Worldwide Wow!

For Melinda and others, Mt. Pleasant remains a magnet that attracts old iron and the people who love it. 'The families who previously owned both engines come to Mt. Pleasant to see them,' she adds.

For some, the expo offered the opportunity to promote their hobbies. Kevin Wake, Davis Junction, Ill., set up an extensive display of corn collectibles. As president of the Corn Items Collectors Association, he hoped to win over some converts during the event. 'What we're interested in is preserving history,' he says. Corn collectibles run the gamut from hand Sheller to metal signs, postcards to burlap bags, bullet pencils, memorabilia and more. 'Some of it can get pretty pricey,' Kevin adds, 'but a lot of things are affordable for the new collector.'

In the world of antique farm equipment, collections can be small ... and large. Ted Stein's collection of Mogul engines is both. The collection numbers just two pieces, a pair of 15-hp, side shaft Moguls weighing a total of 5 tons.

Just 118 of that model were produced from 1914 to 1918. Ted's are both 1914 engines: One was the first off the line and the other later that year. Interestingly, the serial number tag on one of the engines identifies it as a 12-hp engine. 'A man told me that the 15-hp engines weren't selling well. People thought they were too big,' Ted says. 'So, if you look real close, you can see where they rubbed off the '15 hp' and re-marked it with '12 hp'.'

The World's Expo is held every other year. That schedule, though somewhat unusual, works well, Cobler said. 'Some people would get bored with it if it was held every year. They get kind of 'showed out'. And this way, you have more time to work on restorations!' FC

- For more information about the World's Expo of Antique Farm Equipment, write P.O. Box 118, Coggon, IA 52218; call (319) 435-2512; on the Internet at www.tractorexpo.com; or e-mail: WorldsExpo@aol.com