Aussie Made Tasman Engine, Anyone Know Of These?

[graceysdad]

My father in law cleaned out his shed among his old junk was an old Aussie made Tasman 3HP single cylinder thumper engine, he bought it back in the 50s and never got around to doing anything with it, the old thing is complete in everyway and in very good condition, still turns and looks as though it hasnt done alot of work, its ex boat, now I have this old thing I want to try and get it running, its a strap start, could use your belt if you had too,

Any of the older members out there know anything about them, ie who made them and when?

[digger]

Info on Tasman is:

1) Operated from 1937 till 1966.

2) Intially were at 191 Elizabeth st Waterloo and later at 37 Peakhurst rd Carlton where they operated under the name of Davis Engineering.

Apparently they initially made four models.

Davis Engineering states two models being 3HP and 4HP units. They had detachable heads whilst the earlier models didn't.

The detachable head models had Tasman and the HP cast onto the top.

The earlier models had the mag drive in line with the crank whilst the models from Davis Engineering were driven at right angles from the back of the engine(not the flywheel end).


I believe that a 4hp Penguin & a 4 hp Tasman were both made by Davis Engineering so from this we can deduce that though they were marketed by Penguin and Tasman they are essentially the same engine.

(from a search- I know zilch about 'em - but should make the sale easier)

digger

[Frenchie]

I'm sure someone on here would be interested as an engine conversion. ;)

[JDNSW]

I had one as an auxiliary engine in a yacht, replaced with a diesel forty years ago, so don't remember much about them except that they used a Ford Model A piston and connecting rod. My main operating memory was the time the key on the crankshaft sheared, preventing it starting, with us becalmed in the ship channel on Moreton Bay, with a ship coming! (Towed the boat out of the way with the dinghy and Seagull outboard)

John

[Bigbjorn]

Have a look at Old Machinery Forums - Index (http://forums.tomm.com.au) and you will realise just how many Australian makers of small engines there were, and how many merchants who imported and rebadged engines.