WOW one of the very first cars to ever exist. Not bad for 100 years. It still runs after 118 is indeed remarkable. Amazing piece of history hope they preserve it for the future. Cool car.
I love that it has blue NJ. Historic plates. This vehicle is actually registered with the NJMVC? Probably the oldest car in the state, if so. I’m wondering if it needs to have periodic boiler inspections like a locomotive? That’s running a whole lot more pressure than the steam boiler in my basement, which does not need to be inspected (max 15psi, and operating pressure is more like 1pound).
There is a fuel cutoff to the main burner ("Fuel Automatic") so when the steam pressure reaches a high limit it turns the fuel off and turns it back on again when the pressure drops below a low limit. It is a simple device with a diaphragm exposed to the steam pressure which as the steam pressure rises the diaphragm pushes against an adjustable spring. The diaphragm is also attached to a needle valve which as the diaphragm moves can shut the fuel on and off. The spring pressure can be adjusted to give you the steam pressure range you want. Hope this answers your question.
Thanks so much for this video. I know I am a little late to the comments here, but I am a history teacher, and I was trying to understand the working of this early car for my American history classes. Your video is so helpful. One question: how does the burner ignite to heat the water and produce the steam? Do you have to ignite it manually?
Hi Alicia, When the car is cold say at the start of the day, you need a hand held torch. To raise a full head of steam, the daily "firing up" process takes about 25 minutes. It begins by heating up a pilot light until it is hot enough to be ignited. Using the same torch, the main burner (merely a very large version of the pilot light) is similarly heated until it can be lit by the pilot light. The pilot light remains burning throughout the day. On the other hand, the main burner cycles on and off as steam is used and needs to be replenished. During these on and off cycles, the pilot keeps the main burner hot enough so so it can be ignited by the pilot without the use of the external hand torch. So the firing up process only has to be done once a day. I hope this answers your question. Steam was the automobile technology of choice for most of first decade of the twentieth century. Great that you are introducing your class to this history. What grade do you teach?
@@dondavidson3940 Your explanation is so clear! It makes perfect sense. I love the time required to "fire up" -- such a good specific for my 6-8th graders to process. And I assume the gasoline is the fuel that powers the pilot and main burner? In 1900, would that hand torch have been a hot iron, perhaps? or some sort of flame? Just wanted you to know how successfully your video brings this history to life!
@@aliciapatton6965 Yes, both the main burner and pilot light in the 1899 Locomobile ran on gas. As for heating the burner during fire up, you were basically left to your own ingenuity. If you read the 1899 Locomobile manual, it does give you instructions on what to do but I am not sure how practical they were. Apparently there was a section of the main burner (fuel vaporizer) that was made to be easily removable. After removal, you had to heat it on the kitchen stove, run out to the garage before it cooled down, reinstall the heated component without burning yourself and then you were ready to light the burner. Later steam cars like the Stanley had an acetylene tank on the running board which was plumbed to a torch used for heating and lighting the burner. It was also plumbed to power the acetylene headlamps for night driving. Today we use a handheld propane Benzomatic torch readily available in hardware stores that works rather well. By the way, if your class is interested in other aspects of early automotive history you can see a 5 minute video about my 1917 Detroit electric at th-cam.com/video/ZX04n7YcM08/w-d-xo.html. Perhaps the great great grandfather of the Tesla?
@@dondavidson3940 Thanks again. You've given me so much practical information that I haven't found anywhere else. I've shown my classes some aspects of the early electric cars, including the one Packard dealer Earle C. Anthony built when he was 17, so I'll definitely take a look at your 1917 model video. These details of history are the key to making it relevant to kids. Thanks again. The history that isn't deemed important enough for history books can be lost so easily -- videos like yours, and your willingness to answer questions, keep it alive!
The water tank holds about 16 gallons of water and it gets about 1 mile per 2/3 gallon of water. So I can go about 25 miles before having to refill the water tank. If you notice, there is a collapsible canvas bucket mounted on the right side of the car to take advantage of any passing streams or if you are in town the tank can be filled with a hose.
Sorry to have taken so long to get back to you. Yes, remarkably it has a differential very similar to modern differentials. If you look closely you can see the small pinion gears that are completely exposed in the center of the chain drive sprocket on the rear axil.
Thanks for the compliment. It is not only great looking but a lot of fun to drive. To answer your question, it holds about 16 gallons of water which can take you about 25 miles, and about 4 gallons of gas which will go about 40 miles. Stopping for water is usually not a problem as people are always willing to help you with a garden hose. If you are out in the country you can fill it with water from a stream with the canvas bag mounted on the side of the car. The longest trip I have taken it on was about 50 miles, an all day adventure with a dozen or so antique cars of about the same vintage.
Originally they were "single tube tires" which is basically a very heavy inner tube bolted onto the rim. Current reproductions are only made for display and will not last on the road. The tires now on the car are period clincher motorcycle tires which are still available and are the correct size for this car.
@@dondavidson3940 much appreciated, I'm going down a rabbit hole of a homemade steam bike and it's been a challenge to find stuff that help create the illusion of being a period piece. Hope you have a great day
@@dondavidson3940 Ah thank you, I would love to have one. Check out the Hudspith Steam Bike, a relative of mine conatructed it from scratch quite a long time ago. Love the car, wish I could own one or build one.
@@seanhuds229 Just checked out the steam bike. Beautiful workmanship! I have been driving steam (mainly Stanley Steamers) for almost 50 years now and it never gets old.
@@dondavidson3940 Thank you, its not a great bicycle, not very fast and runs out of water quite quickly. I have another question if you dont mind. I was just curious, I dont k ow how to word it. But when the engine is steaming away, and you push that lever forward to start moving, do the breaks interfere with the engine if held down for too long?
@@seanhuds229 When starting up, if you push on the break pedal hard enough and open the throttle (push the lever forward) the steam will go into the engine but the brakes will keep the engine and car from moving as the engine is directly connected to the rear wheels. This does not hurt the engine or brakes. What you have to watch out for is when you take your foot off the brake as the car will take off with gusto as it is running on full steam pressure. I have heard stories of later Stanley Steamers (which have hand brakes) when getting the car ready for the day's drive, the owner got into the car with a full head of steam, forgot to release the hand brake, and started to open the throttle and wondered why the car would not move. Being confused, they fully opened the throttle again with no result. Leaving the throttle fully opened, they finally noticed the hand brake was on, and released it with full pressure on the engine (600 psi). The result was the car took off and went through the back wall of the garage. Remember steam cars make no noise when they aren't moving so they had no clue that it was ready to take off. Whether this is true or not I don't know, but it could certainly happen if you aren't paying attention.
Looks like a fun ride! It goes much faster than what I would have expected.
WOW one of the very first cars to ever exist. Not bad for 100 years. It still runs after 118 is indeed remarkable. Amazing piece of history hope they preserve it for the future. Cool car.
wow. I love history, and your steam car is absolutely remarkable. nice video, so well made, good job mate 👍🏼
Nice acceleration for the year !
Thank you for such a detailed video!
Well done Uncle Don!
Nice car! I was a little concerned when the side jet of steam was very near your bare legs.😮
The steam cools down very rapidly as it is expelled from the boiler and condenses in the air. It looks more menacing than it really is.
I love that it has blue NJ. Historic plates. This vehicle is actually registered with the NJMVC? Probably the oldest car in the state, if so.
I’m wondering if it needs to have periodic boiler inspections like a locomotive? That’s running a whole lot more pressure than the steam boiler in my basement, which does not need to be inspected (max 15psi, and operating pressure is more like 1pound).
Yeah, pretty scary to think about sitting on top of such a pressurised boiler....
How do you make sure steam pressure stays within operating range?
There is a fuel cutoff to the main burner ("Fuel Automatic") so when the steam pressure reaches a high limit it turns the fuel off and turns it back on again when the pressure drops below a low limit. It is a simple device with a diaphragm exposed to the steam pressure which as the steam pressure rises the diaphragm pushes against an adjustable spring. The diaphragm is also attached to a needle valve which as the diaphragm moves can shut the fuel on and off. The spring pressure can be adjusted to give you the steam pressure range you want. Hope this answers your question.
Thanks so much for this video. I know I am a little late to the comments here, but I am a history teacher, and I was trying to understand the working of this early car for my American history classes. Your video is so helpful. One question: how does the burner ignite to heat the water and produce the steam? Do you have to ignite it manually?
Hi Alicia, When the car is cold say at the start of the day, you need a hand held torch. To raise a full head of steam, the daily "firing up" process takes about 25 minutes. It begins by heating up a pilot light until it is hot enough to be ignited. Using the same torch, the main burner (merely a very large version of the pilot light) is similarly heated until it can be lit by the pilot light. The pilot light remains burning throughout the day. On the other hand, the main burner cycles on and off as steam is used and needs to be replenished. During these on and off cycles, the pilot keeps the main burner hot enough so so it can be ignited by the pilot without the use of the external hand torch. So the firing up process only has to be done once a day. I hope this answers your question. Steam was the automobile technology of choice for most of first decade of the twentieth century. Great that you are introducing your class to this history. What grade do you teach?
@@dondavidson3940 Your explanation is so clear! It makes perfect sense. I love the time required to "fire up" -- such a good specific for my 6-8th graders to process. And I assume the gasoline is the fuel that powers the pilot and main burner? In 1900, would that hand torch have been a hot iron, perhaps? or some sort of flame? Just wanted you to know how successfully your video brings this history to life!
@@aliciapatton6965
Yes, both the main burner and pilot light in the 1899 Locomobile ran on gas. As for heating the burner during fire up, you were basically left to your own ingenuity. If you read the 1899 Locomobile manual, it does give you instructions on what to do but I am not sure how practical they were. Apparently there was a section of the main burner (fuel vaporizer) that was made to be easily removable. After removal, you had to heat it on the kitchen stove, run out to the garage before it cooled down, reinstall the heated component without burning yourself and then you were ready to light the burner. Later steam cars like the Stanley had an acetylene tank on the running board which was plumbed to a torch used for heating and lighting the burner. It was also plumbed to power the acetylene headlamps for night driving. Today we use a handheld propane Benzomatic torch readily available in hardware stores that works rather well. By the way, if your class is interested in other aspects of early automotive history you can see a 5 minute video about my 1917 Detroit electric at th-cam.com/video/ZX04n7YcM08/w-d-xo.html. Perhaps the great great grandfather of the Tesla?
@@dondavidson3940 Thanks again. You've given me so much practical information that I haven't found anywhere else. I've shown my classes some aspects of the early electric cars, including the one Packard dealer Earle C. Anthony built when he was 17, so I'll definitely take a look at your 1917 model video. These details of history are the key to making it relevant to kids. Thanks again. The history that isn't deemed important enough for history books can be lost so easily -- videos like yours, and your willingness to answer questions, keep it alive!
I wonder what the theoretical milage per fallon is....
Don't know what the theoretical milage is but the actual is about 10 miles per gallon of fuel and about 1 1/2 miles per gallon of water.
How far can you go in one tank of water
The water tank holds about 16 gallons of water and it gets about 1 mile per 2/3 gallon of water. So I can go about 25 miles before having to refill the water tank. If you notice, there is a collapsible canvas bucket mounted on the right side of the car to take advantage of any passing streams or if you are in town the tank can be filled with a hose.
Nice 😊
No differential?
Sorry to have taken so long to get back to you. Yes, remarkably it has a differential very similar to modern differentials. If you look closely you can see the small pinion gears that are completely exposed in the center of the chain drive sprocket on the rear axil.
Thanks again
How far of a trip would you say you can go? Beautiful machine
Thanks for the compliment. It is not only great looking but a lot of fun to drive. To answer your question, it holds about 16 gallons of water which can take you about 25 miles, and about 4 gallons of gas which will go about 40 miles. Stopping for water is usually not a problem as people are always willing to help you with a garden hose. If you are out in the country you can fill it with water from a stream with the canvas bag mounted on the side of the car. The longest trip I have taken it on was about 50 miles, an all day adventure with a dozen or so antique cars of about the same vintage.
More fun than any EV car.
Agreed
200 made and you have #220.. that is indeed rare What do you call those tires?
Originally they were "single tube tires" which is basically a very heavy inner tube bolted onto the rim. Current reproductions are only made for display and will not last on the road. The tires now on the car are period clincher motorcycle tires which are still available and are the correct size for this car.
@@dondavidson3940 much appreciated, I'm going down a rabbit hole of a homemade steam bike and it's been a challenge to find stuff that help create the illusion of being a period piece. Hope you have a great day
Thankyou. I think my engine may be an early one which requires the 5/16 width chain. Do you know where I might get some?
Google Rexnord. They still make block chain but it is pricey. This is where I got mine.
Do you know what pitch chain these engines use?
The chain used on the 1899 Locomobile is a 1" pitch block chain 5/16" wide. This was increased shortly thereafter to a width of 3/8".
Wow that speed
Red dead redemption 2 car !!
What do you do in terms of handbrake?
There is no hand or parking brake. You have to put a chock under a wheel.
@@dondavidson3940 Ah thank you, I would love to have one. Check out the Hudspith Steam Bike, a relative of mine conatructed it from scratch quite a long time ago. Love the car, wish I could own one or build one.
@@seanhuds229 Just checked out the steam bike. Beautiful workmanship! I have been driving steam (mainly Stanley Steamers) for almost 50 years now and it never gets old.
@@dondavidson3940 Thank you, its not a great bicycle, not very fast and runs out of water quite quickly. I have another question if you dont mind. I was just curious, I dont k ow how to word it. But when the engine is steaming away, and you push that lever forward to start moving, do the breaks interfere with the engine if held down for too long?
@@seanhuds229 When starting up, if you push on the break pedal hard enough and open the throttle (push the lever forward) the steam will go into the engine but the brakes will keep the engine and car from moving as the engine is directly connected to the rear wheels. This does not hurt the engine or brakes. What you have to watch out for is when you take your foot off the brake as the car will take off with gusto as it is running on full steam pressure. I have heard stories of later Stanley Steamers (which have hand brakes) when getting the car ready for the day's drive, the owner got into the car with a full head of steam, forgot to release the hand brake, and started to open the throttle and wondered why the car would not move. Being confused, they fully opened the throttle again with no result. Leaving the throttle fully opened, they finally noticed the hand brake was on, and released it with full pressure on the engine (600 psi). The result was the car took off and went through the back wall of the garage. Remember steam cars make no noise when they aren't moving so they had no clue that it was ready to take off. Whether this is true or not I don't know, but it could certainly happen if you aren't paying attention.
Nice 😊