Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Planes in formation, Otters


 de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otters with skis, flying over Yellowknife...

Thayer Combination Tack hammer

This is a nice looking little brass and wood handled tool, about 9 1/2 inches long, a combination of hammer, puller, flat screwdriver and rule. Patented in June 24 1862, Thayer described it as a “shank or bar graduated to form a scale” with a “screwdriver and a claw on the ends of said shank or bar,” with an adjustable “handle or sleeve” and an adjustable “hammer-head.” 

The idea is to slide the handle/sleeve and the hammer head away from their respective ends to use this as a screwdriver and claw, and back down into their end positions to use it as a tack hammer and tack puller. I'd just hang it on the wall.




Datamp.org

 



Monday, February 10, 2025

Another job you may not want to do, taping ribs


 A crew of women workers installing the wing fabric for deHavilland Tiger Moths during WW2. Smell that dope!

Packard Twin Six race car

Packard introduced the automotive world's first production V12 in 1915, the engine powered the firm's luxury cars till 1923. 

 The company also built at least two race cars using the "Twin 6" motor, one of which is shown here with Ralph De Palma at the wheel and Douglas Fairbanks leaning in for the photo opp. The cars had successful seasons during 1917-1919. 

 The success of the "Twin 6" racers was said to have inspired Enzo Ferrari to develop engines of that configuration for his own cars. 

 Previous post of engine cross section here.

 

Sunday, February 9, 2025

Mechanic's school


 Learning to fix Triumph engines at US Triumph in Baltimore, Maryland, year unknown but look at those lovely Craftsman vises!

Sidecar Sunday, AJS


 

Saturday, February 8, 2025

Studebaker for 1956


 Front and rear cover of a lovely brochure in a format that is too big to scan. This will have to do till I can figure something out.


Squeeze Wrench


Once again, probably handy once in a long while, but, don't sell your wrenches...




 

Best Wrench Co Multitool, 1897

Adjustable wrench, alligator wrench and flat screw driver. That's an interesting locking system. More here.




Thanks, Ski!

 

Thursday, February 6, 2025

RCA Model TT-5 television, 1939



Just a normal evening at Mr. G's house, a couple of the local girls have casually dropped by to admire his new tabletop RCA Model TT-5 television... Hey! It's 1939, any television screen is a big screen...

He and she Fiats...

1960

 

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Hello, Ladies!


Disco King!

 Sparkomatic started out in the auto accessory business, in 1968 they introduced a line of FM car radios and speakers, making a name for themselves in the automotive sound business. In the late eighties they bought Altec Lansing (another audio company) and in 2000 the companies merged. The Sparkomatic name soon disappeared.

Just a bit risque...


 Paraphrased from the popular song Give Me the Moonlight, Give me the girl

Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Bardic Ferry cross section

 Artwork by Laurence Dunn

 This rear-loading ferry was the world's first roll on, roll off cargo ferry, built by Wm. Denny of Dunbarton, Scotland for the Atlantic Steam Navigation Co. as part of their program to replace their original fleet of LSTs.  Bardic Ferry was launched in 1957 for service between Larne, Ireland and Preston, UK. It served till 1976 when it was sold to an Italian company and scrapped in 1983.




One of my vices is vises, Chicago Flexible Shaft Co.


Monday, February 3, 2025

Multipurpose Automotive tool kit

Nice overly complicated system, but for once there is nothing on a hinge or pivot. I don't think it ever made it to the market. 

 

Monday Mystery, Vaco RT-14

  Ok, we're overstating the mystery aspect here, but we have a question from Russ about when this Vaco RT-14 set of interchangeable screw and nut drivers might have been manufactured. He has just finished the fine detailing of the set and pouch that once belonged to his late uncle John.  Keep those old tools working...


Multitool, Wilkinson Plough Co.


 By the spread out wrench jaws and flattened hammerhead, this multitool looks like it was very well used. No markings anywhere on this one, but it seems to have been made by Wilkinson Plough of Toronto who were in business making farm implements between 1868 and approximately 1930.

Sunday, February 2, 2025

Sidecar Sunday


 William Harley in bowtie and William Davidson in sidecar with fish.

Bcum a Ham

Popular Electronics, Nov 1955

More on William Harrison.

I suspect he is no longer at this address (below).



Know your Schermuly products...


Schermuly rockets, surely a familiar name to most of us. I mean, the name Schermuly is almost synonymous with rescue rockets, right? 

Kidding aside, William Schermuly retired from the British Navy in 1880, and set about designing a line throwing rocket to aid in life saving situations. By the time his products reached the market, the devices could send a 1/2 inch line 3/4 of mile and became mandatory equipment on all ships. More of the story here.

Friday, January 31, 2025

Clear the track!

Not sure what's going on here or the year, but that is a Peter Witt streetcar, (introduced in 1921) being held up by a 1905 Ford Model B stalled on the tracks?

Fisher Pierce Bearcat 85


Interesting adaptation of the Coventry Climax car engine.
 Fisher Pierce was the parent company of the Boston Whaler, they had seen the benefits of a four stroke outboard and acquired a 55 hp engine that Homelite had been developing from the old lightweight Crosley engine. That idea wasn't new, various individuals and companies had been working on adapting that 44 cu in 4 cylinder auto engine to marine use, more here
 The 55 horsepower engine was fine for the 16 foot Whaler but they needed more power for the 21 foot hull they were introducing in the late 1960s. Fisher Pierce starting searching for a larger 4-stroke power head to adapt to marine outboard use. In 1970 they introduced the 85-HP 4-stroke outboard shown here, based on a vertically oriented Coventry Climax automotive block.  From exploring several forums it appears the development program needed more time, there were various reliability issues and unfortunately, this engine was only in production for 2 years. 





 

Monaco 1956 illustration design by Jean Ramel.


The race seems to be better attended these days... 
In the comments people point out that its has to be AI generated (Look at the text.) I only have to ask, what's the point?
  Below is the actual poster, illustration design by Jean Ramel. The race was won by Stirling Moss.



 

Thursday, January 30, 2025

Gray #307 4 way Lug wench

Here's a small old cross lug wrench, about 13" wide and the largest socket 5/8", made by Gray.  Finish is dull, likely zinc, so I expect its old, what car has 5/8" wheel nuts?

 


Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Track inspection

Track Inspection 1889.  Can't beat the immediacy of the arrangement... 

Below, we can't see the interior but I expect the seating arrangements are better, a windshield and piped-in steam heat replace the buffalo robes, but the ungainly thing will never win a beauty contest. 



 

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Russell Auto Girl

 


   A female machine operator at the Russell car manufacturing company during WW1, making munitions.  With a better publicity department, she could have been a WW1 Rosie the Riveter.
  Russell Motor Car was founded when CCM, a Toronto bicycle manufacturer, bought the bankrupt Canadian Motors company in 1903. After starting with a two seater electric, they moved to gas engines and by 1910 were using the Knight sleeve valve engine in their high end model. During WW1 they changed from making cars to munitions and after the war became a supplier of automobile and machine parts. The company ceased operations in the 50s.

1909 Scott