Tuesday, April 29, 2014

TRACTOR MUSEUM PART 3 -HARD WORK PAYS OFF

I don't like throwing blogs out of fantastic collections without giving some background.
Keith Jones born in Abilene Virginia is the CEO of Abilene Motor Express and has a fleet of 300 trucks. Born in the small and now not even listed on maps town of Abilene along with his siblings cemented a strong work ethic working in the family service station. To cut ahead a little Keith resurrected the town name and in 1986 started the over the road trucking business with his brother Kolen starting with 2 trucks!  
The love of old Farm Tractors started a long time ago when his uncle passed and his aunt was auctioning off their farm tractor sitting in the field. Keith told his aunt he wanted the tractor and she told him bid on it like everyone else! The family work ethic is strong to say the least, he paid $1400 for it and months later his aunt gave him the money back declaring his uncle wanted him to have it all along! This was his first immaculate lovingly restored tractor! He was in the museum that day and walked past me a few times and smiled, said hello wearing a uniform so I was unaware he was the owner! I think he got a kick of how much I was enjoying the collection!!

 Oh yes there were cars also!









 Brand new 40th Anniversary Shelby GT500

THERE WAS ONE MORE WING OF THE BUILDING
That is a 2 parter itself!
 Fire Trucks







 The amount of rare lighting is unreal!
 Those 3 lights on the front spun in a circle when activated 
 Called a Roto-Ray



 The other side had light duty trucks

 Diamond T pick up






 Diamond T panel truck!
 Hey we just talked about the old Civil defense trucks
 Street rodded old cabover truck!
Got a kick out of the old bottle collections




 1 of 1 built from military surplus parts with a military spec Indian Motorcycle engine for power

 Never heard of the place and if I did not notice the building I may never have visited it! 
 Back to the Abilene rootes they use this old workhorse as a stage in an event area!
The place is another of those hidden treasures in plain sight!