Pretty much all packed up for my annual 5 days at the Puget Sound Antique Tractor and Machinery meet at Lynden Wa. It runs Wednesday through Saturday. I have had a lot of different sleeping arrangements in the last 27 years, mostly wooden canopies or wood and old metal. This year I'll be sleeping in style in the '47 panel. It took lots of tough decision making to come up with my plan to get it there. The clutch problem set me back almost a week and I still needed to swap out and rebuild the rear springs which I completed yesterday in a grueling 9 hour day fighting rust and old 5/8 U-bolts and you name it. There were eleven broken springs in the rear leaf packs. I mixed and matched with a good set I had. Had to make a few u bolts because of time constraints, but they came out ok. In the end I decided to play it safe and haul the panel on my trailer. Like I mentioned before, it isn't quite ready for the freeway. Now tomorrow I get on the 8:45 ferry off the island. That thing in the bed of the '92 is a homemade skidsteer with a huge wisconsin engine and 4 wheel drive. The rear has mechanical brakes which are set up to brake/steer individually. It works ok but I have run my course with it. I didn't build it. Selling it at the show will pay my fuel, ferry and maybe my meals if I do all right on it. That's not why I go, but it's always fun to have some contraption to sell. Well I gotta go out and finish strapping stuff down.

 

Sounds like a plan. Have fun!

 

Sounds like you made the smart decision, Gary. Have a great time and good luck selling the skidsteer. What are the chances something else will be on the flatbed on the drive home?

 

Garry,
I hope you have an enjoyable trip.
I love to hear them old one lungers. Snap some pics and post please.
I traded an International Harvester LA driven cement mixer for my 51 F5. Rebuilt an old Economy 7 horse a few years back.
Ifn that bucket at the end of the cot is gonna be used as a thunder pot, remember to empty the contents before use!!!
Roger

 

GB,


Looks like you're still into some really interesting stuff. Have a good trip.
Bob
'38 One Ton

 

Had a blast as usual. Displayed it with the back doors open and hundreds of people enjoyed my rustic retreat. These things attract a decidedly older and very rural group. In general they love the flatheads and many asked if I would start it up just so they could listen to it. During the course of the show I rebuilt a couple of model 94 carbs and installed one on the panel because the accelerator pump was bad in the one I had installed in the beginning. Smoooooth accelerating now. Just keeps getting better. Some of my buddies have the Rumley Oil Pull tractors so I have driven them around, mostly in the evening. The last photo is my 1912 8 hp Stover gas engine, which I now keep at the show grounds year 'round instead of hauling it there every year like I did for almost 20 years.

 

Great stories and photos (as usual), Gary. That panel is looking pretty healthy. You'll sleep better if you are aligned with magnetic North, btw.

I still think you should have a big GtG sometime. It would be worth the trip to see your operation and all the old trucks and "toys" and things.

 

I've got ten acres with lots of camping spots and a pig roaster that holds up to a 120 lb oinker. Hmmmmm. Maybe next year.

 

Well I wondered about that. We will all swear not to scare the womenfolk and horses... much, anyway.

 

Don't forget the moonshine still!

 

I better start putting some away for the event. It takes a couple days to produce a gallon. Of course we always give a couple gallons to the pig before he meets his demise, just to season the pork.

 

Great photos!!! Congrats Gary that panel looks great! I would have no problem sleeping in that! Talk about vintage camping ! Within the next couple of weeks they have a similar show in my neck of the woods in kinzers PA old farm equipment and the hit -n- miss stuff, by the way love that skid steer!!!