Allis CA

Thanks. Just completed the rear spring up date on the 65 Comet. Its stiffer than a cob and at the same height as with air shocks pumped to 100 PSi. Improved stability in the rear for sure. Will ride like a lumber wagon for a while.

Thanks for checking in on me!

Regards,

 Chris and Cheryl

Regards,

 Chris and Cheryl

Dave

Steve, Guys,

Thanks.

Yes the car in the background is our 65 Comet. We have owned it a year and have done some work to improve drive-ability. With 85K original miles it is a good driver and we do take it to several cruise-ins. We had it out today and drove home through a light rain. That doesn't happen often.  Its in the warm shop all dried off and ready for a car show this Sunday.

Regards,

 Chris and Cheryl

Starting to get a few days that are warm. Yes we mowed the lawn once with the Ford Jubilee. All the Allis tractors are conserving energy for possible plow days and tractor pulls. Our tractor club (Pioneer Steam and Gas Engine Society Sagertown PA) have events starting in early May with a plow day. Just south of us in Mercer County they are plowing today. Next will be a spring tractor pull at our show grounds in mid May. A Antique pull with speed limits. Our CA is not going to be ready for that!

Hope things are good in Orange land!

Cheryl and I will be spending time cruising with our 65 Merc on nice days also.

Regards,

 Chris and Cheryl

 Sometimes, not all the time, writing things down that need to be done actually help spur me along. Found the copper gasket spray hidden in one of the many totes with paint in them. Sprayed the gasket on both sides and laid it on the block.

Rebuilt head ready to go on next.

Threads on all head bolts coated in #2 permetex sealant. Torqued to 60 ft lbs.

Valve rocker assembly installed. Valves set to .012 gap.

Cheryl supervised the process:

While in the mood the front timing gear cover might as well go on too.

The crank seal had been damaged when I forced it over the speedi sleeve sharp edge, so I did get a new crank seal. 

I gently peened over the leading edge of speedy sleeve to give a starting lip. Added some black tape to ease the seal onto the crank.

New gasket with sealer on both sides, then timing cover slipped into the home position easily. 

Crank seal slipped onto the crank snout and looked to be in good condition this time:

Hand tighten all the bolts for the timing cover for an hour, then tightened.

The plan is to paint the block without the pan and valve cover, as they are already painted.

Regards,

 Chris and Cheryl

Well we have been busy wrapping up our hobby maple syrup season this spring.

 I think it's spring? we have had a dusting of snow several times in the last few days.

I had a little time to find some of the bench tops in the shop work area. I have lots of paint items for the CA. Looks like way too much! Perfect. Found some of the engine components. Can't find the copper spray gasket can?? I did find some #2 gasket sealer that I plan to use to coat the threads of the head bolts.

Not sure this engine will run any better, but I feel degreeing the cam as recommended by Paul B was the correct thing to do.

Hoping for some weather where I can throw open the doors of the shop and do some sanding and grinding outside. 

My soft goal is to try to have the CA ready for early pulling season. Well that is not going to happen. So the next thing would be to have it ready for our local fair in September. Our great grandson Kolten would be able to pull at that event at age 13. I bought the CA at that event three years ago. Yikes time keeps moving on.

Regards,

Chris and Cheryl

Our Fire and Ice is now somewhat of our brand for all our syrup. We did have ice on the almost syrup in the evaporator this season too. And lots of ice in our collection stations. And with the roaring wood fire below we do make great syrup between the fire and the ice.

We have our second day of our annual Taste and Tour today. Usually several hundred folks come to visit and learn about the art of making syrup. 

(We cut up hot dogs and glaze them with some of the maple BBQ, a nice snack)

I have been blessed with many friends and family helping Cheryl and I this maple season!

I hope all is good in Orange land. I am looking forward to spending some quality time putting the Allis CA together this spring too.

Regards,

 Chris and Cheryl

That's "Maple" BBQ ! Thanks! Will be sending your items out Monday.

We expect several hundred folks to visit us tomorrow and Sunday. We may talk about Allis tractors too!:)

Just finished boiling for the day and have made about 90 gallons of syrup this season. Some amber and some dark. Our maple season is almost done.

 Regards, 

Chris and Cheryl

We have a web site you can look at. 

We have most of our maple products ready for our maple open house this weekend.

There is about 650 gallons of sap to boil tomorrow. Also Maple cotton candy to make. 

The weather is going to be warm for a couple days. Then will need another freeze to start the sap flowing again. Might get a couple additional sap runs?

Regards,

 Chris and Cheryl

Way off topic but we are into our maple syrup season. I will post a bunch of pictures that may be of interest to some folks.

My toy:

Almost syrup:

There is some of the first syrup for 2025 a nice amber, great flavor:

Gathering sap and we have some ice in the collection containers:

Cheryl is trying to stay warm in the cool sugar house. Ruby by her side most of the time:

This was the snow a couple days ago. Dropped just below freezing last night again and another 2 inches of snow this morning.

Samples of our syrup from 24 years in our sugar house. Two windows are full not sure I will fill a third window. We make about 10-20 samples per year. Getting too old for this!

Here is the other display in the window.

Regards,

 Chris and Cheryl