Monitors have enduring appeal, Robert says.
"One thing about Monitors: A lot of them are uprights. You can take a half a dozen different engines, shine them up, put them out at a show," he says. "And then you'll have one old clunker Monitor with bad paint, and the people are all gathered around it. They just have an unusual design. The crowd always likes Monitors."
The collections amassed by the four men pretty well cover all the bases. Paul likes International, Famous and Atlas engines. He has something like 100 different engines in his collection (and an 1897 Case center crank steam engine: "It's about to get old," he says). Robert has several 3 hp Monitors, horizontal pumpers. Perry - well, Perry has almost everything made by Monitor. He even collects Monitor serial numbers.
In addition to Monitor engines, Bill collects tractors: John Deere, International, Rumely, Hart Parr, Huber, Heider.
"I'm the same way with engines," he says. "I'm not real particular about any brand."
But in the end, he says, the collectibles always come in second.
"I enjoy the engines, but more so, the people," he says. "They're what makes the hobby."
For more information: Bill Keene, 5500 Midway Rd., Haltom City, TX 76117; (817) 834-6065; Robert Womack, PO Box 292, Goldthwaite, TX 76844; (915) 648-2800; Perry Kolb, Rt. 1, Box 8, Satanta, KS 67870; (316) 657-2321; Paul Armstrong, HC 2 Box 86, Hart, TX 79043; (806) 938-2449. FC
"One thing you run into with Monitors in this part of the world is that most of them have been left outside."