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richarddurgee
Senior Member
Username: richarddurgee
Post Number: 1162
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 - 01:01 pm: | 
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Bridgeport ad 1913
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searcher
Senior Member
Username: searcher
Post Number: 444
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, July 17, 2010 - 09:29 pm: |
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A fellow sent me these photos and wanted to know who manufactured his engine. I have not seen a Bridgeport first hand but this looks generally like the engines depicted in Bridgeport ads about 1910 or so.
Before I send him a response, I wanted someone with a good deal more experince than myself to weigh in on it. Other questions he had: In photo 2, is the plate midway up on the cylinder a replacement? If so, did the original plate have a throttle lever mounted on it? Referring to Photo 3, is the knob (indicted by the arrow) used to adjust timing? Referring to Photo 4, is this an auxiliary air valve?
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ernie
Senior Member
Username: ernie
Post Number: 1235
Registered: 01-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, July 18, 2010 - 09:17 am: |
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Searcher,
Yup appears to be a Bridgeport. The flywheel and intake manifold are unique to the Bridgeports.
I don't remember seeing a Bridgeport with a transfer throttle on this style (some of the early ones did) so the plate is most likely original.
Yup on the auxilary air valve
I don't remember on timing adjustment as few of these survive.
Bridgeport was right up there with Lathrop and Mianus in that I don't think they ever used any nickel in thier castings as most of the ones you find have really rotten water jackets and the worst part is the head gasket area so even if the lower part is repaired it won't hold a head gasket. I think Billy W has the engine below
Take a look here |
richarddurgee
Senior Member
Username: richarddurgee
Post Number: 2427
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, July 18, 2010 - 12:13 pm: |
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I did a little research on these early Bridgepoprts awhile back, They were mfging engs at the turn of the century, the earliest design was a two port with a throttle control lever mechanism in a round side plate on stbd side. this design changed in 1906 when the three port intake was introduced, the round throttle plate became rectangular and probably there for casting purposes ? In 1909 the diamond shaped igniter mechanism was introduced along with a wet exhaust like the engine in above post. 1909 the company advertised a two or three port engine.
Bridgeport always advertised Their "Adjustable Sparking Device" although i'm not exactly sure how the knob in question actually adjusts it!
1905 and earlier engines
1906-7-8 three port
1909 Ad
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searcher
Senior Member
Username: searcher
Post Number: 445
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, July 18, 2010 - 09:42 pm: |
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Richard and Ernie, thanks for the great responses. The fellow who owns this engine bought it thinking it was something quite different than a Bridgeport. I wanted to make sure I gave him a correct and supportable answer rather than contribute additional misinformation.
Mianus engines are not unusual in these parts but this is the first Bridgeport I've seen. Are they a relatively uncommon engine in general or just uncommon in this area? |
ernie
Senior Member
Username: ernie
Post Number: 1236
Registered: 01-2002
| | Posted on Monday, July 19, 2010 - 07:10 am: |
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The old timers were partial to certain mfrs in certain areas. Once one had a bad expierence nobody bought them in that area any more. There are some funny quotes in one of Grayson's books.
"if you see one falling out of the sky don't worry it will stop before it gets to you"
Also they rotted out real quick when they were used in salt water. |
richardday
Senior Member
Username: richardday
Post Number: 883
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Monday, July 19, 2010 - 11:13 am: |
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"Breedgport"s were particularly popular with the New England and Long Island area Italian watermen. I got this useless bit of lore from Joe Suydam, of Pamona, MD now deceased. He grew up on the tip of Long Island, NY. He was a gold mine of ancient marine small boat engine history. Regretably he didn't write a book on the subject. |
Neptunes Rex
Visitor
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 09, 2011 - 11:32 am: |
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salvaged Bridgeport twin cyl. yesterday ,Nov. 8, 2011. serial 1048 |
andrew_73
Member
Username: andrew_73
Post Number: 9
Registered: 09-2016
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 20, 2016 - 09:02 am: |
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This is a bridgeport, I have a 3 HP Bridgeport engine |
