Last week the clutch pedal stayed down a couple times in the old Nissan pickup, but a little kick and it popped back, until last Thursday. It popped back, but could not be depressed. The little truck was dead in the water! I ordered a master and slave cylinder immediately, and installed them today. The slave cylinder was really stuck and rusty inside, and still wet from driving down our country roads on rainy days. I guess that is not too bad for a truck that is old enough to drink, and has over 200 grand on the odometer. I will be pulling the boot off the new one occasionally to rinse the outer bore with brake fluid. The new cylinder is made of aluminum, so it won't be making any red rust, but aluminum corrodes, too, so preventative care will be done occasionally, especially after driving flooded gravel.
Have none survived? I would love to see a video of this engine running. Thank You, Merle, for the link. From Facebook, Iconic Rides.
"1890s motorboat fitted with an early Daimler 1.5 horsepower narrow angle (17 degree) V-twin engine. These engines used a 'hot tube' ignition system, which was kept hot by a small Bunsen-type burner attached to the side of each cylinder head.
This ignition system wouldn't allow the engine to rev much past 600 RPM, but it was generally reliable, and there was nothing electrical to ever fail. The engine would run as long as there was fuel in the tank and the flames remained lit. No word on how resistant to sea spray the ignition system proved to be, but at least it wouldn't short out on a wet day.
Daimler engines proved popular for both boats and stationary use during the last decade of the 19th century because the company developed the design enough for it to be (relatively) reliable before they offered it to the general public. The thermal ignition system was also more familiar to the average user, who was already used to lighting fireplaces, steam boilers, gas lamps, wood stoves, etc. Some Daimler engines were built and sold in the USA, as well as in Europe. This engine ran using the familiar Otto (4-stroke) cycle we still use today."
...at the American Thresherman show at Pinckneyville. I do hope they put a guard on the motor assembly for the sifter before a shirt or a hand gets wrapped up in it. It sure does look grabby.
Back To The Old Grind!
Merle sent a nice little snippet. How did crew members come down Mt. Washington quickly when working on the cog railway? The Devil's Shingle is what they called it, and I don't think anyone is doing that today. Maybe sneak up there at night when nobody is looking, and come down in the dark at 60 miles per hour...Thank You, Merle!
Yup, the fall festival at Boonville is here right now. Hit the road.
Susan completed another orbit of the Sun and got a couple of beautiful new tools to use in her garden. Rogue Hoes began as fire fighting tools, but now are being used by many others than wildland fire fighters. These babies can sure break and turn the soil!
