Roberts Model T boat engine

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2013: Roberts Model T boat engine
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les Schubert on Saturday, May 04, 2013 - 09:25 pm:



My other swap meet find. Does any one else have the same kind?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hap Tucker in Sumter SC on Saturday, May 04, 2013 - 09:28 pm:

Les,

Nice find. After you remove the inspection plates on the side, please let us know if the cut outs look professionally finished or if they used the plates to make it look good.

Respectfully submitted,

Hap l9l5 cut off


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les Burg on Saturday, May 04, 2013 - 09:40 pm:

Nice find Les. Have you a project for it?
Les


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les Schubert on Saturday, May 04, 2013 - 10:24 pm:

Hap
The plates are "hand holes" for rod adjusting. I know the picture is not great. It has a cast aluminum pan and cover on the back of the block. A plunger water pump driven be a eccentric on the crankshaft and then the water passes from the back of the head into the water cooled exhaust manifold. Ultimately the cooling water empties into the exhaust pipe just by the big flange. It has cranking connection at the flywheel for starting it. The big heavy flywheel makes sense when you consider that this particular version has no transmission. You want a really slow idle for maneuvering at the dock!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les Schubert on Saturday, May 04, 2013 - 10:26 pm:

Les
No I don't!! But it was too neat to pass up. I walked by it 3 times hoping someone else would buy it. NO LUCK there!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By joe bell on Saturday, May 04, 2013 - 10:40 pm:

Les, the Roberts boat factory was here in Ohio ,It first started in Bascom Ohio then moved to Port Clinton, closer to the Lake Erie, they made some really neat and large boats.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jay - In Northern California on Saturday, May 04, 2013 - 10:47 pm:

Sweet!!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ricks - Surf City on Saturday, May 04, 2013 - 11:02 pm:

Here's more than you need to know, Les:

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/257047/259849.html

My oldest bro. is in Anacortes.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ricks - Surf City on Saturday, May 04, 2013 - 11:03 pm:

Is this one also a two-cycle, and reversible?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les Schubert on Saturday, May 04, 2013 - 11:33 pm:

Ralph
This one is a "factory converted" model T Ford engine, so, no it is not two-cycle or reversible!!. I have a "Atlantic" two cylinder two cycle reversible with ignitors (8 HP)
I had looked at the previous postings and they did not appear to include a Roberts converted T engine like this one.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jay - In Northern California on Saturday, May 04, 2013 - 11:47 pm:

Ralph, Thanks for the link.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tim Morsher on Sunday, May 05, 2013 - 12:21 pm:

Joe, that was the Matthews boat company, in Bascom, later Port Clinton, Ohio. We watched the historic factory go up in flames across the river from our condo in 1997. a bunch of kids were charged with arson. sorry for the drift.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Richard Roberts on Sunday, May 26, 2013 - 01:40 am:

Hi Less
Interesting to see this engine with my name on it, had not heard of it before. I Would be interested in seeing more pictures? Richard Roberts


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ricks - Surf City on Sunday, May 26, 2013 - 08:19 am:

Duh, my friend I see every Tues morning at Old Bold Pilots, is Lloyd Roberts, originally of Mankato, Minn. I'll show him pix on Tues.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les Schubert on Tuesday, May 28, 2013 - 06:46 pm:



Some pictures during tear down


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les Schubert on Tuesday, May 28, 2013 - 06:50 pm:




What sort of ignition used this piece on the camshaft? The engine did not have a Ford flywheel mag or generator (although it is a '19-'25 block.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les Schubert on Tuesday, May 28, 2013 - 06:55 pm:



The "A" carb adapter looks homemade so I will guess it was added later


crankcase ventilation added to the valve cover. It has a one piece valve cover so I guess '24-'25? block


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les Schubert on Tuesday, May 28, 2013 - 07:02 pm:



Some repair needed here. Fortunately it is aluminum and essentially straight pieces AND you really can't see it when it is installed in a boat

Check out the gear driven oil pump!!!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les Schubert on Tuesday, May 28, 2013 - 07:11 pm:




Interesting how they shortened the rear main cap to allow the flywheel end packing to run right on the crankshaft. I will have to examine where the trust control is done. I am guessing right now on the centre main.
As far as rebuild it will need at least #3 cylinder sleeved. There are lots of shim in all the rods and the crank area is not actually rusty I don't think. Tomorrow I will remove the crank and maybe the rods and pistons etc.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jay - In Northern California on Tuesday, May 28, 2013 - 10:37 pm:

Neat stuff Les, Thanks for sharing!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les Schubert on Tuesday, June 04, 2013 - 05:47 pm:


I have never seen main bearing bolts like these before. They are studs (of course with nuts at both ends). I got the crank and pistons out today. Shims in all bearings (more in some than others). About .001" wear on a standard crank. So I may get away with polishing the crank and refitting. The block is standard as well. The pitting in #3 cylinder is not as bad as I had feared. I will test bore at .020" (may get lucky there). It looks like at least a exhaust seat on #3 cylinder (and of course new valves). The cam shaft is pitted too much to reuse.
Quite a bit of green paint remaining, so I will have a good sample there.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ricks - Surf City on Tuesday, June 04, 2013 - 09:59 pm:

Les, you surely remember visiting Les Shelley at Action Gear and Broaching a couple of years ago. He has a smaller oil pump that came from the same location, or maybe under the crank. There may be more around, but they're sure not discussed on this Forum.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les Schubert on Tuesday, June 04, 2013 - 11:07 pm:

Ralph
Yes now that you mention it I do remember him and the pump. This is a small pump that probably runs crank speed. I suppose his original may have been from a marine conversion as well.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John P. Steele, Montana on Wednesday, June 05, 2013 - 08:43 pm:

Anyone have an extra pan for one of these engines?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Les Schubert on Wednesday, June 05, 2013 - 09:16 pm:

John
As mine needs some considerable repair, if there was sufficient interest a pattern could be made and a few could be cast. It is aluminum.
Do you have the rest of the parts for a boat or are you thinking speedster? I have a casting to convert the back of a T block to late transmission (automatic or 4 or 5 speed) (and the pattern to make more).


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John P. Steele, Montana on Wednesday, June 05, 2013 - 11:46 pm:

Les I need it for an T engine that will not have a transmission. No Roberts boat engine, at least not yet.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Larry Bohlen, Severn MD on Thursday, June 06, 2013 - 12:45 pm:

Les,

Saw this on eBay and thought it might be of interest for the boat engine.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FORD-MODEL-T-DISTRIBUTOR-AND-MAGNETO-H3-/161040685690?pt =Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item257ec5da7a&vxp=mtr

Larry


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