Anybody have a Hit-N-Miss engine?

[Memphis]

For some reason these old engines have grabbed my fascination all of the sudden. My son and I went to a antique tractor show and engine show this past weekend....and I was totally taken by the craftsmanship on these old engines.
My table pard got me started on these things and in fact has one that I may be buying. I like the local club he is in and my son loves the atmosphere. The engine my friend has is an International Harvester model M from about 1918. It's 1 1/2 HP and weighs about 350 or so pounds! It's not actually a hit-n-miss but rather a "throttled" engine.
Oh well, I thought with such a diverse group of antique gun collectors we have here it would be inevitable that some of ya'll would be into these engines.

Any owners here??

Roger

[feralmerril]

I have been to shows and fairs featureing them. They are interesting and the type guys that have them as a hobby seem like a nice old time crowd. I was raised in rual wisconsin in the 1940s and you could hear them all over!

[Pilgrim]

One day soon, I'll be inheriting my Dad's 1 hp Stover, which he restored to new a few years ago. Even has the gold leaf on it....a real beauty.

There's a lot of the old 'one lungers' around here.

[snowman]

Used to have an old one out by the barn when I was a kid -never had it running though. I think Dad gave it to our rural mail carrier, who fixed them up and took them to shows. If I remember correctly, that one also was an International Harvester model.

Andy

[tennexplorer]

Originally Posted by Memphis

For some reason these old engines have grabbed my fascination all of the sudden. My son and I went to a antique tractor show and engine show this past weekend....and I was totally taken by the craftsmanship on these old engines.
My table pard got me started on these things and in fact has one that I may be buying. I like the local club he is in and my son loves the atmosphere. The engine my friend has is an International Harvester model M from about 1918. It's 1 1/2 HP and weighs about 350 or so pounds! It's not actually a hit-n-miss but rather a "throttled" engine.
Oh well, I thought with such a diverse group of antique gun collectors we have here it would be inevitable that some of ya'll would be into these engines.

Any owners here??

Roger

Drat, I missed this. Where was it? If you get one, put a generator set on it and you can be free of MLG&W.

[TOM BECKWITH]

Believe there is a Farm Day show in the Anderson, SC this WE featuring a number of these old engines. If interested - e-mail me and I will try to locate a link.
[email protected]

[Muley Gil]

"Hit-N-Miss"

Oh, at first I thought y'all were talking about my shooting.

I used to buy tractor parts from a farm dealer in Alabama that had a John Deere engine.

Went to a flea market once where there was one powering an ice cream freezer.

[scooter123]

When I was a kid the next door neighbor used to restore and collect these old engines. He even had one that had a standing pilot ignition, which required a rather arcane prodedure in order to get it running. If I remember it right, you had to pump a pressure tank for the pilot, get teh flame lit, wait for the pressure tank to heat up enough to supply the pilot continuously, then open the pressure relief valve for the cylinder, start cranking like a whirling dervish, close the pressure relief valve and hope that it caught. When it did, it was put...... put....... put...... etc. What always amazed me was how slowly they ran and how freaking big they were.

[cubguy]

I've had several, real addicting.
Right now I have a 25 HP Superior throttle engine that pumped several oil wells. It needs restoration.

[Memphis]

Cubguy...25 hp!! That engine must be the size of a Buick! The one I will be getting starts on regular gas but after it warms up it switches over to kerosene. This one has been restored and is a real beaut. I noticed several of the old hands in the local club all had the same appearance. A long white beard and some overalls. But these guys know their stuff. I call them "Engine Whisperers".
This could turn into a pricey hobby...maybe even moreso than guns. They aren't cheap anymore so this one may have to do it.

Burt, I like the idea of independance from Memphis Light Gas and Water. I may have to try that.
I'll have updates and pics when this thing materializes prob in a few weeks.

Roger

[Trooperdan]

Weren't some modern hit n' miss engines being imported from India before some government agency stepped in and stopped it? Seems they weren't up to modern low pollution standards.

[truckemup97]

Originally Posted by cubguy

Right now I have a 25 HP Superior throttle engine that pumped several oil wells. It needs restoration.

I remember listening to them as I was trying to go to sleep. Ah, the joys of growing up in rural Oklahoma.

[tennexplorer]

Originally Posted by Trooperdan

Weren't some modern hit n' miss engines being imported from India before some government agency stepped in and stopped it? Seems they weren't up to modern low pollution standards.

I think they were actually copies of the old one and two cylinder Lister diesels. They are still available out there on the net. The major problem was they were all made by small companies in India and there was not reliable importer for them. Also quality was real spotty. I don't have one, but have enjoyed reading about them. Just went back and looked up some more stuff. Apparently they did run afoul of regulations that came in during 2007. EPA again. Some people are importing them as parts and you build your own.

[Kevin G]

As a kid I worked for a firewood dealer who had a cordwood saw powered by an International Harvester engine. Was driven by a big leather belt about 8' long. A twist was put on the belt, looked like a figure 8, to keep it on.
Kevin