re: Old rusted Jack Pump

My dad was an oilfield mechanic in North Texas over 50 years ago and I remember chasing lizards on the well location while he tended the equipment. The engine on your nicely done model is similar to the unit he called a “Poppin’ Johnny”. When the rods dropped into the hole, it almost sounded like the engine would die, but when it picked up the load to pull the rods up, it would pop and you could hear it start to chug. They ran on natural gas and were started by stepping on the spokes of the flywheel to spin the engine over. Many workers were injured when they slipped, causing the leg to go through the wheel just as the engine fired!