HORWOODS - Australian Manufactured - NEW WAY ENGINE

INCOMING DATA

Recently one of our Australian New Way Enthusiasts sent us a Horwoods Brochure "Bulletin No. 50" 

 NEW WAY - EARLY IMPORTS TO AUSTRALIA

Horwoods have been involved in large scale heavy equipment manufacturing since the mid 1800s. in the Adelaide region of South Australia. With the Production of New Way engines in Lansing Michigan.USA from about 1906 it was not long before these air cooled engines were exported around the world, including to Australia. 

Large distributors were set up in Australian states, for example Preston's in Brisbane Queensland, Moffat Virtue in Sydney New South Wales, Harrie Scarfe in Perth Western Australia and of course J.H. Bagshaw in Adelaide South Australia.

Horwoods continued to sell the imported New Way and encouraged the use of the larger New Way engines in artesian drilling rigs and other functions. Horwoods like the other distributors strongly promoted the virtues of the Air Cooled New Way engines and were very successful promoting sales in that regard with many sales reported. BUT for Horwoods it did not stop tyhere because of their well established capabilities in manufacturing.

NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING - New Way Australian Made

In the late teens of the 1900s, specific Australian Made New Way advertisements start to appear in Adelaide Newspapers and Horwoods are stated to be manufacturers of the New Way Engine. 

Up until early 2026 I had only been aware of newspaper advertising but that all changes with the actual Horwoods Company Bulletin No. 50 recently supplied. For me this is so significant in the New Way story in Australia.

HORWOOD BULLETIN NO. 50

Bulletin No. 50 is an 8 page brochure 

• Page 2 - highlights many New Way applications with air cooling highlights
• Page 3 - Highlights New Way features 
• Easy starts
• Efficiency 
• Interchangable Spares
• Simplicity
• Dust proof
• Page 4 - Extensive Overview of the New Way Engine and it's princple of operation
• Quote "In the construction of these engines we use the best materials and insist on the highest standard of workmanship"
• Page 5&6 - New Way Specifications in extended detail
• Details all the main engine componentry in extensive detail
• eg. "Crank is of solid forged steel truely machined to guages
• Page 7 - Highlighting Engines with a large text page 
• Options for supply
• STATIONARY - skid mounted
• PORTABLE - steel 4 wheel transport
• Features of outstanding Merit
• Page 8 - Single page advert. "THE HORWOOD "NEW WAY" DIRECT GEAR DRIVEN HOIST
• 7 cwts capacity
• Extols the virtues of the whole outfit including winch drum and brake.

So what does this give us. It contains in depth description of the specifications of the New Way they were manufacturing. It provides a lot of detail about products utilised and the reasons why.

DOCUMENT CONDITION

It should be stated that this document came to me with apology by the enthusiast as to it's state. I was only able to rescue 4 original pages and the of other 4, I had to fully reassemble because the text was in such poor condition as to be unreadable in the main without in depth assistance.

So I have a good program and was able to magnify, highlight and generally enhanse to a great extent to determine the words.

The end result, probably 98-99% I was happy with the words but you will find I have used Italix at times where a word was a mystery and I made a judgment.

Overall this did not change the sense of the Bulletin because of my extensive engine background knowledge.

ENJOY HORWOOD BULLETIN NO. 50

Please enjoy the bulletin as it provides the company proof to all the newspaper advertisements that  the 4 1/2 Hp engine was made in Australia and well documented in company documentation.

OTHER ENGINES MANUFACTURED IN AUSTRALIA

We have found newspaper advertisements for Jewel engines made in Australia but have never been able to determine the manufacturer. That is just another piece in the puzzle still to be found.

Check out this Aussie made Bulletin No. 50 at this URL.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sLlV-QehJ_ahIzO-JI47QP8NKKzYqfh9/view?usp=sharing

Regards

George

 

NEW WAY and LE ROI POWERED CENTAUR TRACTORS of Greenwich, Ohio

CENTAUR TRACTORS - By CENTRAL TRACTOR COMPANY

The early form of the Centaur tractor was manufactured by H.L. Hurst Manufacturing Company of Greenwich Ohio. Soon after development, the Hurst company was purchased by the Central Tractor Company, Greenwich Ohio and sold the tractor under the name "CENTAUR".

EARLY YEARS OF CENTAUR PRODUCTION

The early commercial production of the Centaur utilised an engine from the New Way Motor Company, a model CH from their "A" Series of engines. These were a 5Hp throttle governed engine and were used up till the implementation of the Centaur Model"G" Tractor in or about 1926.

The very early years of production saw a tractor supplied with multiple attachments with the outfits designed for operation in a small farming enterprise. Initially it was totally walk behind for all farming activities except for the likes of belt driven implements such as a washing machine for household cleanliness. Advancements were quickly made and a riding sulky introduced for most genuine farm activities except plowing. The initial riding sulky setup was also staged over early years ultimately allowing plowing also while riding.

ATTACHMENTS and FARM SERVICABILITY

The Centaur tractor owner had the option to purchase a virtual plethora of attachments for use to add to versatility on the farm.

Included were :-

Plows
Rakes
Cultivator
Disks
Drag Crusher
Hitch Truck
Potato Digger
Seeder
Grain Drill
Field Mower
Lawn Mower
Leveler
Grape Hoe
Dump Cart



CENTAUR MODEL G TRACTOR

Introduction of the model G saw the departure from power by New Way Engine to power supplied by a 4 cylinder Le Roi engine. It also saw in its production lifetime a new company name introduced of CENTAUR TRACTOR CORPORATION

A plethora of attachments continued to be supplied covering many of the same functions. The 1930 Instruction manual for the CENTAUR Model "G" covers not only the engine, carburation and Ignition but also fitting and attachment details for the many farming attachments.

CENTAUR MODEL "G" ATTACHMENTS

Attachments of the same functionality as the earlier New Way powered Model "F" at least were available. They provide us with recognition and directions that likely may be utilised with bothe the Model"F" and Model "G"

INSTRUCTION MANUALS

Manuals covering both the New Way powered Model "F" and the Le Roi powered Model "G" in some detail provide the enthusiast with a good information resourse no matter what model you are restoring or researching. (Click-free download)

Centaur Model "F" - 36 pages - Includes attachment detail

Centaur Model "G" - 91 pages - Includes attachment detail - Magneto and Carburetor

Both manuals are in excellent condition and are a real mine of information. They should enable you to assemble or recognise a genuine attachment at a rally or vintage equipment auction.

Enjoy

George

GREAT ENDEAVOUR RALLY - COVEY Longhorns

75th ANNIVERSARY GREAT ENDEAVOUR RALLY

PROMO - FELLOW NEW WAY ENTHUSIASTS,

This year Sept 2026, my brothers and I are running with the Bulls so called this year as we have entered the Great Endeavour rally in our family vintage car of 67 years. It is a FORD V8 Ranch Wagon ex. HEARSE, that my father bought when it was about 2 year old. Why the bulls? Well my uncle when in his 20s, was a jackaroo on a family cattle station in Queensland and managed to score a set of long horns. They are beauties. About the same width as the Ranch Wagon so should look rather impressive on the rally. They are going to be filled and prepared for strength so hopefully they last the distance on the rough western roads of Queensland all thye way to Mt Dare on the cusp of the Simpson Desert. Here is a photo of the BEAST!

The Great Endeavour Rally unashamedly promotes and provides for the disabled people among us. With it's 75th anniversary rally this year and a goal of $1million and possibly more the rally promises to be a great fundraiser for disabled peoples benefit as well as an excellent time of making new friends for those actually participating in the rally.

START to FINISH - The rally starts in Toowoomba the Garden City of southern queensland on the Darling Downs, through hidden tracks, private cattle stations, and outback towns steeped in history and all the way to Mount dare station, gateway to the simpson Desert. All up about 3500Km or about 2200 miles.

DONATING  TO THE DISABILITY CAUSE

What about making a donation to my fundraising effort and push the dollars along for the disabled. The endeavour foundation is a long standing charity that has served the disabled community well over the years. For me disability is very close to home, my son who just turned 50 has Muscular Dystrophy and he is a real trooper, admired by his relatives and friends alike.

Donations you make do not go to me or my son, rather direct to the Endeavour Foundation so they can continue their excellent work for disabled people accross Australia.

What you give is only logged against me as a fund raising amount that can go toward a rally position if enough is raised from my Endeavour Rally URL.

Remember every dollar counts, no matter how small. Here is the URL Endeavour Foundation has allocated to me to tally donations recieved on my behalf.

https://great.endeavour.com.au/s/1609/2864

There are 5 COVEY boys so we expect we will have a great time, getting reaquainted and glamping or camping under the stars for the 8 days from 4th to 12th September 2026. We all have a lot of memories associated with the old V8 so this should put the Icing on the Cake.

Thanks in advance if you have been able to make a donation. Even if you can't, thanks for the visit. 

Remember, Big or Small it all helps and the sooner the better as time soon slips away..........

HAVE A NEW WAY DAY

MANY THANKS

GEORGE C