1922 Stanley Steamer 740 b 7 passenger pheaton $35,000

[John Bloom]

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/405446415505448/

 

Not mine, more pics at the link.

 

FB doesn't have a listing for a Stanley Steamer so here it is. Has a replacement boiler from Bourdon Boiler works who also rebuilt the burner. Car has not been driven in many years and is a true barn find. Original interior and exterior. Tires have been replaced. 98% original missing only the clock in the dash and taillite which was broken. I have had this running but not at full pressure. There is a problem getting the main fuel to vaporize. No trades and I have owned this for 25 years. Clear title in Michigan.

 

 

 

 

[alsancle]

It has the kidney water level gauge on the floor.   We seem to be raining Stanley Steamers lately.

[John Bloom]

41 minutes ago, alsancle said:

It has the kidney water level gauge on the floor.   We seem to be raining Stanley Steamers lately.

They’re everywhere.  
 

in the mid teens, it would look cool in someone else’s garage.  

[nsbrassnut]

This one has been on the market since last September. I first spotted it then when researching the Stanley market while trying to value the one that I eventually bought later last fall.

 

This listing has been on Facebook, Ebay, Barn Finds and the AACA forum previously over the past 6 months. The EBay listing had the same starting price.

 

The Stanley market and steam market in general does appear to be shrinking over the past few years. With the possible exception of newer tires on this one, mine is in slightly better overall condition. And I was able to get it for substantially less than than this one. In my favour was the previous owner was looking for a new caretaker and wanted mine to stay local which likely helped me out a bit as we are a ways away from the main market for these.

 

On the flip side, the motorcycle that I sold to fund my Stanley I think I sold for slightly under market. But being at a distance from the market, taking a bit less for a local sale vs the cost of getting it to a better market may about balance out. But our local horse trading ended up with three satisfied people which is still a good ending.

 

Hopefully this one eventually finds an interested new caretaker that want to make it operational again in the future. But the current owner will likely have to become a bit more flexible on price.

 

 

[John Bloom]

25 minutes ago, nsbrassnut said:

This one has been on the market since last September. I first spotted it then when researching the Stanley market while trying to value the one that I eventually bought later last fall.

 

This listing has been on Facebook, Ebay, Barn Finds and the AACA forum previously over the past 6 months. The EBay listing had the same starting price.

 

The Stanley market and steam market in general does appear to be shrinking over the past few years. With the possible exception of newer tires on this one, mine is in slightly better overall condition. And I was able to get it for substantially less than than this one. In my favour was the previous owner was looking for a new caretaker and wanted mine to stay local which likely helped me out a bit as we are a ways away from the main market for these.

 

On the flip side, the motorcycle that I sold to fund my Stanley I think I sold for slightly under market. But being at a distance from the market, taking a bit less for a local sale vs the cost of getting it to a better market may about balance out. But our local horse trading ended up with three satisfied people which is still a good ending.

 

Hopefully this one eventually finds an interested new caretaker that want to make it operational again in the future. But the current owner will likely have to become a bit more flexible on price.

 

 

Thanks for your perspective. It is good when sellers who age out of the hobby look for a great person to take their special car forward in time. I am really enjoying your thread on your car!  

[alsancle]

What is amazing to me is I could be tooling down the road in a Duesenberg and nobody pays attention.  Go down the same road in a steam car and people go wild.   They are very popular with young people too.  So I'm hopeful this part of the hobby will stay strong.

[John Bloom]

1 hour ago, alsancle said:

What is amazing to me is I could be tooling down the road in a Duesenberg and nobody pays attention.  Go down the same road in a steam car and people go wild.   They are very popular with young people too.  So I'm hopeful this part of the hobby will stay strong.

In a perfect world, as some of the older steam guys age out of the hobby, it would be wonderful if they could find a younger enthusiast (by 30-40 years) who is also local and the transaction could be structured as more than "buyer pulls up, loads it on a trailer, and leaves and the seller never sees or hears from them again"......It could be them finding someone who really wants to own and drive the car, and perhaps isn't about squeezing the most money out of the sale, but someone the seller could say "since you are local, lets spend a half dozen saturdays in the next year together at your garage as we go over this car.  I want to sell you the car, but give you an education for free so that it can be used and kept on the road".  

 

The same can be said of lots of these older cars but would seem particularly helpful with the Steam cars considering their engineering vice an Internal Combustion Engine.  I think it would be cool to buy one but I've had no exposure to them.  It would be a game changer to me if I was to step into one of these to have a Mentor.  Pushing as much education into younger guys in the hobby would seem to be critical for the steam part of the hobby, or else they'll just be pieces of art very shortly.

 

By the way, correct me if I'm wrong on this.....are there a few younger guys at these steam gatherings?

[nsbrassnut]

Hi John

 

Excellent thoughts and comments.

 

I'm off the main path up here so steam is rarely seen or heard by most. I was hoping to be able to ask Keith for more information to help me along, but unfortunately he passed away before I could. And for me to get to the nearest steam meet or another steam car owner is a drive of 8 hours or more away. In the meantime, its a look for information, study, inspect, go slow process. Nearly every time I look close at the Stanley I see new things that I didn't see previously. And I am starting to recognize what those 18 plus different valves hidden around the car actually do.

 

At least for me, I have a mechanical engineering back ground and worked in the steam electric power generation field for my working career. Which helps me have a basic understanding of the principles an what to look for. But its still not as good as being able to watch someone go through the process first hand. Although that may come yet.

 

I do hope that that the interest in steam continues. I think that it will, but it will also be likely at a reduced level from before.

 

If you have the interest, don't wait until its too late. We are going to need a few more steamers in the hobby.

 

Drive Safe

Jeff

 

 

[John Bloom]

12 minutes ago, nsbrassnut said:

Hi John

 

Excellent thoughts and comments.

 

I'm off the main path up here so steam is rarely seen or heard by most. I was hoping to be able to ask Keith for more information to help me along, but unfortunately he passed away before I could. And for me to get to the nearest steam meet or another steam car owner is a drive of 8 hours or more away. In the meantime, its a look for information, study, inspect, go slow process. Nearly every time I look close at the Stanley I see new things that I didn't see previously. And I am starting to recognize what those 18 plus different valves hidden around the car actually do.

 

At least for me, I have a mechanical engineering back ground and worked in the steam electric power generation field for my working career. Which helps me have a basic understanding of the principles an what to look for. But its still not as good as being able to watch someone go through the process first hand. Although that may come yet.

 

I do hope that that the interest in steam continues. I think that it will, but it will also be likely at a reduced level from before.

 

If you have the interest, don't wait until its too late. We are going to need a few more steamers in the hobby.

 

Drive Safe

Jeff

 

 

Jeff, I think you are taking the right approach considering your circumstances.  I circle back again to my comment above. The steam guys would do well to pair the sale of their cars with some mentorship, and pick the right buyer to carry the hobby forward. 
 

Keep sharing. 
 

john

[prewarnut]

The one thing I wonder is with so many check valves on these, how does one know they are functioning correctly?

[John Kelso]

Having been involved in steam for over 45 years I can tell you there is nothing mysterious about it, but its not for everyone. Having a logical mind 

I think is most important. If you understand the basic systems and how each works then apply them all together it isn't complicated.  I would gladly teach

anyone about steam or help them get one up and running, however as one of the above posts points out we are getting older, as it is now the buzzards follow me to the shop every morning.  The best test as to weather you can be in steam as I often tell people" you must be able to remain calm when the entire front of your car is on fire" This one pictured was on the Bristol NASCAR track now living in a museum.

[John Kelso]

prewarnut, there are only 4 check valves on a Stanley, Fuel feed from tank, boiler water inlet, between water pumps and after fuel pump.

[prewarnut]

I had looked at someone's schematic explanation on-line with narration and it seemed there were more (maybe on the condensing cars?) In essence I somewhat wonder how one knows what the pressure is within all the lines? Or is the water automatic working correctly? I suppose the steam automatic can be figured out when/if the burner goes out. In essence if one wanted to get one up and running (with or without disassembly of each component) how are they tested? Probably no easy short answer and I imagine a Stanley technical service manual in period or afterwards would be consulted...

[nsbrassnut]

There may be some confusion around the use of the term check valve. I have found that Stanley uses what could be described as more than one type. There are "stand alone" check valves in the plumbing that are only there to prevent back flow in the line. There are also "integral check valves" in various water and fuel pumps. The pumps have to have a way to allow liquid in on suction and out on compression, without it flowing backwards, So there are actually check valves build into the suction and discharge of the pump bodies as well.

 

You can test a check valve by placing pressure on the outlet and making sure that nothing is leaking backwards. But you don't have to do much testing, if the check valves are not holding it will become obvious in service when you cannot develop pressure in the downstream side of the pumps etc.. The dash gauges show steam pressure, pilot fuel pressure and main fuel pressure. If the check valves leak, the pressure will drop when standing still with nothing operating.