Dandy Dave Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 (edited) .. for your old autos. Rescued a 1947 Austin-Western 99M Road Grader from the scrap man last week. I have it back here in the yard and it is ready to keep the dirt roads in good shape for the old cars around here. It is powered by an Allis Chalmers/ Buda K428 gas engine. Drove it 8 miles to get it here and it runs like a clock. Edited August 12, 2020 by Dandy Dave (see edit history) 8 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted August 12, 2020 Author Share Posted August 12, 2020 Another Photo.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted August 12, 2020 Author Share Posted August 12, 2020 And another.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted August 12, 2020 Author Share Posted August 12, 2020 The engine. K428 Buda six cylinder flat head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted August 12, 2020 Author Share Posted August 12, 2020 Engine. Notice, a grader engine is in backwards. This grader is also 4WD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8E45E Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 That presumably aftermarket cab appears to be well constructed and is a very nice fit! It should keep one warm in the winter while removing snow off the road with it. Craig 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle_Buck Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 Check out the The Historical Construction Equipment Association (hcea.net). I commend you for extending a life-line to an old work horse, well done !! As a retired member of a global construction machinery manufacturer, I can say with some credibility that a grader operator is usually the senior and most skilled machine operator in a fully equipped construction machinery yard. It takes skill and experience plus operating more controls than one has hands to operate them with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted August 12, 2020 Author Share Posted August 12, 2020 4 minutes ago, Uncle_Buck said: Check out the The Historical Construction Equipment Association (hcea.net). I commend you for extending a life-line to an old work horse, well done !! As a retired member of a global construction machinery manufacturer, I can say with some credibility that a grader operator is usually the senior and most skilled machine operator in a fully equipped construction machinery yard. It takes skill and experience plus operating more controls than one has hands to operate them with. I've been a member of HCEA for years Uncle Buck. True words about a grader operator. A road needs a crown. Most common folks just view the road as flat.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted August 12, 2020 Author Share Posted August 12, 2020 26 minutes ago, 8E45E said: That presumably aftermarket cab appears to be well constructed and is a very nice fit! It should keep one warm in the winter while removing snow off the road with it. Craig This is the second cab I've seen like this and it is a factory option. It has a heater and also came with a snow plow that I have to go pick up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Kingsley Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 That is awesome! Any plans for showing it somewhere? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted August 12, 2020 Author Share Posted August 12, 2020 1 minute ago, Billy Kingsley said: That is awesome! Any plans for showing it somewhere? Not at the moment as everything is shut down. You can stop by if you want and take a gander at it Billy. It lives at Wards Auto Collision Center just outside of the City of Hudson, NY. Dandy Dave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8E45E Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 15 minutes ago, Billy Kingsley said: That is awesome! Any plans for showing it somewhere? There is an active chapter of the Roadbuilders & Heavy Construction Heritage Society of Canada in Alberta that has regular shows and demonstrations of the vintage equipment every summer: https://www.smokstak.com/forum/threads/roadbuilders-and-heavy-construction-heritage-society-of-canada.77578/ Craig 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAKerry Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 Awsome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty Roth Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 3 minutes ago, 8E45E said: There is an active chapter of the Roadbuilders & Heavy Construction Heritage Society of Canada in Alberta that has regular shows and demonstrations of the vintage equipment every summer: https://www.smokstak.com/forum/threads/roadbuilders-and-heavy-construction-heritage-society-of-canada.77578/ Craig That would be a VERY LONG DRIVE from Hudson, New York with this road grader- Kudos to Dandy Dave for preserving and maintaining so many varied types of heavy equipment. Dave, It has been too long since we had dinner in Geneva - hope you got to use the tires 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Kingsley Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 I might just take you up on that Dave, been meaning to get back to Hudson anyway. Thanks! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustycrusty Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 32 minutes ago, Dandy Dave said: I've been a member of HCEA for years Uncle Buck. True words about a grader operator. A road needs a crown. Most common folks just view the road as flat.... Good job saving another piece of equipment! I see you are a fellow HCEA member- have you been to any of their shows? Lotsa big old equipment randomly (or so it seems) running around digging, hauling, pushing and trenching the dirt. The crowd varies from young toddlers who can barely walk and wear diapers to old retired operators who can barely walk and wear.... hey, wait a minute..... Where was I? Oh, yeah with all of its mechanical mayhem (and if you love the smell of stale diesel and fresh dirt) its a great way to spend a weekend! I'm surprised OSHA doesnt shut them down..... Here's my Allis "D" maintaining our mile long dirt road last winter. I usually get the road cleared a day or two before the road commission grader finally shows up. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 4 hours ago, Uncle_Buck said: I can say with some credibility that a grader operator is usually the senior and most skilled machine operator in a fully equipped construction machinery yard. It takes skill and experience plus operating more controls than one has hands to operate them with. A small town in Manitoba where I lived was opening a new development with crescents. The surveyors were done, everything staked out. Then the municipal grader arrived and asked why the sewers were at the high spots. He pulled a couple of stakes up and moved them and then four trips around the crescent and the road was graded with the low spots for the sewers in the right place. When they did the next crescent the road was graded first and then the surveyors did the lots. In that area the grader was called a "Maintainer". Nice to see a "maintainer" saved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ply33 Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 8 minutes ago, Tinindian said: A small town in Manitoba where I lived . . . In that area the grader was called a "Maintainer". Nice to see a "maintainer" saved. On summer job while in college was on a road construction site. They called a grader a "blade" on that job. I've long wondered if that was a regional thing as I've never heard them called that before or since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akstraw Posted August 13, 2020 Share Posted August 13, 2020 I don't know what for, but seeing your find makes me want one! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketraider Posted August 13, 2020 Share Posted August 13, 2020 Dave, I dig it. My dad learned to operate a "motor grader" in 1954 when US58 between Danville and South Boston VA was being four-laned. By all accounts he was good with it, but when VDOT offered him a full time job he turned it down and went back to farming tobacco. I often think my life would have been different had he taken that VDOT job. I sure wouldn't have had to work as hard with no guarantee of a good crop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted August 13, 2020 Author Share Posted August 13, 2020 (edited) 20 hours ago, dustycrusty said: Good job saving another piece of equipment! I see you are a fellow HCEA member- have you been to any of their shows? Lotsa big old equipment randomly (or so it seems) running around digging, hauling, pushing and trenching the dirt. The crowd varies from young toddlers who can barely walk and wear diapers to old retired operators who can barely walk and wear.... hey, wait a minute..... Where was I? Oh, yeah with all of its mechanical mayhem (and if you love the smell of stale diesel and fresh dirt) its a great way to spend a weekend! I'm surprised OSHA doesnt shut them down..... Here's my Allis "D" maintaining our mile long dirt road last winter. I usually get the road cleared a day or two before the road commission grader finally shows up. Love these old AC Model D's. I repaired and ran an AC Model DD about 20 years ago that had the low drive option and a loader on the rear to put rocks in and clean up around the grading sight. I also ran a 212 Cat quite a bit 30 years ago. Oh yeah, I have been to some of the HCEA shows with my small shovel. Hopefully will attend more in the future. Dandy Dave! Edited August 13, 2020 by Dandy Dave (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted August 13, 2020 Author Share Posted August 13, 2020 (edited) 17 hours ago, Tinindian said: A small town in Manitoba where I lived was opening a new development with crescents. The surveyors were done, everything staked out. Then the municipal grader arrived and asked why the sewers were at the high spots. He pulled a couple of stakes up and moved them and then four trips around the crescent and the road was graded with the low spots for the sewers in the right place. When they did the next crescent the road was graded first and then the surveyors did the lots. In that area the grader was called a "Maintainer". Nice to see a "maintainer" saved. 17 hours ago, ply33 said: On summer job while in college was on a road construction site. They called a grader a "blade" on that job. I've long wondered if that was a regional thing as I've never heard them called that before or since. Caterpillar in the early years Called them Motor Patrols. Even the parts books for my Cat model 12 say, "Number 12 Motor Patrol" on the cover. Huber called theirs a Road Maintainer. Dandy Dave! Edited August 13, 2020 by Dandy Dave (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldford Posted August 13, 2020 Share Posted August 13, 2020 Dave, make sure you leave a clean spot for my AA in the next 2 weeks. It's coming over for that fender repair.... Frank 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Harper Posted August 14, 2020 Share Posted August 14, 2020 Here we are trying out the grader at the Maine Forest & Logging Museum. These sad remains are all that's left of a Wehr "one man power grader" But.... we had fun. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted August 14, 2020 Author Share Posted August 14, 2020 On 8/12/2020 at 11:01 PM, Akstraw said: I don't know what for, but seeing your find makes me want one! It is a disease that there is no cure for and it is highly contagious. Dandy Dave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickelroadster Posted August 15, 2020 Share Posted August 15, 2020 That thing will really be a nice change from the Buick. Fun, fun, fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcdarrunt Posted August 15, 2020 Share Posted August 15, 2020 My Dad drove a "maintainer" for the county during the depression after we lost the farm. He made $21 a month to support a family of eight but at least he HAD a job. Carried a Stephens Crackshot single shot 22 with no sights in the cab so with the rabbits, pheasants, squirrels and other small game we didn't lack for meat. The only one I can recall was a Galion. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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