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New Friends (and a Sweepster...and a Trencher)


Talntedmrgreen

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Was worth a day off work! I really get a kick out of meeting you guys in person, and today was another neat opportunity. Met a couple great members (Dennis-Shovelhead and Michael-mwells), helped a couple other members move things around, made a brand new friend, and saw some neat country side.

Left this morning a little early. Was chilly, but was finally a day with clear roads. Hittin the road with a load...

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Temps kept dropping, and didn't warm until I got to IN.

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Dropped off a Revitalizer in IN, for later retrieveal by Chris (bowhunt4life), and grabbed a dozer for Chris #2 (Huffy), from Nathan (Ngale). Gonna be tight on room soon, so the dozer goes in the backseat with a 5000W Generator for Dennis.

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Next leg took me to Princeton, IA. Crossing the Mississippi. Not sure if I ever have before?

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Just off I80 is EuClair, IA, where the American Pickers shop is. I stopped for fuel, and...there it is! sm01 I was a bit early for them, and swung by on my return through town, but the TV crew had the sidestreet closed for 'shooting'.

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Look closer...

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The Sweepster has long been on my list, and the primary reason for the trip. This trencher kinda fell in my lap while planning for the road trip. I met up with a new friend, north of EuClair, right ont he Mississippi. Apparently, this is where trenchers live...I looked, but no post hole digger ;)

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Then, off to Iowa City to meet up with Michael and Dennis. It was a great pleasure to meet these members. Most definitely the type of fellas any of us would love to sit and BS with. Unfortunately, I spaced out, and didn't get any pics of our meeting.

Got a peek at the Iowa 80 truckstop. Largest in the world...I held out for an Arby's to take a leak and grab a rootbeer.

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I was certainly in in Deere country. I passed and was passed by dozens of heavy haulers with evry kind of new JD. Must be corn country ^

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I scooted through several states...you'd be surprised how difficult it can be to snap a pic of each state's welcome sign.

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Got a pickup load both ways...should be fun to play with.

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Naturally, when reentering Michigan...SNOW. Made for an interesting last leg of the trip. In all it was a great day. Got home around 7pm

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That's one sweet load you have there. Only put a few miles on the truck to boot. Can't wait to see them all attached and all the other good stuff. And always good to get to meet all these ppl when ya get the chance to do so. Keep more pics of this stuff coming when you have some more time

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Cool stuff.

The Iowa 80 is huge. Thought I'd freeze to death getting from the back corner once to the potty. LOL

Did you get a taste of why I do the big road trips?? :D

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From Iowa City you were about 50 minutes north of me and 50 minutes SE of where that trencher was built. I can't even find a cheap B series in Iowa and you cross 3 states and have a trencher fall in your lap. Some people have all the luck.

B110guy

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I hope my dozer blade didn't scratch your seat! Thanks for grabbing it.

You didn't tell me you were getting a trencher. Are you gonna restore it?

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Great trip Josh. Next time take the additional 10 hours to the North country and I'll make some apple pie with everclear to bs over since you can't get it in MI.

Road trips are the best when moving tractors and parts. You never know what you're going to find when you're on a trip like that. Very rare implements. Nice score!

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Nice road trip and some rare cool finds on the way.

Spent my after noon at a truck farming/farmers market meeting today being lead by a guy from upper MI.

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WOW...a trencher is worth the drive itself... I wish I knew about your trip, I'd bought ya breakfast/lunch, You passed within 15mins of my place in NW Indiana. Alot of nice attachments and a great service to your fellow members too dOddOd

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quote:Originally posted by Chris727

Nice finds! So you have one of almost every FDT attachment?


id="quote">
id="quote">Hmm...I'm missing a few. And technically, I'm working on having HAD one of every FDT attachment. I can't bring myself to keep the stuff I just don't/won't use. Don't have the room, and feel guilty &:)I did run right past LaPorte Greg! I was makin tracks though. I would have loved to take 2 days, and enjoy the trip a bit more, but not this time. You're not far though...I will get by to drool and chat.Dozer's in good shape Chris, and we can assess truck damage when you get here. It might be mounted up and in use by then though ;)Craig...if I'm ever up your way, I will give you enough notice to get that made up!
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Glad everything went pretty smooth! It was great to meet you and Dennis! And seeing a trencher in person was pretty cool! Can't wait till she's up and running!

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Michael, I think it should be a club requirement for everyone to meet you two guys! You always kinda wonder what the person behind the handle will be like, and it was fun to do that with you fellas.

I know we'd have a blast shooting the breeze, if I had more time on my hands. Someday...thanks again, and enjoy the goodies!!

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Thanks Josh for dropping the revitalizer for me. I'm planning picking it up Sunday, if weather holds out.

I met Michael Wells a few months back and a few other members and it is always the same. Great people with great stories and just never enough time to BS.

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I may throw up right now to know there was a trencher within an hour of me. Oh man! My bro (sbull78) and I live just and hour east of the quad cities just north of I80.

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Nice score on the trencher Josh!

Is there any pattern to the Serial Numbers ? (MDB)'s

That could narrow down how many Trenchers are potentially left out there? :)

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Dunno about the serial #'s. I know the post hole diggers were tracked to their point of sale/delivery based on serial #, but I'm unaware of any such documentation from Hawk Built.

Got her unloaded tonite...my hoist remained mounted to the ceiling. This dang thing is heavy, and I had my doubts. The Sweepster was hefty too. The saw was easy...100#, maybe.

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Yeah, it still has the Sweepster brand decals on the hitch and front edge of the cover...I believe Michael said it was the 3/400 hitch, but it mounts to an FDT without mod. He had it on an HB-212. I'm probably going to get up early (before the baby wakes) Saturday morning and pull the loader off the 3212H, and give the broom a try on that.Here's the one I have (black frame)IMAG0866.jpgIMAG0865.jpgIMAG0870.jpgHere's Michael's other B-series (yellow frame)IMAG0856.jpgIMAG0854.jpgAnd here's the one you posted on some time backhttp://www.simpletractors.com/club2/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=100961&SearchTerms=sweepster

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topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=100961&SearchTerms=sweepster

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With the exception of the pulley guard on your buddies, the hitches all look the same to me. I was of the understanding, from researching these while watching for one, that the steel covered sweepsters were the older variety, while the plastic covered ones were a bit newer. It's probably completely possible that folks recovered them with the newer housing, once they got damages or rusted, too...?The one in the AC/B-series page, shows a completely different hitch, but is a steel covered unit:

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The 3/400 from ST, looks to match mine perfectly:

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