1914 Jefferson at Mecum Las Vegas 2026

[ghotson]

Can anyone provide information on the Jefferson up for auction? Mecum as usual provides little information on their auction vehicles. Thank You.

[pem]

I don't believe there are any original parts on that bike. The motor is actually a Mack Motor. All Jefferson motorcycles had Waverley motors. I've been researching these motorcycles for 35 years. Mack Motor cylinders are bolted to the cases by a flange on the base of the cylinder. Waverley Motor cylinders are bolted to the cases by long bolts attached at the head of the cylinders. I'll try attaMack Airplane Motor.jpg ching some original artwork from Perry Mack personal collection.
1910 waverley motor artwork.jpg Mack motor original artwork.jpg
The v-twin motor photo above was taken 30'sh years ago by me at one of the founders of S&S Cycles home just down from the factory in Viola, Wi. This motor had the crankshaft protruding from both sides of the cases. The Mack Motor was a propriety motor that could be used for anything depending on it's design. Many were made for cycle cars in 1913/14.

Universal Macinery Motor.2.jpg



Hope this helps. 1913 Jefferson Fantasy bike with original tanks and motor.jpeg

One more photo. This is a reproduction of a Jefferson twin cylinder racer that has an original Waverley v-twin motor. It also has an original gas tank that I first saw at Davenport in the 1990's. The rest of the bike I believe is repop. The motor came from John Giorno then went to Canada then to Doc Patt. I was supposed to buy that motor at Davenport one year but Doc Patt sold it to another guy despite our prior agreement. Last I new this bike in now on the west coast. Somewhere I have photos of the tank that I took at Davenport. Story from the tank seller was that he was sitting on the shitter reading a Hemming's magazine and saw a ad for this tank. This is the only known original tank in existence. He was asking $700 and I thought it was too much money. Boy was I a dumbass!

[ghotson]

Thanks for the information. I was suspicious of the crankcase that didn't have raised lettering on it and the mylar "Jefferson" sticker on the frame headstock. Thanks again.

[JoJo357]

Hope this helps. 1913 Jefferson Fantasy bike with original tanks and motor.jpeg

One more photo. This is a reproduction of a Jefferson twin cylinder racer that has an original Waverley v-twin motor. It also has an original gas tank that I first saw at Davenport in the 1990's. The rest of the bike I believe is repop. The motor came from John Giorno then went to Canada then to Doc Patt. I was supposed to buy that motor at Davenport one year but Doc Patt sold it to another guy despite our prior agreement. Last I new this bike in now on the west coast. Somewhere I have photos of the tank that I took at Davenport. Story from the tank seller was that he was sitting on the shitter reading a Hemming's magazine and saw a ad for this tank. This is the only known original tank in existence. He was asking $700 and I thought it was too much money. Boy was I a dumbass!

[/QUOTE]

Dick, i never forget a pretty face~Haha. I believe this is the reproduction Jefferson you've posted above with the original Tank. If i remember correctly, it was at a Concours show somewhere in California. As far as the self inflicted 'Dumbass' comment~We've all been down that road one time or another brother.

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*M.A.D.*

[Steve Slocombe]

The Lake motor brochure is shown in the Virtual Library. This has a nice picture of a related ohv V-twin engine from the late teens.

[pem]

The Lake motor brochure is shown in the Virtual Library. This has a nice picture of a related ohv V-twin engine from the late teens.

The Lake motor is a Mack motor with the name changed on the cases. Dan Pugens had one for sale at Davenport years ago that I took photos of. Lake Motor Co. was just an office and they had someone cast and build the motor. Extremely rare. They were gonna move to the Appelton area and build 100's of motors. Never happend. Just a flash in the pan. Started in 1919 and gone by 1920. Next version of Perry's Mack motor was the Mar-Tan motor in 1922. Again a propriety motor that could be made for any job you needed. Dan's Lake Motor.jpg Dan's Lake motor 3.jpg

If you notice crankshaft protruded from both sides of the motor. Must have been a pretty motor with nickle plating.

Fuel tank form a Jefferson motorcycle sold at Davenport, Ia. in the late 90's to Tood Bertrang wh.jpg
Here's that Jefferson tank at Davenport.

Here's the mar-Tan that I used to own. Notice the external flywheel.

Mar TAn 2.jpeg

[JoJo357]

Dick, do you have any intentions of writing your book? Thank You for the valuable information on a rare Motorcycle Manufacturer. I was always intrigued by the Jefferson, but unfortunately there is not a whole lot of data available!

**Did Todd Bertrang buy the Jefferson Tank, or sell it? *Looking at the Jefferson Tank sitting there, with the Davenport Swap in the background, sure brings back cherished memories, when a gem tank like that only went for 700 dollars!

*M.A.D.*

** Facebook. <---------------* Some Jefferson information & Pictures.


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[pem]

I've never thought about writing a book just about Jefferson motorcycles. My real interest in writing a book is writing Perry Mack's story. He was a true genius who was very reticent. Royal Bandimor was one of Perry's engineers at Briggs & Stratton and said Perry would be the last person in a room to talk. That's why he has been forgotten. He never blew his own horn. I'm planning on riding to Nebraska again after 20 years to find more info about Perry. Anyway, I don't do Facebook but thanks for the link. Heck, I don't even have a cell phone. And yes, Todd Bertrang bought the tank. I referred to him as Mr. Nipple Rings back then. He also bought the Waverley v-twin from Doc Patt that I was supposed to get. I did write an article about the Jefferson motorcycle about 30 years ago for our club magazine so maybe it's time to write a new updated one. Lots of new info since then.

Doc Patt and the Waverley motor.

Doc Patt's Jeffeson Waverley v-twin motor.jpeg

Dick

[JoJo357]

Thank You Dick for the story & information. It sounds like the PEM documentary would make for some excellent reading enjoyment. Was Doc the AMCA president when this picture was taken? Mr. 'Nipple Rings' sure got himself into hot water over those things! Best regards.

? Vince Martineco raced this at Davenport. I believe it was once owned by Bob Gaeton? Fast for a single, i think it got a really close second, amongst a whole field of twins. *Appears to be 'Indian' Framed?

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*M.A.D.*

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear PEM and all, conventional book publishers ask for 1000 copies minimum and you'll die with 900 getting damp in the garage. With desktop publishing us older guys can pass on our knowledge to the next generation with low cost monographs. I've written several booiks on old Harley-Davidsons this way, and havr just tried self publishing on Amazon for the first time. For my latest, An Illustrated Harley-Davidson Technical History 1915-65 (shameless plug) I uploaded the text and cover through KDP, Kindle Direct Publishing. You choose the format, they check your content fits it, then it is published on Amazon.com. They charge for each copy, but Amazon then prints them on demand so you don't need to hold stocks or mess with expensive airmailing and customs charges. Amazon takes a percentage of the profit, and there is withholding tax, but I can see benefits in getting this specialised information out across the world to a scattered audience. I encourage all of us with this historical info to get it out there!

[pem]

Thank You Dick for the story & information. It sounds like the PEM documentary would make for some excellent reading enjoyment. Was Doc the AMCA president when this picture was taken? Mr. 'Nipple Rings' sure got himself into hot water over those things! Best regards.

? Vince Martineco raced this at Davenport. I believe it was once owned by Bob Gaeton? Fast for a single, i think it got a really close second, amongst a whole field of twins. *Appears to be 'Indian' Framed?

8EAFC6B7-A7B4-40BF-8004-56C2875D48E4_1_201_a.jpeg


*M.A.D.*

Looking at that bike it appears the motor has a Mack Motor cylinder and head on Waverley cases from what I can tell. It wasn't uncommon to mix and match back then. I've never seen that bike before that I can remember. Perry used a Indian frame on his first bike back in 1910. Other racers did that too. One of the weaknesses of the Waverley motor was broken valves falling onto the cylinder. A weakness of the 1912 P.E.M. motorcycle was it's leaf spring suspension. Other racers complained in 1912 that P.E.M. racers were out of control and dangerous at high speed. Imagine a spring with no damper. Boing! Boing! Boing! 1913 Jefferson race bikes used frames without the leaf springs but production bikes still used the leaf spring suspension. .

The photo below was sent to Perry in 1913 and the guy in the straw hat wrote a letter, that I also have, that thanked Perry for his motor and bragged about cleaning up at the races in Michigan. Looks like an Indian frame to me. 1913 Indian with Waverley Motor.jpg

Bike below is a Flying Merkel I believe with a Waverley top end. Notice the name Maldwyn Jones on the crate and the date 1914 in the background. Can't remember where I found this copy of the photo. Great photo!
Flying Merkel w Waverley top end.jpg

[pem]

Dear PEM and all, conventional book publishers ask for 1000 copies minimum and you'll die with 900 getting damp in the garage. With desktop publishing us older guys can pass on our knowledge to the next generation with low cost monographs. I've written several booiks on old Harley-Davidsons this way, and havr just tried self publishing on Amazon for the first time. For my latest, An Illustrated Harley-Davidson Technical History 1915-65 (shameless plug) I uploaded the text and cover through KDP, Kindle Direct Publishing. You choose the format, they check your content fits it, then it is published on Amazon.com. They charge for each copy, but Amazon then prints them on demand so you don't need to hold stocks or mess with expensive airmailing and customs charges. Amazon takes a percentage of the profit, and there is withholding tax, but I can see benefits in getting this specialised information out across the world to a scattered audience. I encourage all of us with this historical info to get it out there!

Thanks for the info Steve. I know nothing about publishing or writing for that matter and have never thought about writing a book for profit. I just want to save the history so others can see what really happened back then. So much early history written about many different subjects has been written to deceive. Think Columbus, 1903 HD, Curtis V-8, Black history, Native American history, etc.

Dick

[duffeycycles]

Great Thread. I write lots of Native American history & Early Pioneer hist. I gave the Native American hist to them & to Archaeologists long before sharing with others.