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Old 01-19-2021, 01:16 PM   #1
trulyvintage
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Thumbs up The Towe Museum Early Ford V-8 Engines Have A New Home !

Friday found me in Eugene, Oregon picking
up some engines donated to a museum.

As it turns out - these were no ordinary engines.

The kind gentleman was no ordinary man.





By all accounts - Edward Towe was one helluva guy.

Born in Norway, Iowa he started in business as a bicycle repair man at age 15 in Paulina, Iowa - he bought old
Model T cars and turned them into farm wagons.

He completed engineering school in Ames, Iowa
- purchased the Paulina Ford dealership with a cousin - ran that for a year - then moved to California where he
bought a gas station - hand pumped gas sold
for 11.9 cents a gallon.






Jim
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Old 01-19-2021, 01:23 PM   #2
McMimmcs
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Default Re: The Towe Museum Early Ford V-8 Engines Have A New Home !

A true entrepreneur and obviously benevolent. Valued his assets so much that he wanted the best in the business to move them! Congratulations!
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Old 01-19-2021, 01:36 PM   #3
trulyvintage
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Thumbs up The Towe Museum Early Ford V-8 Engines Have A New Home !

Thanks but I am by no means
the best in the business.

I transport to travel.

I travel to tell stories from the road
thru images and video.

Engines have never been an anchor load for any trip
that I have scheduled to date.

This was supposed to be a filler load to Indiana.

I had no idea what this load entailed.

It was just supposed to be engines on stands
that I anticipated having to break down because
I learned there were transmissions attached.

No pictures had been sent by the gentleman
donating these engines to The EFV-8 Museum
in Auburn, Indiana.

Only when I stopped by last Friday to scout
out what was needed - did I learn where
these engines actually came from when
I did a video interview with Steve the owner.

Luckily I carry at least 20 feet of etrac
so I can prep my trailer for custom
cargo transport.

I installed etrac to the walls on Friday
after my scouting visit with Steve.


Jim
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Old 01-19-2021, 04:41 PM   #4
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Thumbs up The Towe Museum Early Ford V-8 Engines Have A New Home !

Mr. Towe put his engineering skills to use
for several aircraft companies during
the war years designing parts.

After the war he returned to Iowa to farm.

He sold the farm and bought his first bank
in Dupree, South Dakota in 1950.

He bought his first bank in Montana in 1954.
From there - he grew his Montana Banking Empire.

Stan Howe wanted a $400 bank loan when he
was in his 20’s to go back to college - Mr. Towe
put $750 in Stan’s account and told him if he
needed more to let him now.

Although frugal - Mr. Towe was a generous man
by all accounts.

He was instrumental in helping to start
The Model T Montana 500 Race.

Lewis Rector - who did a lot of mechanical
and restoration work on Mr. Towe’s cars -
lived with his wife in a basement apartment of
Mr. Towe’s Deer Lodge Home.

The whereabouts of these three have been unknown
since the 1997 Deer Lodge Auction.

Until now ....


Loading the first engine/transmission - Zephyr 12 cylinder










Jim
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Old 01-19-2021, 05:04 PM   #5
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Default Re: The Towe Museum Early Ford V-8 Engines Have A New Home !

How are the engines secured to the stands/dollies?
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Old 01-19-2021, 05:10 PM   #6
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Haven't thought of the Deer Lodge Museum for a looooong time. Was it sold off, was it primarily Ford vehicles, who's th older fellow in the pics? I googled Deer Lodge museums and there is one apparently but it seems to hi-light "sh---", you know those bow tie things.
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Old 01-19-2021, 05:34 PM   #7
trulyvintage
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Thumbs up The Towe Museum Early Ford V-8 Engines Have A New Home !

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fortunateson View Post
How are the engines secured to the stands/dollies?




The engine(s) are secured with bolts thru the
bottom of the oil pan(s).


Jim
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Last edited by trulyvintage; 01-19-2021 at 06:36 PM.
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Old 01-19-2021, 05:37 PM   #8
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Thumbs up The Towe Museum Early Ford V-8 Engines Have A New Home !

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fortunateson View Post
How are the engines secured to the stands/dollies?

The mounting was professionally done.

I didn’t have to separate the engine(s)
from the transmission(s).

I installed additional etrac on my trailer
floor and wall(s).







Jim
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Old 01-19-2021, 06:04 PM   #9
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Default Re: The Towe Museum Early Ford V-8 Engines Have A New Home !

To answer Fortunateson..............
Mr Towe ran into the wrath of the Internal Revenue Service due to his selling his banks. Part of the collection and it was a collection was moved to the Sacramento Auto Museum (formerly the Towe Auto Collection) in Sacramento CA from the old territiorial prison in Deer Lodge MT.
The Early Ford V-8 Foundation was invited to display their memoribilia there once the collection was auctioned off to satisfy the IRS.
There is more to the story, but do a Google search on Edward Towe Auto Collection to read more.
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Old 01-19-2021, 06:56 PM   #10
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Default Re: The Towe Museum Early Ford V-8 Engines Have A New Home !

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Originally Posted by nelsb01 View Post
To answer Fortunateson..............
Mr Towe ran into the wrath of the Internal Revenue Service due to his selling his banks. Part of the collection and it was a collection was moved to the Sacramento Auto Museum (formerly the Towe Auto Collection) in Sacramento CA from the old territiorial prison in Deer Lodge MT.
The Early Ford V-8 Foundation was invited to display their memoribilia there once the collection was auctioned off to satisfy the IRS.
There is more to the story, but do a Google search on Edward Towe Auto Collection to read more.
I have a 39 tudor sedan that was part of the IRS auction.
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Old 01-19-2021, 07:11 PM   #11
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Default Re: The Towe Museum Early Ford V-8 Engines Have A New Home !

Did he loose the whole collection? Is that him in the OP's pics?
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Old 01-19-2021, 07:12 PM   #12
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Originally Posted by trulyvintage View Post
The mounting was professionally done.

I didn’t have to separate the engine(s)
from the transmission(s).

I installed additional etrac on my trailer
floor and wall(s).



[IMG]https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=453389&stc=1&d=1611095 679


Jim
Thanks for the pics...seems a shame to drill through the oil pans though.
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Old 01-20-2021, 11:12 AM   #13
trulyvintage
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Thumbs up The Towe Museum Early Ford V-8 Engines Have A New Home !

Mr. Towe owned over (300) cars - mostly Fords.

And of course Early V-8 Engines ....

His collection started with a 1923 Model T Roadster
purchased in 1954 and restored by him.

His favorite Ford was the 1914 Model Touring
because that was the year he was born.


Jim











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Old 01-20-2021, 12:29 PM   #14
J Franklin
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Default Re: The Towe Museum Early Ford V-8 Engines Have A New Home !

Thank you for the expanded story and photos. I have been to both museums and the auction in Montana. He had a great collection and I believe he was treated unfairly by our government. He did a lot to preserve America's history and the Ford automobile.
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Old 01-22-2021, 07:46 PM   #15
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Default Re: The Towe Museum Early Ford V-8 Engines Have A New Home !

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Originally Posted by J Franklin View Post
Thank you for the expanded story and photos. I have been to both museums and the auction in Montana. He had a great collection and I believe he was treated unfairly by our government. He did a lot to preserve America's history and the Ford automobile.
After reading through the court documents, seems that he chose to short the IRS on taxes owed, and then tried to hide his cars from them. Doesnt sound like a very honest person to me.

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