4777 Upper Valley Pike, Dayton, Ohio 45424
We didn’t want the good times to end at the Geneseo,
Illinois, Minneapolis-Moline Collector’s Winter Convention,
February 20-23, 1992. About three hundred enthusiastic ‘Old
Iron Nuts’ converged on the Deck Motor Inn to renew
relationships and build new ones. It looked like the preacher had
been paid since the weather was fine for such an event.
It was a natural move to the Hospitality Suite after checking
in. You guessed right, Jerry Erickson was all set up with his vast
array of literature; Joe Klovine had many parts. Charlie Schleeve
brought many items and Alvin Egbert was quick to buy up the lights.
The usual highlight of the Hospitality Room is the wonderful
literature display of president Dan Shima and his wife Delores.
Roger Mohr was proudly showing off his new beautiful wife, Marie,
as he displayed his newest model MM tractor and newer tractor
decals.
Dale and Sharon Casteel hosted the convention and everyone could
see the professional job they did. Early on, the attendees drove
the short distance to the Casteel farm to their fine collection.
Sharon provided a fine spread of goodies while Dale tried to
explain how he found the time to restore along with grain and
livestock farming. It was worth the trip to see Casteel’s
Minneapolis-Moline Experimental tractor.
William ‘Bill’ Ellis is an engineer for the Army at the
Rock Island Arsenal. Eighteen years ago the bug bit him with his
first acquisition. Since then many fine additions have been made to
his collection of military, industrial and unusual MM pieces. These
we enjoyed seeing at Taylor Ridge, a village you could throw a rock
across, halfway between his home in Moline and his farm. Requiring
a close look, was his 1210 cubic inch MM power unit, two 605
engines side by side, made for the Navy.
E. F. Freeman from Tennessee chauffeured some of us to Ron and
Lora Lea Miller’s fine collection of Rumelys west of town.
While there we had a good talk with Kirt Stein who has a collection
of big old tractors in northwest Iowa.
It was an easy ride into Rock Island to look at Ed Spiess’
collection of rare name tractors like Intercontinental, Custom,
Cockshutt, Silver King, Brockway, etc. Wherever one goes, each
collection is great and unique.
Richard Millis stayed close to the motel and his new purchase.
It looked and ran like a new one but it was very different which
kept a number of people around it most of the time asking
questions. The tractor was made from two MMG tractors which had
been built into a four wheel drive articulating tractor before most
other companies had even dreamed of a big four wheel drive.
According to Richard there were 31 of these tractors that had been
built in Arkansas by Stullgart Tractor Co. He said these tractors
were used as a prototype which permitted Minneapolis-Moline to
construct their A4T in just a few months.
The Saturday auction brought out many parts and pieces of
literature which filled the needs of these collectors. Don Cotton
kept his hand up to add pieces to his extensive amounts of printed
material. Vernon Parizek and Ken Fenseth made sure everyone had a
bidders number and Steve Egbert helped as auctioneer. Ray Musselman
was first buyer, three MM caps for $10.00. Guy Alspaugh, the famous
Uniman and Charlie Doty the used-to-be MM dealer were very visible.
The Indianapolis area was well represented as Don Kingen, Rex and
Dale Mercer were there with their wives. These devoted collectors
hosted the winter meeting previously. Larry Holmes and Harley
Stokstad enjoyed talking about their rare and valuable MM tractors.
Walter Keller when dickering for Larry’s YT thought the
transfer price was $45,000 but Larry said that was a
misunderstanding. Cliff and Don Nelson were there from Michigan.
Don said he called a friend and told him he knew a farmer who
wanted to sell a cab for an R MM tractor for $35.00. The friend
declined and another man bought it and put it in an auction where
it brought $1500.00. The auction ended with the crowd going to the
parking lot where a MM G-1000 Vista in new paint and running good
was auctioned off. Norman Shanz was the final bidder for $3100.
Norman Shanz will help to host the next winter convention at
Homestead, Iowa, March 1993. This group will enjoy going to the
Amana Colonies where MM equipment was always preferred.
Another highlight of the convention was a fine lecture by Oran
Schmidt and Wilbur Kerschner on the LP induction system used on MM
tractors.
The banquet Saturday night was attended by 240 people. After a
good dinner, Laural Spring the weather commentator from station
WHDF gave a humorous talk. Even Bill and Kay Meeker, Oliver
collectors from N. Henderson, Illinois, enjoyed our program. Dan
Shima conducted a brief meeting and encouraged all to attend the
summer show August 15-16, 1992 at LaGrange, Indiana. The
entertainment ended with a fine slide presentation by Bill Ellis on
military vehicles.
A Minneapolis-Moline tractor makes a superannuated homo sapien
gleeful! Exclusive dedication to necessitous chores without
interludes of hedonistic diversion renders Jack a habetudinous
fellow!!
