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Weekly News July 31, 2006Description
Since our 1918 Model 735 Stanley is nearing completion of the work we set out to do, it seems appropriate to mention the trips my father and I made in this car years ago.
He bought it in 1946 from an estate in New Haven, CT, for $75. The odometer showed 5,038 miles. It was in nice original condition and had not been run in many years. Bill Allaband, operator of a body shop in Kennett Square, painted and striped the car, and undoubtedly my father retubed the boiler. I don’t think it had a new top. It was soon running, and we prepared to go on the Glidden Tour revival in New England in 1947. This was our first Glidden Tour and we took the 735 and the Model 71, also freshly restored, on this ambitious trip where both cars made about 1,200 miles with no trouble. A detailed story of this tour was described in the Weekly News of August 7, 2005.
When we planned to go on the Detroit Glidden Tour of 1953, my father said we should go together, as he didn’t want to drive that far alone. Homer Kratz wanted to go with us. I had hoped dad would say we could go in the Model 87, which he had used on three previous Glidden Tours, but he said it would be the 735. Virtually unchanged from its 1947 condition, we started from Yorklyn and drove to Bedford, PA, the first day. The next morning the Stanley was not steaming well as we climbed the long grade to the highest tunnel on the Pennsylvania Turnpike about 25 miles west of Bedford, so our speed was reduced and several antique gas cars passed us. We fought this poor steaming the rest of the day, and in fact all the way to Cleveland where the tour officially began. Obviously, we had checked all the usual causes: nozzles choked, burner forks choked, cable tight in the vaporizer, etc. In the garage under the public square in Cleveland, we closed the main fuel shut-off, and took the stem out of the fire valve. A tiny speck of dirt on the point of the valve had been the culprit. We made plenty of steam the next day and almost led the pack into the Fair Grounds at Columbus, where we had to wait about 3 hours before a police escort took us into the city.
Our next day was from Columbus to Detroit, and a cool, clear day it was! The Stanley condensed so well we made 140 miles to Toledo without a water stop. Arriving at Henry Ford’s Greenfield Village at Dearborn, all cars on the tour were “garaged” in huge tents erected on the grounds. We were wined and dined by the Big Three auto makers and had a parade through Detroit and on to the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club. The tour finally concluded in Detroit and we headed home. The first night we stopped in the Cleveland area and the last night probably at Bedford again. The oil winker had never failed to wink, but oil consumption was conspicuously low. Finally about 75 miles from home it caught up with us. We had damaged the engine valves and their seats with inadequate lubrication, and as we left the Turnpike near Manheim, PA, the engine became rough. We nursed the Stanley home, wondering whether we could get over some of the hills with the rough engine and greatly reduced power, but we made it. The car was put away for a while until my father decided it should be fixed.
Nearly four years later, he was helping J. Donald Gibson of Media (who had built the “home-made” car now owned by Dave Nergaard) develop a piston valve engine for Stanley cars, and it seemed right to test it in the 735. Helping my dad get ready for its first trip, we installed a 14-foot long superheater, and he machined the Gibson casting to utilize a piston valve cylinder block. Installing this new engine, test runs refined the operation, and we set out to drive it to the 1957 Steam Car Tour on the campus of Kent State University in Ohio. My dad said that if I would drive the Stanley, he would follow in his ’56 Packard with Mr. Gibson as his passenger. Richard Penney, a machinist from near West Chester, accompanied me, as he was interested in machining the new blocks for Mr. Gibson. While we were somewhat disappointed that the efficiency and top speed was no better than with a standard Stanley engine, we had no trouble on the 800-mile trip. This engine is still in the 735 and it has proved to be a good training car for new members of the Steam Team. We expect to use it again very soon.
Last Tuesday there was a lot of interest and good participation as 3 Stanleys were fired up as part of Bob Wilhelm’s course in Stanley operation. Several members were behind the wheel for the first time and others refined their operating skills. Tomorrow night, August 1, at 7:00 P.M. in the Museum, Bob will review last week’s adventures and describe Stanley engines in a “classroom” setting. Next Tuesday, August 8, an Ice Cream Run to Mitchells’ will be another opportunity to drive and observe the operation. This past weekend Emil Christofano with the Rauch & Lang and Jerry Novak with his ’25 Chevy drove to and displayed these cars at Concord Mall, where they were on view for 48 hours for the benefit of BRAACA. Irenee duPont kept these cars for us Sunday night, as darkness prevented their safe trip back to Yorklyn until Monday. Also last Tuesday, Anne Cleary held an Events Committee meeting at Auburn Heights, which covered necessary details to stage a successful Ice Cream Social here on August 18-19, plans for the two fall events (October 21-22 and November 24-25) and other outside events we hope to attend before 2006 is over. We will need to pull together a list of those entering cars for the Hagley show- we know about 4 cars have been entered, and we hope to have more. Although this is over 6 weeks away (Sept. 17), the show is filling up fast and we don’t want to be disappointed.
Ron Turochy and Willard Robinson are making good progress on “Little Toot” and something will be available for the kids to use by August 18, although the complete exhibit will not be finished. Also, we MAY be able to get some sort of signal operation on the A.V.R.R. in place by the same date. Jerry Lucas is running brake lines on the Model EX, and we will soon be doing the same on the 735, as well as firing this car for the first time since its cosmetic work. Jim Personti made a great improvement in the operation of the ’32 Packard by rebuilding the carburetor and it is ready for its intended use for a private event by yours truly next Saturday. Steve Jensen worked on the locomotives and Art Sybell helped him give them a good cleaning. Joyce Sybell lettered a panel for the big sign, due to be erected in front of Auburn Heights this week. It is hoped we can have two productive work sessions this week, although many will be involved in the Stanley lecture tomorrow night.
Finally, Bob Reilly would like to have a brief meeting for a few minutes Thursday night at 7:00 and would like all volunteers to attend if they can. Thanks to all. Tom
