On Earth Day, I played with rusty iron and long-chain hydrocarbons
On Earth Day this year, I accompanied my 89 year old father to the Motor Transport Museum in Campo California, for their Spring Fling. We exhibited his lovingly restored 1926 Graham Dodge 1.5 Ton truck. and his latest restoration, a 1924 Airmotor driven circus calliope. Other folks brought in their iron as well, and the event had catered tacos, and a Blues band. It was amazingly hot at 5000' altitude, and we all ran from shade to shade in an attempt to keep from drying into raisins. The weather is one of the reasons that this museum and workshop is where it is, as low humidity is better for the old trucks.
What follows is a few photos and two videos for your enjoyment. All photos and videos are by the author.
Dad doing his thing. He wears hearing aids...
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An M-29 Weasel. That thing was fun, but he wouldn't let me drive it 8(
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The Old Mill
A shiny Panel truck
The usual suspects
Naval Prime Hauler. Tires were 4 feet tall
Early rubbertramp
Lumber mover
It should buff out...
Chevy "honey wagon"
Not an illusion. International Harvester made these as lumber trucks.
My dream rig. Even my Weinerdog was feeling the heat.
Going home
Put away
The Calliope took him about a year to restore. My son and I polished brass, and many hours were spent on mechanicals inside it from a player piano repair lady. This is an amazingly complicated machine.
The Truck was a 19 year restoration project. Started from a pile of scrap in an orchard in central Oregon, where it had lived it's life as a Honey wagon. We got the bed from under a different apple tree in Julian California. All the oak came from a tree in New Hampshire. Straight trade for a Continental Straight 8 block. Top speed is 35MPH. getting there is fun, but stopping is terrifying.
This was a fun and worthwhile excursion, but I will continue to offset my carbon footprint by commuting on my solar charged E-bike.
what a cool place; I love the old trucks... and the Calliope truck turned out really nice. Does your Dad take it out often?
Parades and stuff. He is getting so decrepit though, that he has a hard time driving it.