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Weekly News October 12, 2009Description
One Night in Billings, 1972: Under dates of 1/2/06, 3/20/06, 5/8/06, and 11/27/06, I have written about “my trip of a lifetime” from June 13 to August 9, 1972, in our 1912 Model 87 Stanley. It was an adventure never quite duplicated again. As a member of the Veteran Motor Car Club of America’s Trans-Continental Reliability Tour for cars older than 1915 from Montreal to Tijuana, I was determined to show that a steam car could successfully complete such a tour, and with a perfect score. For 58 days from Yorklyn to Yorklyn, we had reservations every night, and without an accompanying vehicle to carry tools, parts, and special fuels, and to run errands, we made all our destinations on time. At the end we claimed all sorts of records such as the longest trip ever made in a steam car (8,328 miles), the most water used on a trip by an automobile (12,500 gallons), etc., etc.
We had a minimum of trouble. Near Montreal at the start of the tour, we had the small oil reservoir soldered to repair a leak. In Reno, we removed fittings in order to properly wash the boiler (an unnecessary precaution). At Disneyland, CA, we rebuilt the burner, replacing the inside burner pan. At Springfield, IL, on the return trip, while removing the throttle to “lap it in”, a fitting broke off in the top of the boiler and had to be repaired. But the only time we got less than a full night’s sleep was at Billings, Montana, on July 1.
In high spirits as we left the Twin Cities and headed west, the first night was spent at Milbank, SD, and the second at Aberdeen. As we backed in front of our motel room, a member of the tour, standing next to the Stanley, said he heard a click in the right rear wheel. I could not detect it from the driver’s seat. The next day was the longest day of the tour, 314 miles, from Aberdeen to Baker, MT, which was run off in good time, arriving before dark. A short drive the next day put us in Miles City, and the rear-wheel noise, if it was there, was barely audible. We had 150 miles to go for our check point at Billings which had to be on or before 6 P.M. on July 1. Less than half way on this stretch, however, the noise became much louder and I realized there was a problem. Pulling the wheel, I found the wheel bearing had frozen, probably many days before, and the housing had been turning on the axle itself, the eventual wear causing the ever-increasing noise. We decided to limp into Billings at 20-25 m.p.h., hoping we could make it before our check-point deadline on a Friday evening of the July 4th weekend.
By phone from our motel, a machinist was reached at his home. He said he had to take his wife out to dinner, but if we would appear at his shop about 7 P.M., he would try to help us. We drove the two or three miles to his shop and he soon arrived to open up. I had a new bearing with me, but we had to disassemble everything in order to remove the old bearing, have the axle shaft built up with weld and turned down to size, and fit the new bearing. Jim Johnson of Park Ridge, IL, was my passenger at this point, and he, our machinist friend, and I did the job. About 4:30 A.M. we were finished and everything was back together and ready to go again. As we drove back to our motel amid snow flurries, dawn was breaking. We got about 3 hours’ sleep before it was time to go again. We headed west from Billings probably 2 hours behind most cars on the tour. However, as we reached our check point at Livingston, MT, about 3:00 in the afternoon, someone on the tour shouted “Here comes the steamer!”. Indeed.
For the most part, the weather at the Hershey flea market from Tuesday through Saturday last week was very good. We are indebted to the Hopkins family, to Bill Schwoebel and Butch Cannard, and to the several FAHP volunteers who manned our spaces there for four days. On three of these days, our 1908 Stanley Model EX stole the show when Bill fired it up twice daily for the many onlookers who seemed to enjoy learning how a Stanley works. Those who helped Bill and Butch man the exhibit were Walt, John, and Mark Hopkins, Steve Bryce, Art Wallace (two days), Lou Mandich, Rose Ann Hoover, Dan Citron, Kelly Williams, and Carol Bernard. As usual our members Mike and Kathryn May, Don and Nancy Bourdon, Brent and Martha Campbell, Charlie Johnson and Sandy Heefner, Sarah Stanley and Don Davidson, Walter Higgins and Bob Hargraves, Will and Robert Hopkins, and the Maute brothers were very supportive of our efforts, along with many other FAHP members who stopped by. Many thanks to all of you! Bill delivered the EX back to Auburn Heights yesterday in excellent condition.
Last week, the cars and locomotives were cleaned up from our October 4 event, and a difficult job of getting the faulty slide valves and their rods out of the Model 76’s engine was finally accomplished. Jim Personti is refacing these valves and preparing NOS rods for rebuilding the moving parts in the steam chest.
On Tuesday, October 13, the Events and Scheduling Committee meets at 7 P.M. in the FAHP office. On Thursday, October 15, we are in for a special treat as Alexis I. “Lex” duPont, from whom we bought the Mobile steamer in 2005, will be with us in the Museum about 7 P.M. to explain some of the idiosyncrasies and unusual construction of the burner and other working parts of this car. All those interested in learning more so we can get the oldest car in our collection operational should try to attend.
Next Sunday, October 18, the annual Fall Meet of the Historical Car Club of Pennsylvania will be held at the Delaware County Community College near Media, PA, and as usual we hope several cars from our collection can be on hand. The cars being driven from Auburn Heights should leave not later than 10 A.M., and all should be back well before dark. Drivers and passengers wishing to take part should contact Bill Schwoebel a.s.a.p. The drive is about 50 miles round-trip.
Hooray, Phillies! Tom
