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Weekly News August 18, 2014Description
“Stanley” Trip to Lakeville, September 1976: As mentioned in the “News” of August 20, 2012, for several years, secondary steam car tours were held, in addition to the “main tour” in the East that attracted about 40 cars. These secondary tours usually attracted from 10 to 20 cars and their occupants. One such tour was held at Lakeville, Connecticut, with headquarters at the Iron Masters Motel in September 1976, hosted by Stu and Barbara Herman, assisted by Morris and Dolly Paley. I decided to drive my newly rebuilt 1912 Stanley Model 87 and invited my old friend Marvin Klair to accompany me.
It was the “maiden trip” for the 87 after its steel frame, relocated pump box, and high-capacity tanks had considerably modified the car for long-distance touring. Many of the changes had not had serious road-testing. Marvin Klair was recuperating from an accident at his saw mill but was glad to go one way, with the understanding that his good friend Mel Johnson would pick him up at Lakeville at the conclusion of the tour, and they would go to a flea market in New Hampshire before returning home. Soon after our departure from Auburn Heights, we turned around at West Chester, 15 miles into our trip, and came back. Some little thing needed fixing (I don’t remember what it was). The next time, we made out well to our first water stop at Hyde Ballard’s home near Barto, Pennsylvania, about 50 miles from Yorklyn. The open vent from a new water tank under the front seat caused Marvin and I to receive a heavy shower as we pulled away from Hyde’s with a full tank. Hyde was not one to laugh much or even smile, but he broke up at our predicament. We dried out and moved on to the northeast. I think we stopped at Port Jervis before moving on to Lakeville the next day.
The “tour” was either a three-day or a four-day hub tour from the Iron Masters Motel. The first day we visited the estate of Ted Jamison at Sharon, Connecticut, and saw his growing antique car and fire engine collection. Dolly Paley treated us to homemade pies at their home on Millerton Road. We also went to the former Colgate estate outside Sharon, then owned by a man who wanted to sell it. There was an animal cemetery near the front door. One of the entrances to this estate was through the woods on the property, and Paul Bourdon had a tire blow off the rim of his Model K while in these woods. I had Ted Jamison (and Marvin) in the 87, but Jamison would not get out of the Stanley at the Colgate estate. He didn’t want to be seen there.
Joe and Rhoda Green rode with Marvin and me for at least two of the days. On one rainy day, we drove to Lou Biondi’s home and car collection near Woodbury. On another, we went to Great Barrington and Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Barbara Herman always made arrangements for a gourmet dinner at a different restaurant each night. Marvin Klair started the tour with several egg sandwiches in a paper bag and drank warm ice tea for breakfast (he hated to buy a meal unless it was absolutely necessary). He was a good sport about the fancy dinners, however, and was able to find to his liking the most reasonable thing on the menu.
I’m sure I have forgotten some who were on the tour, but I remember these: Paul Bourdon (modified Model K), Jim and Judy Hancock (Model 740 roadster), Brent Campbell (Model 76), Stu and Barbara Herman (Model 62, I think), Morris and Dolly Paley (Model 725), Jim and Eleanor Weidenhammer (Model L White), Ernie and Angie Davignon (Model 76), and Louis and Helen Biondi (Model CX). It’s likely that Ole Vikre, Frank Gardner, Stanley Ellis, and Bob Mead were there, but I really can’t recall.
The final banquet was held at the Ragamont Inn in Salisbury. It was a good meal topped off with rum ice cream. Marvin Klair, who wanted nothing to do with alcohol (a sign in his barn read “Don’t Drink Beer in Here”), enjoyed his dessert. Someone offered him a second one, and he accepted, exclaiming how good it was. Jim Hancock cracked up, and the rest of us at the table joined in.
I drove home alone with minimal trouble. When I stopped for lunch at a family restaurant in Port Jervis and parked on the street at the front door, it soon became necessary to deliver a lecture on Stanleys for the curious and increasing crowd. That night I stayed in Ravell Eckel’s trailer in his backyard at Washington, New Jersey, and the next morning visited with his father, Earle, who never tired of seeing a Stanley on the road. It was the final time I saw Earle Eckel, the last of the Stanley dealers, as he died about 18 months later. Moving toward home, the “winker” stopped working to my satisfaction when I was near the Barto (PA) home of Hyde Ballard, and I discovered the reservoir was nearly out of cylinder oil. Hyde was not home, but Mary Ballard told me to help myself to oil in Hyde’s shop if I could find it. That I did and made it home in good shape. The trial run of the modified Stanley had been a success. It was ready for three more “Trans-Con” tours in 1979, 1982, and 1989.
Work Report: On Tuesday, August 12, despite a steady rain, nine volunteers turned out plus four or five more who attended the Events Committee meeting. Those at the work session were: Steve Bryce, Richard Bernard, Bob Jordan, Ted Kamen, Mark Russell, Jeff Kennard, Paul Kratunis, Bill Schwoebel, and Tom Marshall (in charge).
A few more items were moved to the storage bins, including pipe fittings over 1” in size. The joints on the swiveling Packard trunk rack, designated for possible sale, were freed up and are working properly. A special coupling for the speedometer drive on the Rauch & Lang was fabricated. The engine cover was removed from the Model K for checking over the engine and proper oiling. (This was completed on Wednesday, and all appears to be good).
The Models EX, 87, and 740 were “prepped” for the trip to Kinzers on Friday. The boiler on the Model 76, which did not siphon after its run on 8/9, was filled.
On Thursday, August 14, six volunteers were at the work session with several more at the quarterly Board of Directors meeting. Those working were as follows: Jerry Lucas (in charge), Jim Personti, Bob Jordan, Geoff Fallows, Kelly Williams and Mark Russell.
The engine packing glands were checked on the Model K, and the engine cover installed again.
New balance weights were fastened to the front rims with adhesive, and the wheels were checked, not only for balance but also for radial and lateral run-out -- all appeared well within limits. Jerry Lucas and Kelly Williams did this work. The Model 735 was prepped for its Friday trip by Mark Russell. Mark also worked on finishing the repair to the speedometer drive on the Rauch & Lang electric.
The Model 607 was brought to the upper garage, and Jim Personti, Bob Jordan, and Geoff Fallows soldered on connections and brought the electric switch box much closer to completion. Jim also changed the plug and wired the motor on our new band saw so it will run on 120 volts, which is readily available in the shop. The saw was a gift from Bill Schwoebel and Gloria Riggleman, widow of longtime member Jim Riggleman, who also donated to us Jim’s 1914 Model T Ford. Bill Schwoebel facilitated these gifts. Many thanks!
On Friday, August 15, three of our Stanleys with six volunteers successfully made the round-trip to the Rough & Tumble Show at Kinzers, PA. Completing the trip were Mark and Lynette Russell and Dave Leon in the 735, Richard Bernard in the 740, and Steve Bryce and Dan Citron in the 87. Despite all the preparation on the Model EX, it was left behind because a new leak through the throttle cropped up before the group left Auburn Heights, and it was not immediately repairable. Lou Mandich was also at Kinzers with his Model A Ford.
We are pleased that Dave Leon, recuperating from replacement of a faulty pacemaker valve, was able to make the trip to Kinzers, and expects to be back to normal very soon. A note from Art Wallace advises that his eyesight is almost gone, but otherwise he is doing well and feels happy to be established at his new home in West Palm Beach, Florida, near his daughter Robin. We miss him.
