O/T Any one into old hit or miss engines?

Im looking for help with some old engine I have as well as pumps. The engine I believe is a Thompson Tiger and one of my pumps is Fairbanks Morse. Whos also into these old engines?

 

Hey,

A Thompson Tiger? is this an air cooled motor or private lable from one of the wholesale engine builders.****ociated/United, Nelson Bros. Hercules and many others would "private lable" engines to pump builders, etc.
A picture would be great!

Also try : www.gasenginemagazine.com

Good luck,
Swankey devils C.C.
"Meanwhile, back aboard The Tainted Pork"

 

There are a lot of those guys in Florida, you could try to contact the people here http://www.floridaflywheelers.org/index.html they should at least be able to put you on the right track. Also, they used to always have a section of flywheelers/hit-and-miss engines at the Turkey Rod Run in Daytona, though I haven't been for years and couldn't say for sure if they still do.

 

From what I can tell Thompson was a provider for****ociated / United. J Thompson Beloit Wi. Here is a video of one running http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DGLoA9G_eU

 

Ha! My dad has 6 of these hit or miss engines. Every once in a while we'll start them all up at once. They sound pretty cool when they get in beat with eachother. Next time i'm at the ranch i'll have to take some pics and post 'em.

Your engine looks to be a decent sized one.. is it's a 4-6 horse?

 

I realize that there will probably be a big difference between US and Canadian stuff, but...
I don't have much info myself but in this part of the world we call them "make and break".
They were a mainstay of power in everything from farm equipment, water pumps, generators and fishing boats for decades.
Do a google search for "make and break engine" and you may get a bit more info to help.
They have shows just for them in many places.
Whenever there are "car" shows around here (everything is welcome since we have limited numbers of running old stuff) we usually see a bunch of make 'n breaks.

 

We had them in the oil fields back home. My Dad worked for Gulf and we called them "Popping Jenny's". They even ran off of casing gas from the wells. I took an old tire spin balancer and made my Dad a stater so he wouldn't have to roll them over by hand to start. They have a distintive sound.

 

What information are you looking for. I use to own a nd restore antique gas engines years ago....I still have many friends into that side of things...

 

I've got a 2hp Fairbanks Morse that came off an old cellery planter from my father-in-laws farm. I've had it stored away for 25 years, waiting for a chance to restore it, but................

 

I had never heard of a Thompson Tiger, but it's in "American Engines since 1872", available from Crestline. They were made from 1912-14. Sounds like they made engines from 1 1/2 to 8 hp. Can you show a pic of it? One model was air cooled another water cooled with a hopper. They were made in Beloit, Wisconsin. There's a connection to a Lewis Engine Co. too. You need this book if you are interested in ol' engines.

 

I've got a few of them. My favorite is my Taylor Vacuum 1-1/2hp. I also have an IH 2hp, some Briggs and Stratton and Maytag washer engines. I know a few people up in this area that also coleect them. If you are needing some specific parts or diagrams I can check with them for parts. As far as i've seen most of these engines, no matter the make, used the same Wico magnetos and there are companies reproducing them now.

 

We also refer to em as "make and / or break" What part of N.S.? This one is a 2 - 2.5 HP From the Old engine forum Ive found out that its pretty rare to say the least. Ive got this one and another of the same model, that has the water box boiled off!

 

I don't have a pic, I wish I did. But this fall, down at NoSurf's in Abeline, KS, at their show, there was a John Deer lawn tractor, that some guy had put in a John Deer Hit and Miss engine. Now that was cool.


HellRaiser

 

Good site for hit miss is http://www.smokstack.com. also small air cooled motors.

 

My metal shop teacher in high school used to make those. He would make every part of them right there in shop. Made one as a replica tractor motor in 1/4 scale, then build the 1/4 scale tractor to boot. That was cool watching him ride it around.

Other than that, I don't know***** about them.

 

PM diamondhead. He's a friend of mine, and has lots of these engines.

 

I actually collect and show old gas engines, I am working on a hit-n-miss as we speak. I also have alot of Maytag engines and an International throttle engine. I run water pumps, with mine, at the shows. I started doing the water thing about 10 years ago, and now almost everyone does it. I have a Myers bulldozer water pump and I run a pump jack with a pitcher pump off of one of my maytags.

 

Been in the hobby for about 30 years. Have restored many engines from a little bitty 1 horse boat engine to a 21 ton behemoth with 17" X 24" bore and stroke.

The Thompson Tigers are very attractive engines. Thompson was a manufacturer in their own right. I believe the pumps in the photo are a Fairbanks Typhoon (primered) and probably a Meyers ( the rusty one just behind the Thompson)

If I can help with info or just to BS alittle PM or preferably email me.

Warning!! Much like hotrods, playing with old one lungers can be addictive!

Ted

 

Yarmouth.
Down in the warm Southern end.
Know the area?

 

I was just up that way this summer, I took a boat out to Newfoundland. The Bras Do'r lakes were awsome. Cod tongue tastes good!