Antique Caterpillar dozer with antique driver

[Olivetroad]

My antique uncle called me a week ago and wanted me to haul a dozer he recently bought to a repair shop to have the rings replaced and a new equalizer spring installed. I have been too busy to do it.

I woke up on my birthday yesterday and decided that I was going to do what I wanted to do that day, and that was to haul his crawler.

I just sold my road tractor so I borrowed this _{international} from a neighbor:

Of course it was out of fuel, so $200.00 later, I am headed out to Forrest's house - I drive by a place on the right that looks familar - oh yeah! That is my place!

I don't think my neighbor has used his seat belt in years: YUCK!

He also is a little out of date with his calendar:

I pull up to Forrest's house and the first thing I see is his fancy chicken house - he built a new house and tore down his old one and used the parts to build this:

He kept the cistern and pump and we still use it to clean fish and whatever:

He would be embarassed to know I posted these, but he sure has some pretty flowers:

We went in the barn to get the crawler out and I notice he has added a tank on the back:

Its a homemade tool box - not real original!

He stores his milk cans and buggy seat up in the rafters - you never know when you might need them again

It is a older D4

I think these were options that are rare for that age:

Glow plugs

dry air cleaner

water proof exhaust cap - you don't have to fool with a coffee can!

We load it up -

We pass some sheep:

Now it is time for dinner - Forrest saved up his pennys so he could take me out to celebrate turning 42

We each had four five six plates at the buffet - that old man can still put it away! That had swedish meatballs, fried fish, baked fish, beef tips and noodles, grits, collard greens, green beans, corn, mashed taters, fried okra, brats and kraut, harvard beets, mac and cheese, a full salad bar, homemade rolls, and our favorite dessert - green stuff - I do not know why it looks white in the photo - it was neon green and it was good!

I asked them if they had any pierogiegiesses and they said; "huh?"

We get to the tractor shop and are just amazed at the place - they sell crawler tractors to the Mennonites around there to use for farming - they can't use rubber tires. Here is one of their tractors:

We get it unloaded and can tell from looking around that these guys are excellent mechanics - it is in good hands. I will post some photos when I get a chance of the goodies they were working on in the shop. They install john deere and cummins engines into Caterpillar dozers - pretty impressive!

He talked and I listened all the way there and back - I learned a few more good things about my family and we both really enjoyed the outing! One of my favorite birthdays ever. I was tired from having to keep up with him at the end of the day.

As David said on here once before: He is the energizer bunny!

[yarnall]

Great story and great pictures. Glad it was a good birthday. I'll be 42 in July. I do like that cat. I've been trying.to buy a D2 for quite a few years now.

Mike

[Frmconcrete09]

Thanks for the story and the pics , interesting!

[Timothy Maikshilo]

Your a good nephew Olive, Great pictures and story. Even if no perogies!

[David]

Sounds like a great way to spend a day. I don't understand this "We" BS though. Looks like he did all the work while you were taking pictures. The first track machine I ever ran was a D2 like that with an aftermarket loader. It had a pony motor with a pull rope.

[Mike]

Good pictures, and a good time was had. I'm now hungry seeing the Mennonite Resturant. We need one around here. I have to go 30 miles to Guthrie, Kentucky before finding one of their stores and bakery. No resturant with good food like you have there.

mike

[Olivetroad]

Sounds like a great way to spend a day. I don't understand this "We" BS though. Looks like he did all the work while you were taking pictures. The first track machine I ever ran was a D2 like that with an aftermarket loader. It had a pony motor with a pull rope.

Ha!

But you forget - I drove the truck AND I ran my own fork and knife at lunch unaided!

[other dog]

That is a great story. I didn't understand one part though- you borrowed your neighbor's what?

[umodelnut]

Good pics. But wait. You just sold your road tractor? What about that ol' B model you got from Jocko? Throw some plates on it and go!! Heres a great story about that. Doug Fetterly who we got my U model from, had a newer NY plate on my U. So when we got it home we never took it off. So when my Papa called him and asked him if he wanted the plate back he said, "No, That truck is ready to go. Its registered."

[Green Dash]

You can't beat a day like that. Fun, food, productivity, some quality time with someone special to you, and some great memories.

I've always liked those 4200/4300 and 9300/9900 International's. I'm pretty sure that's a 9300. I drove one for a week with those same headlights and don't remember the model year, but it was somewhere in the mid 90's. I like the view of a square hood from the driver's seat.

I never knew about the rubber tire thing, I wonder if that applies to all Amish. One thing's for sure, green stuff doesn't look nearly as tasty in white.