Home page Penton Christmas card

[LeeBuff]

What a cool vintage Christmas card from John and family with the NSU and the cow bell trophy. Thanks for sharing with the group and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all. Thanks again, Lee Buffenmyer

[Paul Danik]

Greetings,

   The photo from the Christmas card is shown on page 38 of the John Penton book and it states in the book that it was taken in 1958. That would make sense as John won the Jackpine in 1958 on that NSU. No photo credits are given in the book, just Penton family photo, but it would be a very good bet that Jerry West took that photo. The boys all have "The Cow Bell Classic" shirts on, I wonder if any of those ever come up on eBay ?

   There is a cemetery across the road from where John lives and it would be a safe bet that the photo was taken there. It would be fun to take that picture and try to find the exact spot where it was taken by matching the gap in the curb stone along with background. As you look at the photo the Penton Farm Market is most likely behind the trees and off to the right. Bill Penton built a small covered bridge as a tribute to his Mom at the corner of the Farm Market property and the cemetery property, over the creek that flows into the Penton farm pond. There is a plaque on the covered bridge that tells its story.

   In the John Penton book the photo on the top of page 46 and the one on page 47 were also most likely taken at the cemetery as well. Jerry West is given photo credit for the one on page 47. Same goes for the photo on page 49, taken at the cemetery. In the John Penton movie John and Donna are shown taking their morning walk in that same cemetery.

    The photo on the bottom of page 48 has a little bit of a story to it. One time as we were walking just below the hillside that runs up to the farm market pond John mentioned how the photo of him on his NSU was taken in that location. I think Jack or maybe Jeff tells the story that one time when John was testing out a machine he took it up that hillside at a pretty good clip and realized a little to late where he was and he took a dip in the farm pond.

   The photo on the bottom of page 46 of John and Bill was taken along side of the old machine shop building, that is where Penton Racing Products operated out of for a number of years as well.

   A few years ago we had a POG meeting that was centered around the Penton Farm Market property during which we took a walking tour that included John's home and property and the cemetery. Bill Smith took some great photos that day and below is a link to them. I would also like to state that it is simply incredible how the Penton Family invites all of us into their lives and opens their homes and properties to us.

 When you look at photo 5 the little building to the right with the white door was the original Penton Brothers Motorcycle Agency. The larger attached building was added later.

http://www.pentonusa.org/GalleryServerPro/default.aspx?aid=170

   Back to the Christmas card, it was supposedly sent out for Christmas of 1959 but the photo was taken in 1958.  Maybe if we can find that exact spot we could get John and the boys to pose along with the NSU for a 50 years later photo...I wonder if Jack would mind wearing suspenders...

Paul

PS   Just for the record, I enjoy what might be considered trivial information such as is stated above. If any of it is incorrect I most certainly will provide any corrected information when it is learned.

 One other item, my first motorcycle was a 1965 Honda 150cc Dream that my brother crashed and I traded him my stereo for. I then proceeded to  run it around the farm and beyond before I bought my first Penton. When ever I see the NSU I sure see some resemblance between that old Honda Dream and the NSU.

[Boyd Riggs]

Great pictures of the Penton property. What's the story behind the lighthouse in picture # 28?

[johnborn]

Is that the dinner bell in photo 28?

[Paul Danik]

That is John's bell tower. There is a bell in the top, and if I am not mistaken it has some historical significance in the Amherst area. There is a place on the side of the tower where John can reach inside and give the rope a pull, the bell can be heard from quite a distance. John gave us a pretty good demonstration as part of the Pentonville tour on that particular day.

I am not sure when the tower was built, might be a good question for the "ask the experts" part of the next POG meeting....might need to ask about the bell as well. The POG meetings seem to travel a bit off the beaten path now and again, believe it or not !!!!

Paul

[Mick Milakovic]

Also, what is the "valveless" tool in the pictures??

Mick

[Paul Danik]

That is a Franklin Valveless oil field engine. I think it would be considered a "hit and miss" engine. I am pretty sure that Lenny Keen (sp) ran those engines up in Michigan and put JP onto that engine. I think as the story goes that John went up with a trailer into the wilds of Michigan and they hauled it out when its work was done. It was built in Franklin, Pa, about 40 miles or so from where I live.

Jack did a bit of cleaning up and painting on it but I don't think JP ever fired it up. I tried to coax them into getting it to make noise a few times but they wanted to get an expert to do it...a wise thought on their part for sure. A friend of mine who is into those engines got John a reprint of a factory manual for that engine for them to use as they worked on it. I had hoped to have him travel to Amherst to fire it up but it never occurred.

When John rode the Jackpine he saw those engines along the run and he always has had a love of mechanical things of all sorts. I remember one time a fellow came down to a meeting and brought John a jar of sand from the Jackpine area...first thing JP did was open the lid and give the contents a big whiff as he said you could smell the crude oil during the Jackpine Run and he wanted to see if there was a smell  to the sand.

The link below should take you to a video of a Franklin Valveless running.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhNrjX1CX-A

Paul

[Mick Milakovic]

Thanks Paul, very relaxing sound!

Mick