4777 Upper Valley Pike Dayton, OH 45424
The antique engine shows are in swing now with one every weekend
some place within an easy drive. Dayton, Ohio seems to be the
center of many very good shows. It was for this reason when I
started the Dayton Area Antique Engine and Equipment Association,
fifteen years ago, we agreed to keep it a monthly social club with
no show to interfere with our good fellowship. The three summer
months we have no usual covered dish dinner but may get together at
a local show.
Several club members took equipment to our first area show
called ‘Poor Farmers’. It was interesting to see the new
equipment the men had been working on during the winter.
The trip to Wauseon, Ohio was long but well worth it. The Allis
Chalmers was featured and someone told me there were over 100 such
tractors. It was interesting to see a WD diesel at the show. One
would think that perhaps many of these tractors were made since
there are so many WC-s and WD 45’s. It is a rare sight to see a
diesel model.
I took my newly restored Cockshutt Super 570 Wheatland Standard
to the Urbana, Ohio show. It brought a lot of comments, but no one,
it seems, had seen one like it before. My tractor was in good
mechanical condition when I bought it from Wesley Slaughbaugh last
winter. I think he got it in western Kansas.
The Darke County Steam Threshers at Greenville, Ohio is another
old show and a big show. It is great to attend this show with its
beautiful shaded grounds. The Oliver was featured this year along
with the Hart Parr. There were over seventy tractors and most were
very well restored. Interestingly enough there were very few
duplicates.
Col. Norm Stuckey took this 1947 Industrial Oliver 88, the last
of 16 made to the Darke County Steam Threshers Show, Greenville,
Ohio 1987.
Many from far away attend the Greenville show and this year was
no exception. Doug Strawser, one of the really big Oliver
collectors was there from Illinois. Harold D’Ment was also
there to give freely the great amount of information he has, having
worked for the Oliver Company for years.
Keith Wood was there from Clayton, Indiana displaying his
beautifully restored manure spreader, filled with many colorful
brochures from Oliver.
Don Livingston brought nine Olivers, all very unusual and very
well restored.
Kevin Lights of Arlington, Ohio brought his newly restored Super
44. He spent much of his time talking to people about an Oliver
Club.
I took six standard Olivers to the show but in the process of
loading my 900 a tire blew so it was left at home.
The idea of featuring a particular make of equipment is a fine
idea. I believe this has brought about a new interest that was
needed.
The shows are everywhere now and certain ones are attempting to
be unique and this will result in show growth. I was very impressed
with the Rock River Thresheree. The pile driver and models alone
make the trip worthwhile. Waukee with the Iron Seat Club is good
too.
It is my hope that we will continue to have peace and
prosperity. I’m a retired Air Force Officer and former jet
pilot. I have seen a lot of this world and I’ve lived a long
time and I’ve never seen people live as good as they do today.
Never fear the Russians, we will never have them as adversaries.
The next great war will be caused by racial envy and the Russians
will be our ally.
