Seldom Seen but Always Appreciated
On Saturday afternoon, October 15th, the Specialty Vehicle Association of Alberta held its fall meeting in conjunction with the swap meet in Red Deer. I left home very early for the meeting so that I could have first choice of the Model T parts at the swap meet and still have time to pay a visit to David Smith who lives near Falun, west of Wetaskewin.
David has his own mini Reynolds Museum which focuses on tractors, stationary engines and specialty Model Ts that, as the Studebaker Club motto says, are seldom seen but always appreciated.
David explained to me that about 150 different systems were manufactured to convert the Model T into a tractor. He owns an original Ford-A-Tractor conversion and another T that has been converted to a tractor using plans from and early Popular Mechanics magazine.
Having spent much of his life working in the far north Dave has lots of experience with the tracked vehicles used to cross the vast area of snow and muskeg. It seems only natural then that he should have a T with tracks. His Model T snowmobile uses the tracks and drive system from an early Bombardier.
TT trucks arent much fun for touring so they are rarely seen in public. Dave owns a beautifully restored TT, sporting a birch cab and wood stake rack box.
Dave does occasionally tour in a canary yellow depression pickup made from a cut down touring with a home made wooden truck box and a roadster style wooden top.
Thank you Dave for your hospitality and for making the time to open your toy box and show me some of your unique treasures.
I made it back to the SVAA meeting just in time for the introductions.