The Original Name of Harris Ranch

While checking-up on a detail of Amos Jean and Charlotte Harris, I discovered that Ancestry.com now included the World War II Draft Card collection. Luckily, Amos Jean Harris's card was available. The place of residence line of the draft card informs that Harris Ranch was named Deep Cup Ranch by the Harris family.

World War II Draft Card from Ancestry.com

Harris Ranch Barbed Wire

Three varieties of barb wire observed at Harris Ranch as identified via the Barbed Wire Identification Encyclopedia. by Harold L Hagemeier, (Fifth Edition).

Gliddens Round Single Strand - Patent #RE 6913

Curtis Half Twist Half Round Barb - Patent #470,747. Less confident as it is hard to tell if the barbs have been twisted 1/2 turn, or rather I am not sure of what that would look like.

Not too sure on this one as only have the single barb to go by,  but proably a Curtis variation.

A link to Stockton - The Stockton Fire Brick Factory

Several different kinds of branded firebricks are scattered around Harris Ranch. They include:

 An unknown "N..." branded brick.

 

 

A "DIABLO" branded brick.



 



Two different versions of "CARNEGIE" branded brick.

Both the "DIABLO" and "CARNEGIE" bricks were produced by the Stockton Fire Brick Company and each has a very interesting company biography.

"CARNEGIE" was originally manufactured by the Carnegie Brick & Pottery Factory of Carnegie, California (now a ghost town) who were in operation from 1902 to 1911. According to the linked website the many of the former employees of Carnegie Brick & Pottery went on to work for the Stockton Fire Brick Company.

"DIABLO" was originally produced by the Stockton Fire Brick Company. The company was sold to Gladding, McBean and Co (Jim Graves) in 1942. Gladdings, McBean and Co continued production of the brand for an unknown time. Through various mergers and transitions the company is still in operations today under the name of Gladdings, McBean.

Tractor: Buried Intentionally or Buried Accidentally

Buried intentionally or buried accidentally? There is a sizable granitic boulder (as can be seen in the images) that rests atop the tractor. Throughout the site there is evidence of erosion control measures, so there could have been a flash flood. It is also not unheard of people in agriculture setting opting to bury large vehicles as a form of disposal.

 

The tractor was found only because a new stream channel has formed next to it. The stream channel is about a meter and half deep. 

Visible in the above image is the back wheel. 

Close up view:

The wheel rim has 6 lugs. 

 

The steering column is visible. I guess the metal sheeting is either part of the body or part of the back wheel well. 

This very narrow area is the only part of the undercarriage that is visible. There was not enouph of the back tire to get a accurate size. Interestingly the tire is a white wall. 

A lone head light. 

Chevy Vehicle Overview Images

Sadly this out of focus image of the front end is the best view of the car. As you can see it is very overgrown with sagebrush.

 

Taken a couple of steps to the right, this is the vehicle in its entirety. 

Back panel for the cab.

The back end is a giant sagebrush plant, but you can see the wooden components as well as the tail light in this image.

Harris Ranch 1930 Chevy car parts - Update

Several people asked for more specific photographs of the engine and parts. Any help identifying what the parts are, and when they were manufactured would be of the very appreciated. Please note the car is set up for an American driver.

Engine number reads "88501 // A 8 0 // Chevy Emblem 1". Thanks to Filling Station I was able to identify the engine as built in 1929 or 1930. 

 When you add in the information from the water outlet, able to determine the Chevy is from 1930.

  Passenger side of the engine. Also shows the colour striping.

What ever finally killed the engine it was an internal problem. - Still don't know what caused this damage. Thanks to an unknown commentor there does appear to be a intentional knife cut in the extreme left. Perhaps in hopes of preventing the damage?

Distributor reads: “ANDERSON / Ind// Delco – Remy // Model / 633G// Serial / 480814// AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT”

- Update: Thanks to the power of Google, the cap dates to 1931. 

Starter? Plate reads: 

 “ANDERSON / Ind// Delco – Remy // Model / 7141// Serial / 498795// AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT”

Update - Still working on a way to date the fuel pump. The model number reads "855261".

 Not part of the engine but another unknown. Someone suggested the window mechanism?
Update - Thanks again to an unknown commenter they identified it as a window regulator.  

Thanks to all who have offered help!

Harris Ranch 1928 Chevy Instrument Panel

I was intimidatingly stumped at how to write up the Feature #6 at Harris Ranch: the very overgrown "car" as I know next to nothing about automobiles. Thanks to everyone who gave suggestions on the Historical Archaeology list serve this past week, I will respond back shortly.

The interior toward the instrument panel:

An alternative view:

One of the suggestions gives was to find the old Chevy manuals. From that suggestion, I have narrowed it down to pre-1930s and possibly the 1928 model. Compare the 1932 instrument panel to the 1928.

1932

1928

The car does not have an accelerator pedal, but a button.