One of the best aspects of the Internet is the instant communication that's now possible between people all over the world. For the gas engine hobby, this means immediate access to information, engines and parts that just 10 years ago would have been difficult to come by.

Recently, we received an information request from the Gunnedah Rural Museum in New South Wales, Australia, regarding Petter gas engines. The museum member found us through a December 2001 Farm Collector article about the history of the Petter engine. Here's the message the member sent:

"I am helping to restore a 1952 Petter AV1 and also a 1921 Petter VC, which came to us from Adelaide in south Australia. We are still searching world wide for an injector fuel pump for the VC. Can anyone help us?"

As information exchange has become international, so have engine transactions, and we think there's a good chance that someone in the Farm Collector/Gas Engine Magazine community has a Petter engine and might be able to lend a hand. If so, feel free to contact this Australian collector, who didn't leave a name but did leave an e-mail address.

Do you have a question about an antique tractor, engine or piece of farm equipment that you'd like to ask the old iron collecting community? If so, send your question and any related photos to Associate Editor Christian Williams and we'll post your question in this blog.

Kevin Lightcap, who was profiled in Young Iron in the April/May 2010 issue of Gas Engine Magazine, recently sent in this gas engine info request:

“My grandfather bought a gas engine 30 years ago that had no nametag nor any place where a tag would be located. For all of these years, neither he or any of our engine crew has come close to a name for this engine. We are pretty sure it’s a Canadian engine according to Paul Seachrist, also known as the guy who sold off his collection at Cabin Fever 2011. We all know him very well and my grandfather and Paul go back a long time together.

“I have pictures of the engine from the last show my grandfather took it to. He is giving up on trying to find the name and that breaks my heart for him. I am determined to somehow figure out this 30 year “nameless” mystery!

“Some thoughts I have is that it might be a prototype engine built by Empire. The head is not cast iron but rather machined steel, so another thought was that it is a gas engine that could have been a possible diesel conversion. The three needle valves are for gasoline, kerosene and water. The strangest thing to me is why does the exhaust come out of the carburetor? Could this have been an experiment for a prototype or a way to heat up the kerosene for easy lighting on cold days? Also note it has strange casting numbers on the crankshaft bearing caps (02X) and on the water hopper (03). Maybe those will help identify this engine.”

If you have any ideas as to the name of this mysterious engine, post your comment below: