A Locomobile in Vienna, Austria
Peter Würinger
[Loco Euro does Brighton - see bottom of page]
Subject: Locomobile 1900
Date: Mon, 13 Jan 2003 21:48:32 +0100
From: Peter Würinger <ziviling@wueringer.net
>
Ladies and gentlemen, dear friends in steam, dear Locomobile owners,
December last year, I had the opportunity to buy a Locomobile steam car, Style 2, # 1674, in a authentic condition stored since
long time in the Technical Museum Vienna.
After buying this car, I discovered that there are a lot of questions connected with this little steamer and I hope, you have time to
read this mail and may be you can help me and give me an answer.
On the engine I could find an old bronze label, telling that Ingenieur Ferdinand Brunnbauer, Vienna, did "reconstruct" this car in
1905. According to the Genealogy of the Locomobile , Donald L. Ball, Stanley museum, I could find that some things are changed
compared to production # 1674, which indicates production June/July 1900.
My car is equipped with an Overman steam pump, with patent date is 1901 and it has an Klinger gauge, which was introduced 1902
to Locomobile. It is funny to see that Klinger Co. was founded in Gumpoldskirchen, a place about 20 miles from Vienna and was
exported to US. See www.klinger-gmbh.de for the history of this company. So
theses parts were taken from younger constructions, but have been used by Locomobile company.
Some other parts seem to be modernized by Ing. Brunnbauer.
So the boiler is equipped with a superheater for the steam, which seems to be unusual with a Locomobile
The lubrication of the engine is not only done with this displacement lubricators, as Donald L. Ball is describing in his book, but also uses a drop oiler system.
The lubrication of the engine is not only done with this displacement lubricators, as Donald L. Ball is describing in his book, but also
uses a drop oiler system.
Are this things originally used by Locomobiles ore changes done by Ing. Brunnbauer? Who knows more?
A big problem for me is the painting. The wooden body is still authentic with just one crack in the sidewall and the painting is still
out of factory even with the old pin striping. Black stripes on red chassis and yellow-gold striping on some red and black parts of the
body. Which type is the original paint: nitro- or oil-paint or what else? How to add missing small areas of paint. I
don't want to paint all new, I just want to add missing parts. This stripes you can see on axels also:
I mailed to Coker Tires and got the following answers:
Peter,
Thank you for your continued interest in our tires, and I do look forward to serving you through our distributor there in
<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Germany.<?xml:namespace prefix
= o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
I have done some further research since my last email and determined that a SOLID RUBBER “might” be a possibility, but to
supply a solid rubber tire, we would have to have your rims in our possession. The cost of solid rubber is determined by the over all
diameter and the width of the rim. For your rim, solid rubber would cost $560 per tire plus the shipping cost, taxes, duty and
brokerage fees involved in shipping the rims back a forth between us.
The Good news however, is that I can supply a 28x2 ½ single tube tire. The cost per tire would be $295 each plus shipping and
other import costs.. I would have to special order these tires - production would take about 5 weeks, and as I stated you would
need to purchase these through our distributor there in Germany: Munchner Oldtimner Reifen.
Please contact them directly.
Sincerely,
Jim Hildebrand, Coker Tire
-----Original Message-----
From: Peter Würinger [mailto:ziviling@wueringer.net
Sent: Monday, January 06, 2003 4:27 AM
To: 'Jim Hildebrand'
Subject: AW: Locomobile 1900
Dear Jim,
Thanks for answering so prompt and with big knowledge. Indeed this 28 x 3 rims and tires are the best solution for
rallaying and I am quite sure to make this also. But for show purpose I would like to use the authentic rims for single tube tires. What do you think about solid rubber tires? Can you supply these? Is it possible to reproduce this type of tires?
Thanks, Peter Wueringer
-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Jim Hildebrand [mailto:jimh@coker.com]
Gesendet: Freitag, 03. Jänner 2003 21:01
An:
ziviling@wueringer.net
Betreff: RE: Locomobile 1900
Dear Peter,
Thank you for contacting Coker Tire; we appreciate the opportunity to supply you with tires and wheels for
your 1900 Locomobile.
Regarding the single tube tires, I certainly do not recommend that you consider single tube tires for this
automobile. The first and foremost problem is availability, while we could supply a 28x1 ¾ single tube tire, it
appears that it would be much too small for the requirements of the locomobile and your existing rims.
Secondly, a single tube tire could only be considered for display purposes, and even when used in that
capacity it would prove very problematic. The single tube tire simply does not stay on the rim very well.
The other possibility you offered is probably your best solution. We can supply new 28x3 rims with 40 spoke
holes. The cost would be $175 per rim. While I can not supply the spokes, I can refer you to someone who
does manufacture spokes.
28x3 tires are readily available, and you have the following to choose from:
28x3 Firestone Smooth tread all white tires $205.00 each
Smooth tread all black tires $105.00 each
Smooth Tread all grey tires $205.00 each
28x3 Firestone NON SKID tread all white tires $205.00 each
NON SKID tread black tires $105.00 each
28x3 Coker Button tread all white $205.00 each
Button tread black tires $125.00
28x3 Coker ribbed tread black tires $144.00
28x3 inner tubes are $12.95 each with a 1” metal stem
All of prices listed are our U.S. domestic prices; they do not reflect any shipping charge to Europe or any
taxes. You could source these tires and rims through our distributor in Germany( Munchner Oldtimer Reifen).
His prices will be higher because he will have calculated the shipping cost and the VAT. I suggest you
contact Alex Hagn at :Munchner Oldtimer Reifen Email A.Hagn@oldtimer-reifen.com Telephone: 80 24 6794
I hope to serve you through our distributor.
Sincerely,
Jim Hildebrand Vice President, Export Sales Coker Tire
-----Original Message-----
From: Peter Würinger [mailto:ziviling@wueringer.net
]
Sent: Friday, January 03, 2003 1:04 PM
To: info@coker.com
Subject: Locomobile 1900
Ladies and gentlemen,
I am restoring an old American Locomobile built 1900. The car has the original wheels, but the tires
are missing. According to old catalogue offerings, the car was equipped with 28 inches wheels, outer
diameter 625 mm, with 40 steel spokes and 2 1/2 inch single tube pneumatic tires. The rim has a big
round hole for the valve and 5 quadratic holes for fixing the tire to the rim. Details you can find on the
picture enclosed. I hope, you can help me with this tires and tubes, please make an offer.
If there is no possibility for delivering this type of tires, the other possibility would be new rims for
spokes and tires 28 x 3 with tubes. Can you deliver this and how much does it cost, all including
shipping to Vienna, Austria, Europe.
Thanks, Peter Würinger
So my questions: Who has experience with single tube tires? Are they worth the money? Who else has interest in the old dimension of 28 x 2,5, maybe the production will be cheaper for a higher number of pieces. Is it better to change the rims for tires 28 x 3?
A big problem also are the missing pices as
the burner
the cover for the small deck behind the spindle seat
the part of the seat where you are sitting on with the upholstery and the leather flap for covering the engine and the leather flap behind this one for bearing the tools: oil can and so on. Indeed the tools are missing too.
the wooden pieces covering the gas tank where your feet are resting when sitting in the car
the piece of iron which is fitting into the clock when pressing this the clock gives a signal (the clock itself with shell and inner coil-things and hammer is ok, just the thing reaching up to the foot-rest is missing)
the side lamps and the lamp in front of the leather dash
the Veeder odometer
Therefore my questions: who can help me with this parts, with drawings
or pictures for the reproduction or in any other way?
The burner can be seen in the Genealogy book and I got a simple sketch-drawing of the steam automatic. But with this minimal
information I cannot reproduce this things and the "torch" for lightning the fire I
really don't understand in shape and function.
Another question is the chain. My car is fitted with the old block chain quite in good condition but what to do when it it breaks, is it still available in US? How to repair? What to do?
I hope, I didn't stress you to much with my questions in bad English and I will be
very pleased to get an answer from you. If you know other owners of a Locomobile ore other informed persons, please forward this mail to them.
Thanks for help,
Peter Wueringer from Vienna, Austria, Europe. ziviling@wueringer.net
Loco Euro Does Brighton
Click here for .pdf storybook file sent from Austria - download = 550kb
Inside Loco Euro
Click here for MSWord document describing the adjustment of the Loco engine - download = 800k