"A Message From Ed"

Who the heck is Ed? I’m the guy that got it all started about 30 years ago. I officially retired in Dec. 2000  but that probably won't mean more fishing time.  I love old iron and I was and still am a collector, who saw a need in the hobby for part's suppliers. We've come a long way and it is my good fortune to have a wife (Donna) and son (Anthony) who are just as dedicated to our hobby and the parts business as myself, assuring that with the good Lord willing, Hit & Miss will be providing parts and service for many years.
     Now we have a lot of parts and that's a fact. Unfortunately it's also a fact that what we have parts for, is a drop in the bucket compared to the many engines manufactured from 1900 to approximately 1940. That means a lot of you won't find your engine listed here. Sometimes you get lucky when you call us, but all too often we have to disappoint you and I hate that. I thank all of you for your support, whether you've purchased parts or just stopped by to visit us at the shop or at the shows. We're committed to getting the old iron going and will continue to work on improving our offering of parts to you. Following is a list that may be helpful, especially to those of you who are having a difficult time finding parts. -Good Luck, Ed

LOCATING PARTS:  Hit & Miss is a good place to start, but if no luck here try other part's dealers, for sale ads, the Internet  (Harry’s Old Engine Page, <www.old-engine.com>, etc.)  I also suggest that you subscribe to one of the magazines devoted to old iron. For instance, just about all the gas engine suppliers advertise in GEM and it's also a good place to run a want ad. Give the ad a chance. Run it for several months if necessary. Attend all the engine shows & swap meets you can and be sure to have measurements, samples, etc. with you. If you find an engine like yours, a camera, pencil and paper, and measuring tape will come in handy. You'll have a picture of exactly what you need and the necessary specifications to help you in finding or reproducing the parts.
SOME PARTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR ALL ENGINES: We can supply custom made insert bearings & valves (No tractor or diesel), new pistons (3-3 1/2" inc. oversize), piston rings, gasket material, oilers, oiler glass, grease cups, draincocks, sparkplugs, ignition wire, mica for ignitor repair, babbitt stock to pour your own bearing (also damming clay and flux), coils, and more.
REPAIR & CUSTOM WORK: Besides our custom made valves & bearings, we offer expert magneto
and ignitor repair, rebuilding carbs (mixers), fuel pumps, cylinder heads, etc., fabricating and machining new parts, custom made fuel tanks, repair or duplication of most parts from original or drawings, and general engine repair service.
A BIT OF ADVICE: There's one thing you can always find at Hit & Miss, and that's plenty of free advice, and if you're thinking of buying an engine, especially your first engine, it might be a good idea to call us. We're always happy to help you make a decision on buying an engine from anyone. We'll advise you to make sure the engine has all the necessary parts to run, if the price is good, fair, or (?), or we'll suggest a fair offer to start at, and if parts are needed how easy to come by and how much. If you acquire an engine that needs a lot of parts that aren't readily available, set it back out of the way, begin your part's search, and be patient. It may take a while but they're all worth fixing.