Lawrence, you sold our :-) Daimler!? How could you? Actually, it's just
as well. I just sold my Datsun roadster last week, and the temptation to
lose my new-found freedom from old cars might have been too much. I actually
thought of sending you mail and asking about the Daimler. So how much would
the rust repair have cost?
Oh, well, I'll always have the memory of that wonderful drive home. Thanks!
On another note, I happened upon a field day for old machinery Saturday.
It was a meeting of the Front Range (CO) Antique Power Association. There
were old tractors and farm equipment as well as a couple dozen stationary
engines, from washing-machine size to quite large. Perhaps the most
interesting collection was a group of Stirling cycle engines, which apparently
were quite common in the teens and twenties. There really are very few
new things under the sun. The coolest item was a 1/2-size replica of a
steam tractor. It must have had five control levers, not counting the
whistle. Imagine trying to engineer and fire the equivalent of a steam
locomotive while plowing a straight row with chain steering and wagon
suspension. On top of that, imagine being out in the field on a 100-plus
degree day for several hours, standing on top of the firebox right behind
the boiler, everything shimmering nicely. This thing was an excellent
argument for draft horses, but wow was it nifty.
I was struck by the resemblance to a vintage race meet. There was old
machinery, lovingly restored. There were a bunch of people getting sunburned
and dusty. The only differences were that the machines were much slower
and the owners let their kids drive them! I highly recommend a visit to
one of these meets if one happens in your area.
Wayne Angevine
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