stationary. "There's not as much to them and it doesn't take as long to fix them," Brian .said. Stationary engines are also easier to take around to shows, since they aren't as big. Brian and, his father are members of„ the Tri -County Heritage Club which is bas- ed in Ilderton. They attend at least eight antique shows each year, taking with them some of their rarest engines. One exception to their collection of stationary engines is the Happy Farmer tractor. manufac- tured around 1915. They bought It for $1.800 and know of only two others in On- tario. "They used to say that the only happy farmer was the one who didn't own one," Brian said. But he added that just about all the gas- oline engines were un- reliable when they first hit the market. This was because they _ were *more complicated an' engine than people were used to and usually the small gasoline engines were put into large steam chassis, therefore, naturally there wasn't as much power as farmers were used to. "It all depended on who owned the engine and whether they knew anything about them," Brian said. "They couldn't have been too bad or they wouldn't still be around today." Nevertheless. the Happy Farmer Tractor Company from Minneapolis went out Friedsburg title KIM KIPPER Merner's Meats DEBBIE TAYLOR Small World Travel MICHELLE VERI Dashwood Hotel DONNA PROUT Becker Farm Equipment PAM BERGMAN Rumboll Motors Golden Glimpses Another one of those blue Mondays. but the heavy rains no doubt• will be beneficial to the gardens and crops. The Sunday school of the Zurich Mennonite church presented a musical playlet on Wednesday evening under the direction of Mrs. Ruth Ann Steckle and Mrs. Pearl Ann Martin. The programme was very much enjoyed by our residents and refreshments were served by the visiting ladies. Some of our residents attended' the card party for seniors held at Vanastra Recreation Centre on Friday afternoon. They enjoyed the card games and also the social time that followed. Residents who were out visiting during the week were Mrs. Arletta Hess, Mrs. Eva Thiel, Mrs. Margaret Pfaff. Mr. James Clarke. Mrs. Mabel Jaques, and Mrs. Florence Gould who has returned after attending her grandson's graduation as an RCMP con- stable in Regina, Saskatchewan. The sympathy of residents and staff is extended to the family of the late Mrs. Rebecca Clarke. Bingo was played on Fri- day evening followed by refreshments. The members of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Home are reminded that there will be an Auxiliary meeting on Tuesday even- ing, August 5 at 8:00 p.m. at the Home. All ladies are urg- ed to attend in order to dis- cuss plans for the Bean Festival. The Sunday evening chapel service was con- ducted by Rev. Linn Loshbough of the Exeter Pentecostal church. Mrs. Loshbough presided at the organ during the service. NANCY KOEHLER Country Unlimited of business in 1924. The Triebners don't have any steam engines and don't intend to get any. They're just too cumbersome and you need big trucks to move them around. Brian said. He also said that they're dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. "If one blows up it burns everyone within 200 feet." he said. The government's restrictions on steam engine boilers are getting stricter every year. But still, the greatest de- mand is for steam engines. But the Triebners do have some hot air engines. Hot air engines were very popular because they are very quiet compared to gasoline engines and .there is no danger of them blowing up. One of their most valuable engines is an Ericsson hot air pumping engine. They paid $1,000 for it two years ago and the value increases 20 percent each year. It's purpose was to pump water from a tank in the basement upstairs to the kitchen. Another hot air engine they own may be one of a kind. It's a Heinrici motor engine and they bought it for $750. It was probably used to power a sewing machine or a jeweller's tool. David Triebner said. The Triebners also own some old Massey -Harris and. John Deere engines that were once used 'to pump water, grind grain, saw wood or chop corn stalks. The Massey -Harris engines are especially valuable because they are scarce in the United States. Another valuable engine they ol3tained at an auction sale in the Niagara Falls area is a 1903 Goold. Shapley and Muir engine. This engine is one of the few that has a shield covering the crank shaft. Brian said it was probably used in a machine shop. It is supposedly a 12 horsepower engine but he said that many engines were underrated at that time and it is probably more power- ful. Brian doesn't only have a couple of barns full of engines, he also has a house full of antique engine publications from Canada, England and the United States. He uses them to help date his engines and they give him an idea of their original state. §the 'zeen o,,est MOTOR HOTEL DINNER HOURS DailDiniy foroom Opens Breakfast, every ' riday & Sat. nig Lunch and Dinner Aug. 1 & 2 Smorgasbord every Sat. and Sun. 5 p.m. Paul & Judy Schnitzel Night Every Wednesday - 5 p.m. ENTERTAINMENT We offer a Schnitzel dinner 5495 including salad bar for only The Green Forest Motor Hotel GRAND BEND H'way 21 1 Mile S. Traffic light For Reservations Phone 238-2365 EXTENDS TO YOU A HEARTY WELCOME Our unique country resort has something special for you! Join us for our... Noon -Day Buffet/12 Noon to 2:30 Daily/'10.50 Sunday Buffet/12:30 to 2:30 Every Sunday/810.50 Sandwich menu available weekdays 2 Fully Licenced Lounges/Open Daily till 1 a.m. A Business meeting or family outing, Benmiller is for you! Come as you are, relax and enjoy 7 days a week. For Reservations please phone 524-2191 Benmiller Inn Nestled in Benmiller, Ont., just 7 kilometres east of Goderich on Huron County Road 1, just off Highway 8 LICENCED UNDER THE L.L.B.O.