I guess every cloud has a silver lining. Just a number of weeks ago I was all ready to acquire a project vehicle when the owner changed his mind.
I have had a number of possible projects all awaiting the right funding and opportunity and so when that one fell through I touched base with our local friend Mike Calnan about the Canadair CL70 we had been negotiating on. Once confirmed that all was still good I proceeded to make a recce as this end of the province has been closing out the fall with rain, lots of it.
So, confirmation of the literal lie of the land formulated my plans and a mutually agreeable day was arranged. I booked a rental trailer and small excavator from fellow MV owner Ryan Harriman.
A phone call was made to Peter Duggan who leapt at the chance to come recover something.
So a few days ago we arrived at Mikes place and went for a walk into the tall grass storage and poked around. After some comparison Mike offered me the opportunity to take both front cars with me as the second one has parts I will need and it is easier to take them off at a shop rather than in the field. This decision had implications later. This second front car will be returned later.
All was in order and so we walked the excavator in and started attaching to the individual front and rear cars one by one and lifting them free from the ground. They came free easily and the excavator was good at providing gentle but controllable tension to get them moving. The rear car that didn't want to roll the tracks slid well over the wet grass.
Once we had all three pieces out of the field we backed the trailer in. As part of the purchase a spare chassis frame was included.
We had thought we were taking home just two pieces and the excavator couldn't lift anything onto the back deck of the truck, so we loaded the rear car and frame onto the trailer and headed a few miles to a local business that has an overhead crane and cross decked the pair onto the back of the truck.
Returning to the field we then used the excavator to draw the front car straight up onto the trailer from alongside.
Peter was chief tape measure operator and declared that the second front car needed to be slewed across the trailer once the excavator was loaded in the middle to balance the trailer reasonably.
It took a while to tie down but we were on the road in daylight. A stop a few miles away confirmed that some parts needed attention and the rest was well secure.
The unload I did solo and it went so much faster.
There will be a short delay while other pressing projects get sorted but the planning on this project is well underway and there will be posts from time to time as things happen.
Should any of you have information about this wonderful machine please don't hesitate to chime in.
My thanks go to Mike Calnan who is great to negotiate with, Peter Duggan as drivers and loaders mate and fresh air inspector extraordinaire, Ryan Harriman in the equipment rental department and lastly in her starring role, my lady Jan in the role of the understanding partner and money mover.
If anyone can rotate the two pictures please do so as I have tried in vain.
