First Chrysler Canada convertible.

 

The Canadian Chrysler branch became Chrysler Canada, Ltd. in 1963 and the new Pentastar corporate symbol was adopted. The Windsor plant was expanded by 200,000 square feet to extend the main assembly line, and the Central Parts Depot was moved from Chatham to Rexdale, near Toronto International Airport. But the news that got these guys excited was the first Canadian built Chrysler convertible! The sign reads "The 1st One built by Canadians for Canadians"

Sadly I can find nothing online that would say that the actual car was recognized as such and is still out there...

Freedom; 1931

 

Unknown maker 1909 Multitool on ebay

Ebay  thanks, Ski!

 This thing oughta cover pretty much any situation... No makers name, but a  09 patent date.. I value a multitool by how well the bottle opener works, I don't see one, there is however a can opener and a cork screw..... after that.. just wow.

Vintage events we probably didn't attend, Saxtorps Grand Prix

 

Even though there were reputedly 25,000 spectators at this 1989 event held in Sweden, we probably weren't among them.  The event commemorated the Saxtorp TT events held during the 1930s. In those days, the races attracted 100-150,000 spectators.  The war put an end to racing, and when the GP races started again they were moved to a different track at Hedamora.  At this 1989 event a BMW Kompressor won, with a DKW in second place.

Lever Wrench

 Another great idea in adjustable wrenches...

Sidecar Sunday

 

Gilera Gina

 Built in Argentina under license during the 1960s, these bikes were available in 175 and 200cc versions, and in road and trail trim. Looks like a previous owner saw Easy Rider too. 

R Hoe and Co. Guillotine Mitre plane

 R Hoe was a company formed in 1922 from Smith and Roe and Co., specializing in printing press machinery, continually innovating and developing new processes and machinery through most of the 19th century.  As their own machine shop did most of the development and design, they also developed specialized equipment and tools for other industries. This lovely cast iron device seen at Liberty Tool is a hand operated guillotine-type device for planing miter joints.  

Wrenchwiki article on R. Hoe's work here.

 

Franklin commercial cars 1910

 

Norton Energette

 

James Norton started business in Birmingham in 1898, supplying frame lugs and complete frames for the exploding bicycle industry. When he became familiar with the French-built Clement engine, it was only natural to attach it to one of the frames he was building. In 1902 the Energette was introduced- the first Norton.

CNR 15630 in trouble

 

We met CNR's gasoline powered railcar # 15816 a couple of weeks back, this is another on the fleet of 36 units that CNR operated on various branchlines. Number 15830 is less ungainly looking but as we see below, internal combustion wasn't dead reliable, after suffering some sort of mechanical issue, the nearest handy steam locomotive was pressed into service for motive power, this time being #593, a Mogul of 1889 vintage.  It looks like it's working pretty hard.

Allan Paterson and Dick George, Steam at Oakville, Boston Mills Press, 1988

1954 Gilera 500

 1954 Gilera racer with, what I guess could be described as a half fairing. I like the way the fairing lines are incorporated into the tank. Very handsome bike.

Champ-item tips; Automatic choke tube replacement

 

Handy tip for all those corroded choke tubes that plague us daily.

 The Champ-Item name was registered in 1965 for all sorts of automotive hardware and repair items, listed as a dead trademark by 1987. The building at 6191 Maple Ave. in St Louis is still there, looking exactly as you imagined it. 

Wakefield #45 wrench

 

It seems to be just a crude stamped wrench, but Wakefield of Worcester Mass. seems to be proud of it! They needed a graphic designer on that project.

Alloy Artifacts has the story of the company.

Ride-on toy tractor

 

Nice looking toy found in a bookstore, No identification that I could find. 

Short Seamew

Probably one of the more ungainly-looking aircraft ever built, with bad name, it was designed to meet the Royal Navy's spec M.123D for antisubmarine role. The plane was design and built in 1952-53 for use off small carriers and from rough, improvised landing fields. It was intended as a slow loitering type of device, for patrolling over convoys while providing good visibility for both crewmembers. This ad was attempting to sell to Canada in 1954.

 It was soon seen to be an obsolete concept, the Royal Navy cancelled its order, and the 24 aircraft already built were scrapped over a period of years.  Not great loss, it apparently was a poor-handling plane with "vicious tendencies". 

Monday Mystery

Any guesses on this thing? About 18" tall, total. Fairly frail in construction, patented in Feb something 1901 with some fairly indistinguishable letters cast into the handwheel with an adjustable arrowhead.  I can't even imagine what it could be used for. 

Update from an anonymous reader- Mystery tool looks similar to the shoe stretcher on this site! https://www.farmcollector.com/equipment/tools/september-2016-mystery-tool-answers-zm0z17novzhur/

 

Fordson tractor; Wade and Dunton Motor Car Co.

I wonder if Mr. Libby bought the tractor. According to the Gray cemetery site where he is buried, he was born in 1876 and passed away in 1960. No other information.

 

Sidecar Sunday Canterbury Belle

Classic MotorCycle Oct 88

 

Hall's patented End cutter

This is a very nice old compound action end cutter, I was tempted to disassemble it to see the action inside the hinge area. But we'll leave it alone, on the housing is stamped Hall's Patent Nov 5 78 No2

 On each arm- lightly stamped- is possibly the owners name, A Jankowski? (Bottom)

 

Beechcraft Bonanza

 The Bonanza was introduced in 1947 and is still in production today, with over 17000 built. The aircraft is readily identifiable by its V shaped tail (with its two "ruddervators") This tail was changed to a conventional rudder and elevators in 1982.The retractable tricycle landing gear is also uncommon. 

The dealer, Field Aviation is also still around, not at that location but well known for their modifications of aircraft for specific purposes.

The the other company mentioned in the ad is Hunting Associates, of which I cannot find any information. 

Dublin Grand Prix 1931

 

Yacht Cangarda

During a walk through Front Street Shipyard in Belfast, Maine, we came upon an unusually shaped boat, with that sleek 126 foot shape and a smokestack, this was not a trawler or the typical yacht, but the shrinkwrap hides most details.

A quick Google brought up the story, the name Cangarda is derived from the owner Charles Canfield and wife Belle Gardner's last names. Charles Canfield was a 19th C lumber baron in Michigan, he had this luxurious steam powered steel-hulled yacht commissioned, built by Pusey and Jones in Delaware. Canfield's ownership was cut short by his divorce and the boat went to its second owner  Senator George T Fulford of Brockville, Ontario. It remained with the Fulford family till WW2. when it did a stint with the Canadian navy. After the war it was returned to the owner but was soon sold to an American owner who moved it to Rochester. Greatly deteriorated, was rescued in the 1980s and restoration was started in Boston. By 1999 with much of the machinery and interior removed, it had sunk in Boston Harbour. It was rescued again and has been fully restored inside and out, and is due to be launched again in "late spring" 2022. 

One of the interesting things about this yacht is that despite being well over a hundred years old, it is still steam powered, with its original Sullivan triple expansion steam engine and an upgraded oil-fired boiler.  It is one of three yachts of this type remaining in the world, the others having been converted to diesel power. 

Story of the yacht, here. Another, here.

Update August 2024. The owner Bob o'Neil  passed away recently nd the yacht has been sold. The yacht is still at the Front Street Shipyard but the shrinkwrap has been removed, (bottom images). Hope to see it in the water soon. 

Naval marine archive

Sandeman yacht company