2002 - LaGrange Engine Club

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