Bourdon Boiler Works

Don Bourdon runs Bourdon Boiler Works. They construct replacement boilers for Stanley automobiles. His father started it in 1973. You can read more about his boilers on Don's web page at steamcar.net

Bourdon Boiler Works
3801 Bourdon Rd.
P.O. Box 55
Woodstock, VT 05091

PH: 802-457-3787
Email:- bboiler@sover.net

 

Don Bourdon and Tim Martin

Tim Martin purchased a picture of a Stanley Steamer and when he looked up the license plate he found out that it was Clinton Atkinson in the picture. He sent me a copy of the picture, and setup a meeting with Don Bourdon. It was great to visit his shop, see one of my grandfathers's old cars and to see one of the whistles that he created. Thanks Tim for setting this up and thanks Don for allowing me to take some time from your busy day.

In the picture below Tim Martin is on the left and Don Bourdon is on the right.



Don Bourdon and his father Paul have been collecting and working on Stanley Steamers for a long time. His father (Paul Bourdon) started in the 30's and was friends with my grandfather Clinton Atkinson. Clinton designed a six tone whistle, built some, and gave one to Paul Bourdon. Several Stanleys have moved back and forth between Paul and Clinton over the years and Don still owns one of them along with the original six tone whistle.

Click on any of the images below to see a larger version.

 

Six Tone Whistle Today

Today the six tone whistle is still mounted to the car Paul drove to the Worlds Fair in 1939. It is on a 1912 Model 63 10 HP. Paul purchased it in 1930 in Quechee, VT.

 

Paul Bourdon Worlds Fair Photo

The six tone whistle is visible on this 1939 picture of Paul Bourdon when he traveled to the 1939 Worlds Fair in New York City.

 

One of the Stanley's owned by Clinton Atkinson

This 1916 Model 725 20 HP was owned by my grandfather. When Paul bought it he towed on a rope from Boscawen NH to Woodstock Vt with Don's mother steering the Stanley. They completed the restoration in 1983.

 

Don's Traveling Stanley

This 1911 Model 85 30 HP was assembled from mostly original parts and finished in 1990. Since then it has been driven approximately 40,000 miles throughout the US, Canada, Ireland, and the UK.

 

Don's Shop

When entering Don's Shop I saw several Stanleys. The first one that I saw was a 1920 Model 70 20 HP being worked on. It had a replica six tone whistle and the engine was removed from it.

 

1912 Model 87 Being Rebuilt

This is a picture of a 1912 Model 87 30 HP which is undergoing a complete rebuild.

 

1916 Model 726 20 HP

Here is a picture of a 1916 Model 726 having it's top worked on.



Here is a picture of it's boiler

 

Boilers

For strength boilers are wrapped with piano wire.



The shiny surface on this boiler is all piano wire.



These are pictures of a boiler being worked on. Only a few of the tubes have been placed. Sitting beside the boiler is a stack of tubes waiting to be positioned in the boiler.