About a year ago, the Old Dominion Stovebolt Society (who's members come from the Lower PA, MD and VA region) were alerted to an interesting Big Bolt in need of a rescue. The call came in, the rescue steam scrambled and went out (Hambone, Billy Marlow, Sweet and myself).
In a swamp/private junk yard (aka, a "private collection"), we found a mostly solid 1950 GMC 450 with a 270 engine, Clark 5-speed transmission, huge Braden winch and factory airbrakes. We were able to rescue this forlorn beauty, and under the direction of Sweet, got it started and running. He even drove it up on the trailer under it's own power. And ...
What other swamp find/rescue truck of this era could you drive out of the woods under it's own power and with functional brakes? (well, we did have to tap one drum to get the brake to release, but after it worked a bit, it has been fine).
We drove the truck around and played with the winch at Homecoming this year. Over the Summer, Buddy hauled water to the compost pile.
Now, in the Fall, Buddy has been a favorite of Photographers who come to the Stovebolt Headquarters campus to do sessions.
Plans for Buddy? None at the moment -- We just like playing with it as is.
We call it buddy because the four buddies co-own it.
There is this one switch/control that we have no idea what it is. You can rotate the wheel and the button is like a horn button. We haven't chased the plumbing yet. Maybe that will clue us in a little, but until we feel like doing that ... has anyone seen a control like this before?
