Gordon Smith Model A Air Compressor

jimalabam

jimalabam

Well-known member
I have a good friend who has just "found" a Model A engine converted to an air compressor still in a wooden crate in an old warehouse. This is a Gordon Smith unit. Do you have photos/literature/info for this make? If you do I will send email and PX #. Also I know there was at least one article in an old RESTORER, but it is too cold to go to my barn and research. THANKS for your help. Jim Langley...
 
Is it a factory compressor?

Might it be a virgin new engine in a crate? Does it have an engine number stamped on it?

If so then it might be the starts of a wonderful original engine for a car and quite the waste as a compressor.

As a compressor they are very functional as I have used the Smiths compressor to sand blast several cars. It just runs on idle all day long giving tons of air. You do have to do a lot to chill the air and get the water out. A very long coil of pipe in a tank does the trick.
 
Jim, there is a national Smith Motor Compressor Club that has been chartered just this year by both MAFCA and MARC. Membership is just $10 per year. They publish a quality quarterly newsletter, and have a national Smith serial number registry. For more information contact club President Stan Johnson at fordyhorses@aol.com.
 
Here are some pictures of my Gorden Smith air squeezer. I use it for make up air for the EIMCO 401 air locomotive. I leave my railroad up year around. The railroad is 18" gauge. I also use the compressor for the crane and cement mixer.
 

Attachments

  • 100_0247.jpg
    100_0247.jpg
    83.5 KB · Views: 316
  • 100_0246.jpg
    100_0246.jpg
    85.5 KB · Views: 323
  • 100_0244.jpg
    100_0244.jpg
    79.9 KB · Views: 301
  • 100_0245.jpg
    100_0245.jpg
    93.1 KB · Views: 268
  • 100_0243.jpg
    100_0243.jpg
    80.7 KB · Views: 254
  • 100_0242.jpg
    100_0242.jpg
    78.8 KB · Views: 256
A close up pic of the head and carb/exhaust/ignition/governor (if it has one) would be great.
 
pooch said:
A close up pic of the head and carb/exhaust/ignition/governor (if it has one) would be great.
Click to expand...


I will try for more detail tomorrow. It does not have much for exhaust. Old Jasper starts running up the hill when he thinks that is where we are headed. I use to open the RR up before I plowed my road. Now I am told if I do not want to shoot something for supper I better plow the road.
 
Best I can tell, '29-'30 Studebaker. There may have been subtle differences, but '28 and '31 were very distinctly different from the one on your compressor.

Regards,

Frank
 
Jim, It would be great if you could get some pictures of your friend's Smith in the crate to share. I wouldn't destroy the compressor just to get a Model A short block. The compressor, if complete and running, would probably be worth more as a collectible compressor than as another rebuilt block.
 
Several years ao I bought a large collection of orig. car owners manuals form the 30-40's. With those manuals there was a large collection or orig. Gordon Smith Compressor literature, including colored brochures, instruction sheets & plans for building the units, price lists & parts lists. In the brochures units were listed with both new & rebuilt Model B motors. The motors were available with just the compressor head also. A new B motor with head was $295(Model 200) A rebuilt B motor was $240(R-200). Complete running units were available (Model R-100) with a rebuilt A motor for $595 (new A motor $650). They also list a Model 120 which had two (yes two) New Model B motors, these carried a price tag of $1185. How many units would you like to buy??? They put out 60 cu.ft or 120 cu.ft. of air. Perry, Snohomish Wa.
 
sonny30coupe said:
That compressor is not worth a $1000, they are not really "collectible"
Click to expand...
I don't know how you can say they are not "collectible" when it's pretty obvious that there are quite a number of people that have these machines. As stated earlier in this thread, there is a special interest group that started their own club for the Gordon Smith "A" Air Compressor. I own one but do not belong to the special interest group. Will probably consider doing so as a result of this thread. Don't mean to ruffle any feathers. Just my $0.02 worth. Don/WI
 
Gordon Smith Compressors are very collectible. They were used by mining operations & city municipalities around the country. They were even used at Mt. Rushmore. They ran on two cyl. & pumped air with the other two. In a piece of literature I have signed by Gordon Smith & written to a customer he stated that some parts were getting hard to come by because of the war effort. Perry in snowy Snohomish Wa.
 
asapguy said:
Several years ao I bought a large collection of orig. car owners manuals form the 30-40's. With those manuals there was a large collection or orig. Gordon Smith Compressor literature, including colored brochures, instruction sheets & plans for building the units, price lists & parts lists. In the brochures units were listed with both new & rebuilt Model B motors. The motors were available with just the compressor head also. A new B motor with head was $295(Model 200) A rebuilt B motor was $240(R-200). Complete running units were available (Model R-100) with a rebuilt A motor for $595 (new A motor $650). They also list a Model 120 which had two (yes two) New Model B motors, these carried a price tag of $1185. How many units would you like to buy??? They put out 60 cu.ft or 120 cu.ft. of air. Perry, Snohomish Wa.
Click to expand...
Would you like to sell the Gordon Smith Literature and if not be willing to make good color copies fro those of us in the Gordon Smith Region???
I would love to see your collection???
Thanks,
Ken:D
 
Tom Wesenberg said:
Were Gordon Smith compressors built using rebuilt junkyard engines, good used engines, or brand new engines?
Click to expand...


My 1949 Gordon Smith has a 1931 engine, Does that answer your question?

As for not being collectible my expensive new 80 gallon air compressor claims 17 CFM. The Gordon smith is about 60 CFM as I recall. Thats not exact but which would you prefer for sandblasting?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top