Re: How Long to Make a Stanley?
Posted by:
Ben (IP Logged)
Date: October 12, 2006 02:22PM
Hi Jim,,,I'll try to add a little Re your post of Oct 3,,There is certainy a difference between car serial no and engine no etc,,It is my belief in addition to replacement engines they were selling engines much as one would sell electric motors,,as we have heard of them being used in mining and quarrey engines [ off the Maine coast ] In the case of serious crash [ or fire ] it would appear the car was shiped to Watertown and rebuilt,keeping the original vin tag,,this would explain why we find 1902 hardware mixed w/ 1904 body style,,the cars are said to be all original,,because the work was done before 1910 ,,but they are modified nevertheless,,An old quote I recall was " they jacked up the rediator cap and slid a new car underneath " so the concept was there,, I doubt any whole cars were made in the back alley,, but there was a rumor of parts available long after the factory was closed,,I have a 6" vice that I got from the garage of Steve Torres Dana st Cambridge,,When I told Ralph VanDine, his eyes lit up,,That was a vise from the Stanley Factory," I think Ralph said he bought it at the auction, however I don't recall any sad story of the auction,,was there one ??? They: closed, auction, takeover sold or whatever,,There must have been a "downsizing" when SV took over,,then to PA,,Chicago, and Tommy Derr,,I never understood this part of the situation,,Have you been able to sort this part of the story??? It was said there were 6 partners that sold to Derr,,, Where were they working out of when this happend,,, And what of an address for Unit Railcar in Cambridge,,was this a lawyers office or separate plant?? Sorry this is not more helpful,,but every piece counts now,, And one more question,,,Have you found any mantion of Mr.Casey,, a test driver who tested the cars on Mt.Wachusett,,in the town of Princeton Ma,,about half hour north of Worcester,, and recorded performence and water rates etc,,on the trip to and from and on the hill,,,Mt W, is about 2,000 ft elev' This was around '20-'23 His son David was a classmate of mine at Concord,,'54 ,, Hope this may be of use,,,Cheers Ben