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A tale of two loaders


Mack

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I found a Kwik Way loader at a local swap meet in November of 2010. It was a little rough but mostly complete. No sub frame but I felt I could manage the fabrication of that part. The following spring I found time to start working on it. Got enough of the sub frame made up to mount it on one of my tractors. The project stalled with quite a bit of work to do yet. The sub frame needed finished and the pump and reservoir needed to be mounted yet. The loader itself needed some attention. There was a large crack in the arm bracing that needed to be welded up. All in all there was quite a bit of work ahead of me before it would be a functioning loader. In February of 2012 a club member reports finding a NOS Ark loader for an AC 300 series. This immediately grabs my attention as I have concentrated my garden tractor use and collecting on the AC 300/400 series. I have a lot of manuals and literature on the 300/400 tractors and attachments but very little was known to me of the loader. The only information I had on it was from a dealers price listing from 1976. I determined the loader was made by Ark Mfg. out of Sterling, Kansas but still had no confirmed idea of what it looked like other than a few pictures of loaders that had been on epay in the past. The NOS Ark loader ends up in the classifieds so I inquire the seller for some pictures and info on it. I tried to tell myself that I really did not need it. It was too far away, too much money, I already have a loader in the garage, my family will think I'm nuts if I drive all the way from Ohio to Connecticut to get it! After much internal wrangling a plan develops. I sent out an offer to sell the Kwik Way to a member that is nearer to Connecticut and can be delivered to him. He accepts, and a deal is stuck for his purchase of the Kwik Way and my purchase of the NOS Ark. So a road trip is made from Lakeview, Ohio to Syracuse, New York to New Fairfield, Connecticut and back home to Ohio. Nearly 1,500 miles round trip. I need to thank members sammiefish and adamf203. It was a pleasure meeting both of you.
[img]http://www.simpletractors.com/club2/attach/Mack/IMG_0004.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.simpletractors.com/club2/attach/Mack/IMG1125.jpg[/img]
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Excellent....:D I love it when a plan comes together:D:DdOd I'm glan to see that loader went to a good home:DdOd
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Has about 40 years worth of grime on it.






Had to refill the 409 cleaner bottle a few times with mean green degreaser and work the scrub brush pretty hard to get it looking like this!


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I love it on your Yellow beast...I fell in love with that machine the first time I saw it. NOW...it's over the top! :p Mack wasn't completely selfish in his desire to make that trip either...when I get to shake his hand tomorrow in Ottawa, I'll also be thanking him for helping me pick up some NOS goodies he drug back for me from the East Coast. Looking forward to it, sir! ;)
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Very cool Mack... looks worth the drive dOd Where does the pump mount on that type? front still or bottom?? I would love to make a copy of that sub frame for my upcoming project sm01
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  • 2 weeks later...
quote:
Originally posted by Mack
[img]/club2/attach/Mack/IMG1134.jpg[/img]

My friend Ed England is going to have one of those tine buckets, or what I call a manure bucket, on his auction June 9th. It came with the ark loader thats on his Bolens.
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