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The New Guinea Diatto Engine Mystery

Whilst doing a Voluntary Assignment in Papua New Guinea (Port Moresby) Bill Minehane was given a single cylinder engine. Bill lives in Queensland and as he’s a member of the local Historical Machinery Club, he will have the engine shipped to Queensland. On the engine there’s a plate that identifies it as a Motore Torino DNF 30 Diatto A Clement engine, but according to Bill there’s no way this engine would have been fitted in a car. It could be from a boat or a motorbike though as propulsion could only have come from a belt drive from the flywheel. Because the engine is still in New Guinea, it’s difficult to give exact dimensions, but Bill estimates its weight as approximately 80 kilos. We do have some photos of the left side, right side; front and rear. Bill thinks the engine must be of 1905/1909 vintage due to Diatto and Clement being in partnership for only that period. He did found that they made a 3-wheel motorbike. One was entered in the Peking to Paris race in 1907. It was probably ridden by a chap called Punis, the bike crashed soon after starting. Bill would love to know more about this engine. Who can help him?

Publiziert:
Sonntag August 7th, 2011
Unbekannt
11 August 2011, 06:22
The original carb is still there but there is also a newer one attatched to the cylinder. The cylinder is watercooled: was there a remote cooler or was it cooled by surround fresh water. In that case there was need for a waterpump. A remote cooler could have worked on the pricipe of thermo syphon.
The engine might have driven a lathe or millingmachine by belt over the flywheel.
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Unbekannt
09 August 2011, 08:57
Comment 6 Craig.

I spent 29 years at sea and I have quite a big collection of engines and belong to a Historical Machinery Club in Queensland - I thought of marine or boat engine but if you look at it the engine would have to be in the horizontal position to allow the drive to come from the fly wheel - the extension from the fly wheel is the starting section that has 2 pins in uit for the handle to turn. My question then is how does a fly wheel transmit power to drive a propeller. I just wish something could be obtained from [email protected].

The use I feel had to be a stationary engine but cannot find out that Diatto A Clement made anything other than racing cars and a 3 wheel motor bike.
Keep the comments coming as somewhere sometime somebody after reading will give something that I do not already know.
thanks

Bill
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Unbekannt
09 August 2011, 08:49
Comment 7 C Gillingham
Thank you for that I will certainly go into that web page and let you know the reply from them
Bill
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C.Gillingham
09 August 2011, 04:16
Actually, if you go to the following website;

http://www.bluefuel-whitesmoke.com/

and send an email (address at bottom of page), I think they would be one of the few that would be able to help you, I wouldn't be suprised if they didn't have a Diatto A Clement engine in their collection.
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Unbekannt
08 August 2011, 23:45
What a great find. It could have been used as a marine engine, although marine engines generally had the mounting points set higher to allow the crank and flywheel to sit as low as possible in the hull.
If it's original use was is NG it is more likely to have served as a marine or stationary engine as roads suitable for motor transport would have been virtually non existent then, and were even scarce after the second world war. Cheers, Craig Little.
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Unbekannt
08 August 2011, 23:13
Thank you C Gillingham. The engine actually came from A trucking Firm in Port Moresby - they found it on the top of the inside toilet many years ago when they bought the business - I am trying to seek info from the previous owner but he is very old and so far untraceable. I only learnt yesterday it could very well be going to Brisbane (160 klms away) and if so I should have it within weeks. When I first was offered it , I said WOW and secondly said yes.
I cannot understand why [email protected] and other places in Turin like the Museum will either not answer or try to seek info.
I am a member of 3 Forums in America and one in the UK so am trying very hard to seek information.
If I ever do find out I certainly will submit this to all interested people.
thanks
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Unbekannt
08 August 2011, 22:44
Hi, What a great find. From my interest in old boat engines I think it could be used in boat, although later marine engines were set up with mountings to allow the crankshaft and flywheel to be set as low in the hull as possible. If it's original use was in NG, a boat engine or stationary engine is the most likely, as roads suitable for wheeled vehicles were virtually non existent and a road vehicle would have been almost useless. Cheers Craig Little.
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C.Gillingham
08 August 2011, 12:36
With that sort of base, it has to be some sort of stationary engine. An excellent find! I would like to know more about it.
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Unbekannt
08 August 2011, 09:05
thank you Geoff I too think it could either be a boat or a stationary engine but as Diatto A Clement were racing car manufactures I do not know .info@ diatto.com so far will not tell me anything.
The engine should arrive in Australia in a few weeks so hopefully I will get better pictures at least - still seaking positive info.

thanks
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Unbekannt
08 August 2011, 05:28
I have a collection of stationary engines and this engine is out of a boat.
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