North Eastern Illinois Two-Cylinder Club Volume 18 - Issue 6/7 June/July, 2008

Transcription

1 2008 Board of Directors North Eastern Illinois Two-Cylinder Club Volume 18 - Issue 6/7 June/July, 2008 Bill Cunningham, President J.P. Noonan, Vice President Mark Johnson, Treasurer Shelby Reese, Secretary Ken Reese Gary Pitts John Hoffman Paul Ziller Dennis Dunlap GREETINGS FROM THE PRESIDENT Hi John Deere Fans! Boy time sure flies when you re having fun and it s the fun season with all the tractor shows. Since we last talked we had our Fathers Day picnic at Blackberry Farm, boy what great place to take the family. I d like to thank Mark Johnson for making the arrangements and Mother Nature for the few hours of sunshine. We left home in the rain and it rained on the way home, but at the picnic we had time to play a few games, visit with friends and eat- of course. Home for a few days, then off to Waterloo to attend Two-Cylinder Expo. There was a nice variety of tractors and a lot of parts vendors. We had several of our club members display their beautiful tractors at Expo and had time to visit with friends that could make it out to the show. We took a little side trip one afternoon to visit my cousin near Hampton, IA. The road from Waterloo to Hampton took us through the small town of Parkersburg, they were hit by a level V tornado a few weeks ago, boy the wind is POWERFUL! I took my trailer to Expo just in case there was a deal that I could not pass up, but came home with a lot of room on the trailer. Now it was time, I had to make a decision, Moline or Springfield? The following week was the show in Moline and also a show in Springfield, Ohio that is a usually a great show and auction. Why do they have two good shows on the same week end, it should be against the law. Well, the truck and trailer went east 470 miles to Springfield, Ohio to the Ohio Two-Cylinder Club show. It s nice some times to visit a show that draws tractors from different areas. You will see different types of tractors and equipment that are used for farming that is native to them. This was our second time to the Ohio show, not as many big tractors and a lot of tractors in their work clothes. By the way, the trailer was not empty when we came back, we bought a little Unstyled L with a one-bottom plow, LOOK OUT PLOW DAYS! I found two of our club members out there for moral support in my purchase, thanks to John Hoffman and Paul Ziller! Our annual Pig Roast is still planned for Sept. 6 th, we are just not quite sure of the location. If we can work out an issue with the insurance it will be at the Sycamore Steam Show grounds, if not we ll find another spot. I ve jabbered enough, hope you had a great Fourth, hope to see you soon and keep a look out for those J.D. treasures. Bill 1

2 **********PIG ROAST REMINDER********** Saturday, September 6 is the date to save on your calendar for this year s NEITCC pig roast. We re still in the process of obtaining event insurance coverage required by the owners of the Sycamore Steam Show grounds, but if for some reason we re unable to do so, Bob Johnson has graciously invited us to hold the roast at his farm nearby. The August newsletter will provide all the final details, so be sure to watch for it in the mail. Member John Mathis will roast up a delicious pig, NEITCC will provide condiments, utensils, soft drinks, water, baked beans, and corn on the cob, and each family attending will be invited to bring a dish to pass. We re planning tractor games as well as other fun activities everyone can enjoy, so don t miss this time to visit with old and new friends, talk tractors, display your tractor, and enjoy a fabulous meal together. WATCH FOR THAT AUGUST NEWSLETTER!!! GENOA DAYS PARADE REPORT Saturday, June 4, 2008 From Ed Wesemann Ten John Deere two-cylinder tractors represented our Club: 1955 Model 50 Wayne Jensen, Bartlett; 1950 Model A Stacy Schrader, Bartlett; 1948 Model AR Dennis Dunlap, Bartlett; 1944 Model D Larry Ohlsen, Belvidere; 1948 Model B Joe Flippo, Marengo; 1956 Model 50 Joe Flippo owner and Steve Dumer driver; 1951 Model A Jeff Flippo, Marengo owner along with Larry Ohlsen, Belvidere, with Dean Dumer Driver; 1948 Model A Joe Flippo owner with Jeff Flippo driver; 1952 Model AR Joe Flippo owner with Wayne Ohlsen, Belvidere, driver; 1949 Model G Ed Wesemann, Hampshire, owner. The parade started at 1:00 p.m. this year, with the weather cooperating nicely. Everyone made it through without a hitch. BLACKBERRY FARM FAMILY PICNIC & TRACTOR SHOW REPORT June 15, 2008 What can I say the weather that morning was iffy in the a.m., and let s face it it costs a bundle to travel these days, with the cost of fuel that can only be described as RIDICULOUS at best. So - bottom line the turnout wasn t impressive. A total of thirty-four intrepid men, women and wonderful children made their way to Blackberry Farm on that Sunday morning that really turned out to be quite nice day. Ken and Shelby Reese, Meredith, Carol and Brian Werner, Brad and Sandra Kofoed, and Bill and Mary Pat Cunningham displayed their four beautiful tractors, cheered on in many cases by their children and grandchildren. Mark Johnson and family, Rich and Rosemary Zollner, Jerry and Betty King and family, and Ed Wesemann were also there to enjoy visiting with their fellow NEITCC members and their families. Mary Pat Cunningham brought along a mixer game that encouraged each person to talk with others in order to gather information, with the goal of winning a prize at the end of the game. It was so nice to see people moving around, enthusiastically taking part, and hopefully connecting names to faces they might have seem many times. Everyone had fun, got better acquainted, and the winners of the mixer walked away with a nice club t-shirt. As always the food was excellent we really should require recipes! Ed Wesemann made the day even more special by providing accordion music for all to enjoy. Although there were only four tractors for visitors to admire, many (most) also spent a good deal of time talking with Ed and enjoying his accordion skills. Thanks Ed! As the usual 3:00 parade time approached, so did a nasty looking bunch of black clouds to the west it was obvious that some more interesting weather was about to descend on us. So all the tractors were quickly loaded and we were on our way home in no time. We re sorry we missed many of you, but we understand the circumstances weren t the best. At least three of our members, Pat Noonan, Paul Ziller and Bob Johnson, had previously committed to the Heritage Corridor Tractor Ride that weekend and weren t able to attend. We hope your day was special and that we ll see you soon certainly at the September 6 club pig roast. Here are a few photos of our time at Blackberry. Shelby 2

3 The Werner Family 1949 B Bill Cunningham s 730 Diesel Ken Reese s Brad Kofoed s 1939 H Fun & Games Maestro Ed Wesemann A Small but DISTINGUISHED Group TWO-CYLINDER EXPO REPORT JUNE 19-21, 2008 As everyone knows, much of Iowa has taken the pipe this summer with flooding and tornadoes. Waterloo took its share of the flooding, and early weather reports led one to believe you couldn t get within a hundred miles of that town. But after a few phone calls and s, we were confident we wouldn t have any problems and we didn t. EXPO was held at the Cattle Congress again this year, and although that facility is a little on the shabby side, it s perfect for this show because most of the machines can be displayed indoors. There are some grassy, shaded areas outdoors and a few did opt for that, but most enjoyed being in a cooler, dry, indoor spot 24/7. I must say not having to spit and polish the tractor each morning was a definite plus! The food vendors were excellent and there were many, many parts vendors offering their usual array of tractor stuff. As you can imagine, I m not the one to ask for more detailed information about that area! Only four NEITCC-member tractors were displayed they were 1948 M with an M2A Plow - Herb and Peg Nelson 1950 MT - Rich and Del Bransky 1950 B - Ken and Shelby Reese 730 Gas - Darick Franzen Other NEITCC members who made the trip to see the spectacular collection of tractors and implements included Bill and Mary Pat Cunningham, Ed and Mitzi Smith, Pat Noonan, Ed Weseman, Joe Flippo, Jeff Flippo and Larry Ohlsen. My apologies to anyone I might have missed. I think most would agree that there were probably fewer tractors and implements displayed than in some years, but the level of excellent, accurate restoration was outstanding. It s mind boggling to imagine what is spent on these beautiful machines to bring them to their current condition, but it s also great to see the obvious pride the owners take in their gems. One really neat experience at the Expo was talking with visitors from Australia, New Zealand and England. They were part of bus tours of our beautiful country that were focused on agricultural areas, and especially tractors and implements. Most were collectors, many with a special place in their hearts for two-cylinder John Deere tractors. They were certainly impressed by what they saw at Waterloo, but what touched my heart were their wonderful comments about how nice we Americans are and how kindly and well they had been treated during their tours. Apparently the ugly American stayed home hooray! But when I think of it, I m not surprised at the warm reception they had received, for I ve never met a nicer bunch than our good old American tractor people especially in the Midwest. Personally, I can say that s one of the reasons we continue with our 3

4 commitment to this hobby the opportunity to share it with some of the nicest people in the land. I guess we ll have to play the weather/gas price card again in evaluating the Expo show. There were probably as many exhibitors as viewers, and we spent much of the time talking to each other. But that was ok what a great opportunity to learn from these talented owners/restorers. Until this economic/fuel mess has turned around, many of us will have to set priorities and think long and hard about how we use our discretionary funds, but I sure hope our two-cylinder clubs and activities don t suffer too much. Here are a few photos from Expo. Shelby Rich & Dell Bransky s 1950 MT Herb Nelson s 1948 M with an Darick Franzen s 730 Gas Ken Reese s 1950 B M2A plow Talking Tractors- - - AGAIN! Ken Reese, Ed Smith, Herb Nelson Bill Cunningham, Mitzi Smith, Pat Noonan, Bill C., Herb N., Ken R. Mitzi Smith Ed Smith, Mary Pat Cunningham Reassembling an Unstyled B 1924 Model D Early 30s Threshing Machine Unstyled JD A Series In two days (Whew!) Made by Hart Carter Co. in They can all be yours for $75,000! Peoria, IL for John Deere 4320 Diesel FOR SALE Let me know if you re interested I can reach the seller. JOHN DEERE COLLECTORS CENTER AUCTION AND TRACTOR SHOW REPORT June 26-28,

5 A tractor ride was offered on Thursday, starting at the Collector s Center and traveling east to the Harvester Works. As a result of the swollen Mississippi flooding parts of River Drive a short detour was necessary, but other than that the parade of 50+ tractors was very nice. The group was welcomed by Deere executives and then given a tour of the plant. If you ve never been there, or even if you have, it s a tour you should consider. For those who have been there/done that, things are changing drastically in that plant on a regular basis, and you ll thoroughly enjoy seeing the new technology. The Harvester Works consists of 20 acres of manufacturing space all under roof amazing! They re currently displaying a 9770 STS combine with a 12-row corn head in the lobby absolutely HUGE. After the tour, lunch was provided on the lawn in front of the building and then everyone saddled up, had their picture taken on their tractor in front of the leaping deer on the lawn, and headed back to the Collector s Center. By this time the dark clouds were once again coming in from the west, but we made it back with no problems. Some of the tractor ride drivers opted not to display their tractors at the show, so the numbers were down significantly over past years. The auction is always the biggest draw of this annual event, but even those numbers were down a bit. Apparently many who plan to bid at the auction don t necessarily come until Saturday, for the number of viewers wandering through the tractor display on Thursday and Friday was down from past years. The folks from Aumann Auctions did their usual excellent job of running the auction of 62 tractors and numerous implements and parts. Here are a few of the highlights: Waterloo Boy $110,000 GP Wide Tread $25,000 Spoker D $34,000 JD 330 U $25, Diesel High Crop $23, Gas $14,500 Model C Manure Spreader $13,500 Model W Manure Spreader $9, D $13, D $10,000 Unstyled L $7, $5, $7, $8, U $8, $7,500 For those with on-line access, you can check for all the numbers. NEITCC members who displayed their tractors at the show were: Ken Reese, 1950 B; Herb Nelson, 1948 M with an M2A plow; and Bob Johnson, 1950 AW. Bruce Johnson attended but did not display a tractor. My apologies to anyone else who was there but whom I might have missed. sr SCHOLARSHIP UPDATE NEITCC has received a very special thank you from Jake Ebel, our scholarship recipient. Jake writes: Dear North Eastern IL Two-Cylinder Club Thank you so much for choosing me for the scholarship. In the fall I will be going to Northern Illinois University majoring in mechanical engineering. Hopefully soon I will fulfill my goal of creating the farm equipment of tomorrow at John Deere. Jake Ebel Thanks for the nice note, Jake. It s a privilege for NEITCC to offer a scholarship to such a talented, deserving young man. GOOD LUCK LET US KNOW HOW THINGS ARE GOING FOR YOU AT NIU! DIRECTOR MEETING MINUTES MAY 19, 2008 The meeting was called to order at 7:40 p.m., followed by approval of April 14 meeting minutes as published and approval of the treasurer s report as provided by Mark Johnson. Discussion was held regarding club merchandise prices and the possibility of obtaining a long-sleeved t-shirt with embroidered logo. The use of name tags at club events was discussed, along with suggestions for different types of tags available. The issue of insurance coverage was discussed; this item was tabled. Ken Reese attended the Senior Honors program at Marengo High School where he presented the $500 NEITCC scholarship to Jake Ebel. Specific tasks related to the Blackberry Picnic were discussed and assigned. Dennis Dunlap reported that he has completed the NEITCC web site update as of 5/19/08. He suggests that future sites include such things as monthly member features, 5

6 technical tips, auction prices, etc. Bill Cunningham reported on the success of the May 10 plow day. Lanny Gray may be able to arrange a plow day in August on the land he uses in Buffalo Grove, and Bob Johnson indicated the possibility of a fall plow day on his land. The possibility of a club trip to view the Keller tractor collection in Wisconsin was discussed. Plans for the September 6 pig roast were reviewed. Next meeting June 15 at the Blackberry picnic. ************************************************************************************************************* THE CLASSIFIED CORNER In order to assure space for new ads, please -Renew your ad in the classified corner every 90 days and - please notify me when you wish to stop your ad. Call Shelby at or at kwreese@aol.com WANTED: Place to park my 30 x 8 x 8 enclosed JD tractor trailer for July-September. Indoors or out, within 100 miles west of the Chicago area. Rate negotiable. Herb Nelson First posted 7/08 FOR SALE: John Deere Van Brunt Grain Drill (Sorry, photos provided by John didn t do the items justice Corn Binder when copied but both look very nice.) sr John Mathis First posted 7/08 JD L10 Series Single-Row Cultivator for an L or LA tractor asking $ Ed Smith First posted 5/08 WANTS TO BUY: - Set of round spokes on steel wheels for 1935 AND 1937 John Deere A s - Five Model Unstyled A s (1934, 1935, 1936, 1937 and 1938) to complete collection** - 2-row cultivator for 1941 or 1950 John Deere A s John Deere corn planter George Pinkowski First posted 4/08 **George writes that while he has the 1935 and 1937, they re not original, having oversize pistons, cut down rims and other changes. He wants his A collection to be as complete and authentic as possible. George currently has seven two-cylinder tractors that are of interest to some people desiring to purchase them and start their own collection. If that happens,10% of the money would go to Ron Santo s JDRF Foundation. ARE YOU INTERESTED IN A 1917 SAMPSON??? New member Rich Zollner and his wife Rosemary traveled to Central City, Nebraska in March to pick up a 1944 Model H that they re going to restore. The gentleman from whom they purchased the H showed them his very rare 1917 Sampson, and noted that only 70 were ever made. He believes this may be the only remaining one. He is interested in selling it and Rich can give the gentleman s name and phone number if anyone is interested. Rich says the tractor looks complete but hasn t run in years. If interested, call Rich Zollner at , or him at rzollner@comcast.net First posted 4/08 6

7 And finally Here s one last photo from EXPO. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with the owner, Ken Rigdon of Dunkerton, Iowa, as he explained all the workings of this wonderful old machine just another example of the nice people you meet at tractor shows. He said that the owner of the machine would sit in a chair up on the top of the thresher where he could see and direct the work of helpers on each side. Talk about big brother watching you! As I noted earlier, although the thresher has the John Deere name on it, it also bears the name of the company that built it for Deere, Hart Carter Co. in Peoria. That company is no longer in existence, but it obviously built a quality product that is still functioning after 70+ years. THE BRIDGEPORT EXTRAVAGANZA You ve probably heard about the gigantic auction held near Bridgeport, Nebraska in April, but here are a few bits of information taken from the April 5 edition of The North Platte Telegraph that will give you an idea of just what a big old deal it was. The owner of the 25,000+ items to be sold was a farm implement dealer who bought and sold and accumulated. He died last August after 45 years in business, and his widow was liquidating the used equipment and parts business plus 300 acres of land. The auction included tractors, implements, farm toys, cast iron tractor seats, wheels, bells and thousands of collectible farm antiques. The auction sale went on for seven 12-hour-days, with 15 auctioneers taking turns at the microphone. Bank of America reps were ready to loan 100% of the sale price on every item. The auctioneer (Kruse) guessed that the auction might bring as much as $20 million or as little as $12 million, depending on weather and bidder competition. A potential buyer in England had arranged a $1.5 million line of credit. $1 million was spent on promotion of this sale described as one of the world s largest. Anyone could attend for a $10 fee, and about 400 golf carts were available for rent $450 each for seven days. Three thousands tractors, 2,500 of them antiques, were lined up in rows for ¾ of a mile. Auction rules required that items purchased had to be removed from the property within 30 days that s about 100 tractors a day to be transported. Trucking companies were going in circles to meet the demand. This article was written a couple of days before the end of the sale, so the bottom line hadn t been reached. Hope you all had a safe and enjoyable 4 th of July. It s hard to believe that s behind us already. To me, the 4 th has always signaled the down-hill slide into fall. With such a goofy spring (or did we even have spring???) and our something for everyone weather, it s been a wild ride. Sorry about the missing June newsletter. I m blaming that on too many tractor-related activities and what better excuse could I have chosen. Enjoy the rest of the summer! Shelby 7