Geared for Success

Samson Restoration Pleases a California Collector Despite Plenty of Bumps in the Road

By Lester Bowman

Samson engines have always intrigued me, and I've always wanted an early Model N. Fortunately, a good friend helped me to acquire a circa 1903 5 HP "webspoke," so named by Samson collectors for the inboard counterweight cast into one of the 36-inch flywheels. Designed by John M. Kroyer, this Samson is a long-stroke (5-1/2-by-10-inch bore and stroke with a 2-inch-diameter crankshaft), slow-speed, volume-governed gas engine equipped with Samson's later-style one-piece igniter.

The past owner started restoration but, unfortunately, died before he could finish it. When I bought the Samson in 1998, it was set up on a cart with a cooling tank. Another good friend hauled it to my home in Modesto, Calif., and before I worked on it all I could do was sit and admire it for several days.

Samson engines are beautifully proportioned with large flywheels and turned connecting rods that are fitted with heavy brasses. Both valves – as well as the igniter – are mounted in the pre-combustion chamber. The governor is belt-driven using a balanced valve while a peculiar valve link controls the four-cycle events. All Samsons are tank-cooled, throttled-governed engines using poured babbitt for the mains and low-tension ignition.

If it's Not One Thing, it's Another

Once the initial thrill of acquiring the Samson had passed, I began checking it over. For starters, the timing was so far advanced it wanted to take the skin off my hands even on retard. I reset the ignition and tried again, but it would only run for a little while and then die. But if I waited a few minutes, it would start right up again. While dealing with this problem, I learned a very important lesson. Studying the points under a magnifying glass, I noticed they were "brassy" looking. Further inspection revealed someone had built the points up with brass brazing rod. I made new points to correct the problem and reassembl..this Samson was originally used on the Osterman Ranch north of Clements, Calif. The fellow who salvaged it told me the Osterman Ranch is now under Camanche Lake, which now covers the whole area. My Samson engine evidently pumped water out of the old Mokelumne River.

Despite the unavoidable and numerous headaches incurred while restoring my 5 HP Samson engine, I feel very rewarded and satisfied. After going through an extensive restoration like this, I can share one shred of wisdom: Every month I read about the wonderful engines in Gas Engine Magazine that require hours of machine work and about guys who build seemingly impossible parts, but I just want all you guys who don't have machine shops or expertise to know it's possible to do first-rate repair with limited facilities. Don't get discouraged – I didn't, and now I have a great-running Samson engine.

Contact Lester Bowman at: 175 N. Santa Ana, Modesto, CA 95354; samsonironwks2003@yahoo.com