January 2002

Dear friends, I am sorry that due to changes in my job and some pressing issues around the farm I wasn’t able to get the newsletter out in time to wish you a Merry Christmas, but I’m sure each of you has occasionally had to prioritize just what should be done first when push comes to shove. I hope that I am one of the first to wish you the best for the New Year. At this time of year, each of us once again finds a clean slate before us and begins to plan how to wisely use the days ahead. Please mark the dates for the 32nd show on your calendar now – September 20, 21, and 22. Also, make note that the meetings for March, June, July and August will be held at the Wellington Garage Hall (same location as our fall picnics) due to a scheduling conflict and remodeling at the Carlisle Visitor Center scheduled for this summer. In spite of all the tragic events of the past year, our group still managed to have a successful year. The weather was beautiful for the Spring Warm Up over at Gordon Farms. We had an excellent turn out and several people tried out their tractors and engines. During the fair, Jim Smith did a nice job organizing the tractor display and the tractor pullers for me when my uncle passed away. Special thanks should go to Don Crawford and Chip Benton for a great job on the tractor pull at the show. Things ran smoothly for their first year. Bill Benton put a lot of time into making sure that the Ohio Two-Cylinder Club felt welcome at our show. Rich Schoeffel once again did a good job of organizing the people who collected the gate fee and directed traffic to the parking or proper display area. Barney Hartman and Bill Axford worked hard on our first consignment auction. Now that everyone knows how it works, I hope that many others will decide to bring items this year. Ed Maynard managed to put together a very good steam show despite the tragedy at the Medina County Fair. All of the rest of the club’s directors plus several of the club’s members also pitched in during the show to make sure all of the departments’ needs were met and visitors had a good time. Thanks should go to the Lorain County Fair Board for the fine job they do on maintaining the grounds and to their caretakers who do a lot to see that our needs are met during the show. Last but not least, I’d like to thanks Paul Fridenstine for all the work he’s done to make sure people are aware of what is happening during the show. He has set up the show sound system for many years. He is retiring from this job. Paul’s work was always top notch and we will really miss him. If any of you are talented in this area or are in this line of work and would like to take over this job at the next show, please contact me. Several members and participants have passed away during the past year. We send along our condolences to all their families and hope that many members of the next generation will take up the hobby to insure equipment from the past is preserved for others to appreciate. We have missed the Kovacics and Dennis Jungbluth over in the steam engine area. It’s too bad that the Case steam engine they had worked so hard to restore caused such a tragic accident. It is also hard to believe that Bub Weigel’s little steam engine, that has been a focal point at our show and the Lorain County Fair for as long as I can remember will no longer be present. It was destroyed by a fire that totaled Bub’s workshop in December. Members and friends who have passed on to greener pastures this year are Russell Gest, Frank Beck Jr. Wayne Boyd, Dennis Jungbluth, Clifford Kovacic, Bill Kovacic, and Alan Kimble. . I hope that each of you is thinking about what you want to bring to our next show. Winter is a great time to do restoration work or to tune up that old engine or piece of equipment that’s just been sitting around collecting dust. This year, the Lorain County Woodcarvers Club is planning to display at our show and Doug Brubaker is working with the Massey Harris Ferguson group to come in 2003. If you know of other historical clubs that might like to attend, please let them know we would love to have them come Jim Schmitkons, Chairman

Thanks to John Heath, our drag saw is once again in top-notch condition.

2002 CALENDAR OF EVENTS January 10 February 14 March 14* April 11 To be announced May 9 June 13* July 11* August 8* August 20-26 September 12 Sept. 20-21-22 October 10 October November 14

Meeting Meeting Meeting Wellington Grange Hall Meeting Spring Warm Up At Gordon Farms Meeting Meeting Wellington Garage Hall Meeting Wellington Garage Hall Meeting Wellington Garage Hall Lorain County Fair (set-up Aug. 23) Meeting 32nd Annual Engine Show Meeting Fall Picnic At Wellington Grange Hall Meeting

Opening flag raising ceremony for the 2001 show was done by the Wellington VFW. This ceremony is very carefully done and if you haven’t seen it its well worth taking a few minuets Friday morning. Club member Ernie Hartman is on the right.

Look at the sleek lines of this Indian Motocycle. They don’t make them like they used to!

Andy Weigel loves to operate this old equipment

2002 EXECUTIVE BOARD Jim Schmitkons Chairman Ed Maynard Vice Chairman Barb Baker Secretary Glen Norris Treasurer Colin Coshway Director Ken Farnsworth Director Jim Smith Fair Board Liaison

(440) 233-6828 (419) 929-0828 (440) 734-3124 (440) 355-6558 (440) 356-8990 (440) 647-3121 (440) 647-3966

The Gordon’s have many unusual things around their place including a pet ox.

2002 DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATORS

Roger Moore, this sure doesn’t look like that John Deere you're always

Great Lakes Historical Society Restoration Work During the past year, three of our club members, John Uline, Jerry Matusek, and John Baker, have restored a number of steam-powered engines for the Great Lakes Historical Society’s museum in Vermilion. The museum had come to the 2000 show looking for people who might be interested in helping them restore several old engines and these three volunteered to help. Several of the engines they worked on were on display at the 2001 Boat Show in Cleveland. If you would like to see their work, the engines are currently on display on the lower level of the museum, which is located at 480 Main Street in Vermilion. The museum hopes to make the engines into a working display, but they have not been hooked up to a compressed air system yet. The museum is always looking for people to help with restoration projects, so if you think this is something you might like to do in your spare time and you don’t have the money for an engine of your own, you might stop by and talk with the people who run the museum.

Steam Engine/ Hauling/ Publicity Tractors Ohio 2 Cylinder Club Gas Engines Cars & Trucks Antique Tractor Pull Modelers American Indian Motocycles Flea Market Concessions Toy Show

Ed Maynard Ken Farnsworth Bill Benton John Baker Barb Baker Don Crawford Chip Benton Steve Douglas Harold Hartman Carolyn Maynard Colin Coshway Roger Samples

(419) 929-0828 (440) 647-3121 (440) 647-4597 (440) 734-3124 (440) 734-3124 (440) 774 6045 (440) 355 4625 (440) 775-2492 (440) 647-3723 (440) 929-0828 (440) 356-8990 (419) 281-2105

The hay-baling crew amuses the kids with the hay tossing.

2001 TRACTOR PULL RESULTS 3500# ANTIQUE CLASS 1. Phil Schneiter 2. Ed Thompson 3. Kevin Carr

‘42 FarmAll H ’40 Ford 9-N ’44 John Deere B

197.6 feet 149.1 145.3

3500# CLASSIC CLASS 1. Lyle Linkey 2. Gary Seasly 3. Gary Weigel

’50 John Deere B ’47 Allis Chalmers WC ’49 Allis Chalmers WD

275.9 feet 268.7 242.8

4500# ANTIQUE CLASS 1. Lee Adkins 2. Rod Eichel 3. Rod Eichel

’37 John Deere A ’37 John Deere A ’37 John Deere AO

200.0 feet 196.6 149.5

4500# CLASSIC CLASS 1. Gary Weigel 2. Gary Seasly 3. Keith Sudimak

’54 Allis Chalmers WD 45 ’49 John Deere B ’48 John Deere A

257.0 feet 250.3 228.9

5500# OPEN CLASS 1. Ralph Shaw 2. Dean Rollin 3. Eric Manbeck

’58 Oliver 77 ’42 FarmAll ’51 FarmAll M

236.0 feet 229.1 198.5

5500# CLASSIC CLASS 1. Lowell Ray 2. Damon DeConcini 3. Ted Regal

’53 FarmAll Super M ’58 Deutz ’56 Cockshutt 40

267.6 feet 242.6 207.6

6500# ANTIQUE CLASS 1. Ron Hamisfar 2. Aaron Anderson

’45 John Deere G ’32 Fordsa Major diesel

211.6 feet 193.2

6500# CLASSIC CLASS 1. Lowell Ray 2. Mark Hogrefe 3. Stan Pitts

’53 FarmAll Super M ’55 John Deere 60 ’50 Minneapolis Moline U

258.1 feet 245.1 235.9

6500# OPEN CLASS 1. Bill Hasenpflug 2. Ted Regal 3. Jerry Burkin

’52 John Deere 60 ’57 Cockshutt 570 ’51 John Deere G

284.1 feet 283.0 276.1

8500# ANTIQUE CLASS 1. Ron Hamisfar 2. Aaron Anderson

’45 John Deere G ’32 Fordsa Major diesel

161.1 feet 156.7

8500# CLASSIC CLASS 1. Dan Kamburoff 2. Tim Martin 3. Harold Connerth

’52 John Deere R ’51 John Deere R ’52 Minneapolis Moline U

264.8 feet 252.1 252.3

8500# OPEN CLASS 1. Harold Connerth 2. Gary Burkin 3. Rick Manbeck

Minneapolis Moline G705 ’56 John Deere 820 ’57 FarmAll 400

267.7 feet 240.9 234.8

10,500# CLASSIC CLASS 1. Roger Moore ’58 John Deere 80 2. Dan Kamburoff ’52 John Deere R 3. Tom Cooper ’56 John Deere 80 10,500# OPEN CLASSIC CLASS 1Harold Connerth Minneapolis Moline G705

249.8 feet 249.0 237.8 274.4 feet

You guys sure this isn’t a still?

Roy Pasini’s Fairbanks

Glen Norris’s engines

LORAIN COUNTY FAIR It was great to see such a nice display of equipment at this year’s fair. We had a wide assortment of tractors, motorcycles, cars, garden tractors, and gas and steam engines. In fact, it was so great that we were actually crowded this year. It is too bad that we’ve lost some of our display area to other groups. Perhaps the fair board will have to reconsider the layout of our display in future year if our display continues to be so large. Jim Smith organized our display and signed in all the participants this year. Mrs. Storrow took care of selling the hats and tee shirts. Bub, once again, watched over the food tent and provided steamed corn or potatoes for those who came by to operate their equipment. For the food connoisseurs in our group, Horicovic’s provided clams to be steamed. To add some variety to our display, the Welch family had a giant bubble blower set up to get the children’s interest and the adults could reminisce about cruisin’ in a Model A truck like Ernie Hartman’s or a Hudson like Lloyd Gordon’s. If adventure and suspense were what you were looking for, Lloyd or Jake Gordon might have let you pretend you were driving their combines in the demolition derby. . This year’s display had something for just about everybody.

We hope you all had a chance to see the beautiful job Larry Mitchell did restoring this Ford Model B school bus.

The 31st Annual LaGrange Engine Show Our 31st annual show’s attendance was down due to the 911 tragedy that occurred the same week as the show, the tragic explosion of the Case steam engine at the Medina County Fair, and the e coli scare at the Lorain County fairgrounds, but we sure had a great time. Our show opened Friday morning with the flag raising ceremony, a moment of silence in memory of members who’d passed away on the last year and those who’d lost their lives on September 11th or in the Medina Steam Engine tragedy, a prayer by Reverend Don Lautzenheiser, and Ruth Anderson singing the national anthem. Traditionally Friday is set-up day with lots of people bringing in all kinds of unique equipment. It’s a good day to scout out the flea market bargains before all the weekend crowds hamper your stroll through the rows of vendors. The sawmill was running that day and we were able to snap some neat pictures of its workers. Saturday and Sunday, the men did trashing and baling as well as sawing and the Lakeshore Railroad offered rides to interested visitors. Saturday, we hosted the garden tractor pull put on by Jay Casto this year. At 2 o’clock, anyone who wanted to show off their equipment was invited to participate in the parade. As usual, John Finney did a good job announcing the event. Instead of entertainment this year, Saturday night Barney Hartman and Bill Axford hosted our first consignment auction. We were surprised by the variety of items people brought in to sell and by how well the event was attended. Sunday morning began with a church service held in the grandstand. Reverend Don spoke about the tragic events of the past week and offered us words of hope and consolation. At noon, the antique tractor pull began. This year, Don Crawford and Chip Benton were in charge of the event. They added several new classes to the pull and got several nice donations for the top prizewinners.

AUCTION For the first time ever, the LaGrange Engine Club held an auction of antique equipment during the show. The turnout was better than expected and the auction lasted well into the evening. There were a number of tractors and other unusual equipment sold. With this success, plans are being made for next year. If you are interested in consigning something to sell contact Barney Hartman at (440) 6476777.

Rodney Tibbs‘s Telephone Truck

Richard and Charlie checking out one of the Cushmans on display

PATENTS Within the last few months, the US Patent office has made available all the patents issued since 1790 on the Internet. Since most old equipment has patent numbers stamped somewhere on it, this is a unique resource for information about the item. Go to http://www.uspto.gov/patft/index.html to access this information.

TRACTOR PULL

Chip Benton and Don Crawford took over the antique tractor pull this year. They did a great job putting on this event that that has become one of the highlights of the show. This event requires a lot of effort and we are fortunate to have people who will step up and take on the job so the pull can continue. BLUE BOTTLES You may have noticed blue bottles full of water marking out spots around the show. We used them to reserve space for some of the groups, such as the antique truck club. They are easier to work with than the yellow tape we have used in the past.

2001 SPRING WARM UP This year’s Spring Warm Up was held April 29 at Lloyd and Bob Gordon’s farms located on the corner of Jones and West roads. We had a good turn out and a warm, sunny day. The men were able to take their tractors into the fields and do some plowing. Several teams of horses that showed up also got a good work out (see picture). The women were amused with the antics of Bob’s ox (see picture) while the men were plowing. If you’d like to see the antique equipment really doing some work, we’d strongly recommend you attend the spring warm up. The date for the 2002 warm up has not been set yet. It should be on a Sunday the end of April or in early May depending on the weather. In mid-April, contact Barb Baker at (440) 734-3124 for details.

Piersen water-cooled engine (Note the radiator in the flywheel) Its owner is Roger Haff PLEASE SHOW YOUR APPRECIATION BY PATRONIZING THE FOLLOWING BUSINESSES WHO HELP SPONSOR CLUB EVENTS

Cat 60

FALL POTLUCK

Beriswell Insurance Agency, Inc. Julian W. Perkins Oil Company Krystowski Tractor Sales White House Artesian Springs Wellington Implement Tom’s Country Place Hignett Trailer Sales Freedom Reality and Auction Eric Dull W.G. Benton and Sons Wellington VFW Polen Implement

Our fall potlucks are always well attended. We had over 60 members attend the event October 28 at the Wellington Garage Hall. Everyone enjoys the chicken provided by Tom’s Country Place and tasting the delicious dishes prepared by the ladies of our group. By this time, everyone has their pictures back from the show and it is fun to hear the stories about the ways different people chose to participate in the show.

It’s good to see the young folks participating in the parade.

Frank and Betty Storrow show off their John Deere & plow.

EXHIBITING AND SELLING We wish to thank those exhibitors who are not part of our flea market yet voluntarily contribute to the club a portion of what they’ve made selling parts. We welcome the opportunity to buy items you have for sale and do not discourage anyone from selling at our show. We get several complaints each year about people who pretend to be exhibiting items but are primarily here to sell. We are aware of these people who think they’ll be able to pocket a few extra bucks by not buying a flea market spot. Some vendors set up in the exhibit area, preferring to mingle with people who enjoy collecting the items they sell. These sites are clearly marked off and the vendors pay the $20 flea market fee for this privilege. Unless exhibitor selling gets out of hand, we will not be asking for a site fee to sell in the exhibitor areas. Instead, we will have a donation container with envelopes on the registration table for you to return a share of your profits to the club to help us with our show expenses. Those of you who enjoy selling equipment are encouraged to register your items. We have developed a comprehensive database and we are often able to assist members looking for a certain make of equipment they saw at the show. But we can only get in touch with that individual if they registered their item. This is a free service and just another way we can say thank you to those of you who support the club by buying a membership. To protect the items you display at our show, we offer these suggestions. Please take close up pictures of the items you exhibit. Know the serial number of your equipment or engrave your social security number on an inconspicuous area of the item so you can readily identify it as yours. Another way you can protect your larger equipment is to remove a part so that it is difficult to start. Always park your items where people are around and register them so those in charge know whom to contact if they find that they may have been tampered with. We have security patrolling the grounds during the busiest times of the weekend but neither they nor those in charge can be everywhere. If you see something suspicious, get a good description of those involved and report it to registration at once as we have immediate access to help.

Ruth Anderson is always willing to use her musical talents. We always enjoy hearing her sing the national anthem to open the show.

Mike Hengartner of Elyria enjoys displaying his tractor in Saturday’s parade.

Membership Records 1988 – 2001 Year

Renew

New

Total Exhibitor Total Through the Gate Members only* Registered (estimated)

2001 2000

370 338

135 94

505 432

56 151

561 573

3228 3787

1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988

515 467 397 369 276 285

136 163 64 59 86 71

651 630 461 428 362 356

83 160 134 94 46 4

734 790 595 522 408 360

168 139 120 104 85

102 68 48 51 75

270 207 168 155 160

4352 4663 3932 3646 3269 ** 2166 2827 1536 ***

* Exhibitors = flea marketers, concessionaires, & sponsors ** First 3 day show *** First show at fairgrounds

Bub and Walter host a tailgate party at the county fair.

Registration Information 1997 - 2001 Category

Here is the information that we’ve collected from this year’s show registration forms. Here’s what we learned about the tractors & garden tractors, steam & gas engines, cars, trucks, motorcycles & scooters that were brought to the show by those who registered & gave us descriptions of their equipment. Please remember to register next year & to describe your equipment (make, model & year, if you know them). This helps us locate you in the database when someone calls us looking for information about a person who had a particular item at the last show. Listed below are the number of people exhibiting items made by particular companies not the number of items made by that company that were displayed. Cars - 6 Fords; 11 other makes including Plymouth, Fiat, Studebaker, Hudson, Bentley, Desoto, Buick, Packard, and Duryea Garden Tractors - 3 Bolens; 2 David Bradleys; 9 Cub Cadets; 2 Economys; 4 John Deeres; 2 Simplicities; 5 Speedex’s; 8 Wheel Horses; 6 others Gas Engines - 14 Briggs & Stratton; 11 Economy; 23 Fairbanks Morse; 24 Maytag; 21 others Motorcycles – 11 Scooters - 7 Cushman; 2 Whizzers; 3 Vespas; 1 Lambrettas Steam engines - Port Huron; Aultman Taylor; DRR & Sembower; Frick; Nichols & Sheppard; Advance; Farquhar; 2 Case; Keck Gonerman; Stickney plus a steam generator Tractors – 25 Allis Chalmers; 14 Case; 4 Cletrac; 5 Cockshutt; 42 Farmall; 11 Ford; 85 John Deere; 12 International; 4 Massey Harris; 6 Oliver; 3 Silver King; 23 others Trucks - 5 Chevy; 1 Dodge; 13 Ford; 1 White; 4 International; 1 Mack; 3 Auto Car; 1 Garford; 4 GMC; 2 pickups

Nothing distracts Bill Kennedy when he’s running the sawmill.

2001

2000

1999

1998

10 142

12 128

11 12 107

12

Food Concessions Sponsors Flea Market

114

Indian Motocycle Club ATHS Watch Fob Scooter Club Antique Auto Club Lakeshore Railroad

12 25 26 17 2

7 27

Trucks Tractors Steam Engines Gas Engines Motorcycles Implements Models Cars Scooters Garden Tractors Other

38 190 16 93 11 121 6 17 12 41

33 233 31 188 22 97 37 34 38 66

23 13 2

6 26

10* 21 8 12

1997

23

38 242 28 200 27 83 35 32 41

36 242 27 171 29 60 36 26 24

31 212 32 168 25 60 38 18 16

15

20

23

*Numbers represented in the rest of the report indicated number of exhibitor showing in this category not the number of units displayed

32nd LaGrange Engine Show Sept. 20, 21 & 22 2002

LaGrange Engine Club Inc. P.O. Box 91 LaGrange, Ohio 44050-0091

GIVE TOOLS FOR FATHER’S DAY