Purchased about 1948 from a Mr. Coolidge of Vermont,
a cousin of the 30th President of the United States.
This car was acquired through Donald Randall, an informal agent for
used Stanleys in the 1940's and was in excellent original condition.
Original color was a green body and yellow under-carriage and running
gear. It was painted and striped by Gary Johnson of Oxford, PA, an
old-time carriage painter. It was driven to several local meets after
restoration, but about 1962 developed a leak at the top of the boiler
shell, underneath the wire winding. When the Museum was open as the
"Magic Age of Steam" in the early 1970's this car ran in place on a
stand with steam piped in, and all the moving parts labeled for
viewer education. The boiler was replaced in 1986, and new leather
installed at the same time. The car was road-worthy again, and was
driven on the one-and-two cylinder car tour at Wooster, Ohio, that
year. The burner has always worked well on unleaded regular gasoline,
main and pilot, but the piston and valve rods in the engine are rough,
and it is difficult to keep the packing from leaking. This car has
probably covered about 750 miles since its acquisition in 1948.
|