THE OLD TIMER
1956 INTERNATIONAL
MISTY’S WORK TRUCK
Still Going Strong at Fifty Years Old
October, 2006
AN ENDURING PIECE OF ENGINEERING
You’ll have to admit there is a certain majesty about such a machine.
This International 200 glows when Misty is around.
ON THE WORK SITE
Misty, her dad, Tom and the International were busy hauling debris from a hole on Main Street on this day.
DEFINITELY A GOOD DRIVER
Misty wasn’t shy about telling me what she liked best about the truck.
IT’S THE HORN
I have to agree with her – the horn is beautiful to behold, even though it doesn’t make any sound. She also loves the brakes, because of the sound they make. And, thankfully, they do work, unlike the horn. There’s something convoluted about this – liking the horn for its looks and the brakes for their sound.
OKAY
Now it is time to see what the beast can do. Misty explains her action plan.
MANEUVERING
It took a few passes to get the truck into the perfect position to dump her load.
And then, Misty used both feet to hold the clutch and engage the dumping mechanism. Gymnastics, Dance or Yoga comes in handy at this point.
AHHHHHHH
A grin spreads across Misty’s face as the load begins to move upwards.
GRAVITY
Gravity can be a drag. But in a good way!
Finally, with a few shakes of the lever, Misty shakes the last few pieces of concrete onto the pile.
HIGH SIGN
As she lowers the dump, Misty gives me a triumphant wave.
THE CONTROL PANEL
Kind of looks like an old airplane. Where’s the altimeter?
At the end of the day I’ll bet this steering wheel feels about three feet across.
BEAUTY IS AS BEAUTY DOES
This is Camille’s favorite shot because of the clouds in the glass, the horn, the temporary plate and the broken window. It says “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” and “I may not be pretty but I can still get the job done.”