This issue of Gas Engine Magazine is filled with stories of dedication. Collectors willing to wait. Collectors willing to travel. Collectors willing to spend time, energy, effort and emotion to keep the hobby alive.

Take Joe Schneider, a Minnesota collector who saw something he wanted (a rare, non-running National Engineering Co. New Model engine) only to be told no. But as any dedicated engine collector will tell you, they won’t let a “no” stop them. So Joe persisted, asking to buy it every time he saw it over the next several years and always getting the same answer: no.

Joe’s patience eventually paid off ... 20 years after he originally saw the engine. Now the New Model is the star of Joe’s impressive collection. Read the article to see the engine that was worth the fight.

Or what about Don Oberholtzer’s 1905 2 HP Stover Type A vertical? He found the mess of an engine — which was missing its fuel pump, igniter and trip arms, and was sporting a significant crack in one flywheel — at the Tri-State Gas Engine & Tractor Assn. Swap & Sell. He knew fixing it up would be an uphill battle, but Don dove in, tackled the project, sourced parts, made parts and stitched small cracks. You have to see the results on page 16 to believe them.

In Rock Island Engine Spawns Friendship, Charles Hargreaves shares his story of acquiring a 1923 5 HP Rock Island. Charles knows more than a thing or two about Rock Islands, so a collector contacted him for assistance back in 2001. When Charles followed up eight years later, he found out the engine was still in need of some help. Charles’ solution? Drive from his home in Michigan to North Carolina to rescue the engine, more than 800 miles away!

Jim Hilgartner spent his early working life tinkering with Murphy Diesel engines. So recently he decided he’d like to find one and fix it up. In Murphy Diesel Engine Restored, Jim shares his story of finding, rescuing and restoring an engine that holds a special place in his heart. His wife, Rose, even chimes in to give a different perspective of how special the Murphy Diesel rescue and restoration was to Jim.

These are just a few of the stories in this issue that show the dedication of antique gas engine collectors. But what drives them to go to such lengths for these pieces of equipment?

I guess what it comes down to is if you want something bad enough you fight for it. Luckily, the old iron community is filled with passionate people who are willing to fight – be that through persistence, time or effort — to keep very important pieces of history alive.

Rescue stories like these are my favorite. If you’ve rescued anything recently, I’d love to hear about it.

Beth Beavers
Associate Editor
bbeavers@gasenginemagazine.com 

Peter Rooke’s intensive restoration of a circa-1914 Model AK Ingeco engine hit some snags, including a missing crank guard. Peter tracked down a similar Ingeco engine, and the owner, Randy Titzer, made photographs of the crank guard and provided a drawing and comprehensive measurements. You’ll find the drawing, including measurements, below. Read more about the restoration at Finishing an Ingeco Engine Restoration.

Are you ready?! Spring is coming, and we all know what that means: Show season is right around the corner.

I don’t have to explain the significance of show season to the antique gas engine community: Swap meets, annual club events and reunions allow the opportunity to show off your stuff, see old friends and make new ones. Oh, and don’t forget the food – I’m counting down the days to when I get to enjoy a rib-eye sandwich at the St. Al’s tent at the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion.

The 39th Annual Farm Collector Show Directory is an invaluable resource for anyone with an interest in old iron. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran/road warrior who spends a good portion of your year hauling your engines around the country, or if you’re just looking for a way to spend a few weekends this summer, the Farm Collector Show Directory is a necessary guide to getting the most out of Show Season 2013. Think of it as a road map to the old iron community.

I’ve gotten a sneak peek of the 2013 Show Directory, and I can confidently tell you it’s the best one yet. With more than 1,100 show listings, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a weekend with nothing going on.

Sadly, my schedule doesn’t allow me to visit all the shows and meet with all the people I’d like. But the Farm Collector Show Directory gives me a chance to dream, plan and decide how to maximize the time I do get to spend at shows.

And the Show Directory isn’t just shows. It includes spring swap meets, consignment auctions, tractor pulls, thresherees, fall shows, annual meetings and just about every other old iron happening you can imagine.

Order online through the Farm Collector store or call 1-866-624-9388 to order your copy.

I hope all of your winter projects are buttoned up and ready to go. If not, don’t fret! Sit down with a copy of the Farm Collector Show Directory, get some inspiration and plan to spend your 2013 summer the old iron way: Surrounded by a welcoming, passionate community willing to help with just about anything. Don’t forget your camera, and I hope to see you this summer!

Beth Beavers
Associate Editor
bbeavers@gasenginemagazine.com 

Since 1966, Gas Engine Magazine has been connecting with the antique gas engine enthusiast community. Whether getting answers to questions, identifying mystery engines, or sharing restoration tips and tricks, GEM has served as a catalyst for connecting old iron nuts for the last 47 years.

We’re always looking for ways to forge new connections. Every day, I get phone calls from collectors, enthusiasts and even newbies who don’t know the difference between an ignition and a governor. They’re looking for information. They’re looking for someone who can explain simple tasks or complicated projects. They’re looking for a connection in their own local community.

While our GEM Experts list provides many great resources to refer people to, sometimes a nearby group is much more helpful. Having a person or group a short drive away means hands-on experience and explanation. It means new friends to learn from, and it means a stronger antique gas engine community as a whole.

We’d like to help make these connections. Usually when referring people to clubs in their area, I use the Farm Collector Show Directory. Another great resource is the National Early Day Gas Engine & Tractor Assn. (EDGE&TA), an organization that has chapters in almost every state.

But I know these resources are only part of the puzzle. We’re missing some valuable pieces — we’re missing clubs with extensive knowledge. We’re missing smaller, backyard clubs made up of guys who just like to get together, run their engines and help solve problems. We’re missing the kind of groups we can point new collectors to for basic questions.

So we’d like to solve that. We’re asking organizations and groups to send us their info: Collector club name, location, contact person (name, address, phone and/or email), website, size, any information about regular meetings or shows, as well as if the group has show grounds or specializes in any specific engines. Just send the information to me via email, by phone at 1-800-682-4704, or by mail at 1503 S.W. 42nd Street, Topeka, KS 66609.

We’ll publish the list in upcoming issues of Gas Engine Magazine, just like we do with the GEM Experts. The list will also be published here on our website. And anytime I get phone calls for information, I’ll be sure to check the club registry first so we can keep connecting collectors and growing the gas engine community.

Beth Beavers
Associate Editor
bbeavers@gasenginemagazine.com 

I’ve said it before, and I’m sure I’ll say it again: One of the best things about working at Gas Engine Magazine is the community. Always helpful, always friendly and always willing to chime in with their thoughts and opinions on how to make GEM better. Positive or negative, the community’s feedback is always useful and welcomed.

In the October/November 2012 issue, I talked about the importance of encouraging the next generation of antique gas engine collectors. At shows I attended over the summer (including the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, the Rough & Tumble Thresherman’s Reunion in Kinzers, Pa., and the South Central Pennsylvania Old Tyme Days in Dover), the theme of engaging the younger generation came up in almost every conversation I had. Whether that meant taking the time to talk to younger folks one-on-one, setting up special displays that focused on getting the attention of kids or entire collections built on post-hit-and-miss engine technology (with the idea that the technology is a little more relatable to what kids see and interact with in their everyday lives today, while providing a link to older, hit-and-miss technology), everyone had ideas and opinions about rousing a new group of collectors.

But the criticism I heard was just as important. I talked with a few subscribers about an essential piece of the kids-and-antique-engines puzzle that was absent from my original column: safety.

By and large, the antique gas engine community is made up of responsible, thoughtful and careful collectors. Keeping engines behind ropes, never allowing little hands near running engines and always having your eyes open are probably the most important things collectors can do to make sure the community as a whole continues to thrive. Engagement and education shouldn’t just be focused on the history, but should include lessons on safe practices and responsibility. I’m sure this isn’t news to any of you, but occasional reminders that all attendees at shows aren’t as versed in safety as the bulk of the community are worth mentioning.

By the time the December 2012/January 2013 print issue hits your mailbox, show season should be comfortably behind us. As you begin your winter projects, consider taking notes, snapping some photos and sending them our way. This issue has stories from three readers who did just that: Joel Sanderson makes his 15 HP Reid run a little smoother on a kerosene/gas mixture, Jerome Then shares tips on getting a severely stuck piston loose and John Gaul shares the impressive working history of a 1-3/4 HP United engine, an engine that is still going strong more than 100 years after it was made.

And as always, call, write or email me. I love hearing what the community has to say.

Beth Beavers
Associate Editor
bbeavers@gasenginemagazine.com 

Every issue, we feature a collector younger than 35 in our “Young Iron” department. I’m always amazed by how enthusiastic and informed these young collectors are. And their numbers seem to be growing: Not a month goes by when I don’t hear from an excited young collector eager to show their stuff in the magazine. (Some months are even more exciting, like last month when I heard from four young collectors.)

Check out our latest Young Iron to see this issue’s young enthusiast, 16-year-old Tyler Harman of Taneytown, Md. Tyler’s antique engine collection is already eight strong, and includes engines in all sorts of sizes from various manufacturers.

Tyler has a leg-up on most collectors, as passion for old iron runs strong in his family. He went to his first engine show at two weeks old and graced the cover of GEM at the age of 3 back in May 2000. Now he spends most of his weekends roaming the grounds of various shows in the Maryland and Pennsylvania area.

This issue, Joe Maurer looks at 7-year-old Molly Hackbarth and her Stover Type KA running a Stover feed grinder. (See Stover Engines and Young Folks.) Molly and her cousins love feeding corn into the grinder and watching the Stover work.

These kids are very lucky to have encouragement from their parents and grandparents. Tyler’s grandfather Sam Harman is the catalyst for Tyler’s passion. Mr. Harman’s antique engine collection serves as inspiration, and it gives Tyler a collection to aspire to. Molly’s father, Paul, restored her engine from bits and pieces before passing it on to her. I can only imagine there are years of co-restoration projects ahead for the father-daughter duo.

Now we come back to you. Are there any young folks in your life you can share your passion with? Think beyond your children and grandchildren. What about neighbors, kids from church or other youth in your community? If you have a grandkid who loves your engines, encourage them to invite friends to shows or to help with restoration projects.

If you organize a show, how about setting up a special area for kids? Be sure to have knowledgeable people on hand to explain how the engines work in simple terms. Have the engines running pumps, grinders or small machines. And be sure to make the engines accessible (while emphasizing safety, of course); there is nothing like hands-on experience to get kids interested and excited.

Not only will you be helping the entire old iron community by bringing in some energetic collectors, but I’m guessing the look of joy on a new enthusiast’s face will make you smile, too.

Beth Beavers
Associate Editor
bbeavers@gasenginemagazine.com 

Our mild Midwest winter transitioned into a mild spring, but by Memorial Day “mild” had left the conversation. It is already turning into a typical sticky summer here in eastern Kansas.

I’m definitely not complaining. I’ll take the heat over snow 365 days a year. And for me, there is nothing better than being barefoot in the warm summer grass, eating burgers from the grill and enjoying the company of friends and family. Add in some antique gas engines (and put on some shoes so I don’t lose any toes, of course) and it sounds like the perfect weekend.

We’re making plans for which shows we’ll be visiting this year, and I can hardly contain my excitement to get out and visit with old friends, and make some new ones as well. I’ve got my camera and voice recorder ready, so I am prepared when I find rare and unusual engines to share with the gas engine community.

And you shouldn’t go to a show without your camera this summer, either. Our staff can only be so many places, so we count on our readers to find great engines and equipment around the world and report back to us. And this year, we’re looking for a great photo to grace the cover of the 2013 Farm Collector Show Directory.

In the fall, we’ll publish a call-out for readers to send in their best show photos from the 2012 season. The staff at Farm Collector and Gas Engine Magazine will select the best of these photos to feature on the cover of the 2013 Farm Collector Show Directory. (You can buy the 2012 Farm Collector Show Directory in our online store.)

We’ll provide more details on specifics in the fall, but the deadline for submissions will be Nov. 2. We ask that you submit good-quality prints or high-resolution digital photos; prints on plain paper and Polaroids will not be considered.

Some things to keep in mind when taking photos:

• Make sure the whole engine can be seen in the frame, and then take two steps back before taking the photo. This makes it so the engine is still large enough that details are easy to see, and the extra space around the engine gives our designers some canvas to work with so they don’t have to cut off important features.
• Be mindful of the engine’s surroundings. Are there a lot of people? Trash or debris around the engine? Wait for a break in the crowd and tidy up around the engine to make sure it looks its best.
• When taking photos outside, be sure to have your back to the sun as the direct sunlight confuses the camera — colors don’t show up as sharply and the sun creates a white glow behind everything.
• You don’t have to be a professional photographer with expensive equipment, but at least use an actual camera. While mobile technology has made many advances over the years, cell phone cameras just don’t create the same high-quality images that cameras do.

I hope you’re as excited as I am for show season. I can’t wait to see what experiences you capture this summer.

Beth Beavers
Associate Editor
bbeavers@gasenginemagazine.com