Trek Across America
Australians plan cross-country tractor ride summer 2009
June 2009
Leslie C. McManus
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“Priscilla,” one of the restored Chamberlain 9G tractors that will cross the U.S. this summer. The 9G averages about 12 miles per gallon.
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Every collector sees something different in an antique tractor.
For some it’s a solid investment. For others, it’s a hands-on hobby or a connection to the past. For a group of Australians, a fleet of antique Chamberlain tractors is a unique set of wheels that will carry them on a 5,000-mile adventure across America. (Follow along on the blog Aussie Trek Across America.)
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A caravan of six Chamberlains built in the early 1960s will set off from Baltimore on July 1, bound for Los Angeles in mid-September. Maintaining a “leisurely daily average of 72 miles,” according to trip coordinator Ron Bywaters, the group will meander across the U.S., taking in the sights and soaking up a diverse cultural experience.
The Chamberlain 9G, built by Chamberlain Industries in Western Australia, was produced between 1955 and 1966. The 9G has become a popular recreational vehicle in Australia, where it is commonly used on treks of up to three months’ duration. The 9G features an automobile-type bench seat, windshield and canvas cab, and moves along at a good clip. “They came off the line equipped to go 30 mph,” Ron says. “They’re fully licensed to go anywhere a car can go in Australia.”
The group’s route winds through Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois (with a planned stop at the Historic Farm Days show at Penfield, Ill., July 9-12); on through Kentucky and Tennessee (with a stop in Nashville); then follows the Mississippi north to Moline, Ill. (home of Deere & Co., which entered into partnership with Chamberlain in Australia in 1969 and ultimately became full owner); across Iowa and then south to Independence, Mo., where the route will trace historic American wagon trails west, with visits to Denver, Cheyenne, Mt. Rushmore and Salt Lake City. “We’ll get onto the trails whenever we can,” Ron says. A visit to Las Vegas will precede the stopping point in Los Angeles.