January 2024 -

And so it goes - or so it seems -

Early days of the Stanley's and Steamers:

As the time continues to pass without being able to make real progress on the build, I decided to do additional research on the early days of the "company". There are a couple of sources on those early days of the automobile. The one I think of as contemporaneous is the weekly newspaper called the "Horseless Age" that was published in New York. I also have been able to find a number of references to the early days of the collaboration via the advertising campaigns that took place. By looking at the dates of publication and also skimming the articles and columns in the paper, I find that the initial startup was named "The Automobile Company of America" in Spring of 1899. Evidently, there was a challenge to the use of the name "Automobile" and by July 1899 the name was changed to Locomobile. The initial advertising featured the Stanley Brothers in the "Model 1" which was actually built in 1898 (seems like only one was produced, but 100-200(actual amount unclear) were on order before the brothers sold to Walker and Barber. The initial factory was known as The Stanley Factory in Newton, MA. Soon after the factory was moved to Bridgeport, Ct.

The published history of the Locomobile Steamers goes on to layout all the permutations of the various models and details the changes in size and shape.

We all know the Lykamobile is at best a "Tribute" replica of the Locomobile Steamers. I have chosen the original "Model 1" as the source of my "inspiration". As such, I have used the Newton, MA address on the nameplate I had created.

Here are examples of the early advertising:

The name badges have also evolved, again the first showing Newton as the location. Here is an image of the one I found in an archive:

This is the style I have modeled my plate after.

Of course, I have to have my own plate for the final reveal of the finished buggy.

Cabin Fever

Late last year I received a couple of emails from STW. The first were listings of the parts yet to come and an inventory of those on hand. Then came a general apology for the delays in production with a promise that the backlog should be closed up by late January. The actual "Boiler Inspection" schedule is still a bit vague, but I am hopeful that by mid February we will have a plan in place for shipping in the remaining kits.

During this delay period, I have been reading, again and again, the build logs of the previous builders I have found on the web. Grier in S.C. has been an invaluable resource, and there have been a scattering of other logs and videos from other models going back to the original company.

As a result I have determined some modifications and additions I will want to make once the build is under way again.

1. Add a semi-automatic oiler for cross-heads and valve guide bearing surfaces. Using a Leukenheimer oiler, attached to a manifold and distributed via 1/8" copper tubing.

2. Follow Grier's advise and secure the inner guts of the water-pumps to keep the check-valves from getting out of wack.

3. Finalize the design of the lighting on the rear of the Lyka. Colorado DMV will have a requirement for Brake Lamps. I decided on adapting the Dual Lamp models from a Model A to my use.

4. Finalize the rear driving lamp circuit to include a LED modified lantern and License Plate bracket.

5. Add a powered horn. I decided to use a foot switch in the future floor section, and picked up a little beep-beep horn for a moped. I will also have a full sized Rubes Air-Bulb Horn, Bermuda Carriage Bell, and Steam Whistle. Colo DMV requires the powered horn, the rest are just because.

Here are the bits and pieces I have acquired, the actual install will come later.

OILER SYSTEM