American Restoration (2010–…): Season 2, Episode 25 - Tractors and Trains - full transcript
When a client brings in his father's 1954 Bantam tractor, Rick must mend this latent lawn wrangling machine. Can he successful salvage this project piece by piece, or will this farming fix ...
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- UP NEXT ON
AMERICAN RESTORATION
ONE OF MY REGULAR
CUSTOMERS JUST SHOWED UP.
- WE THOUGHT WE'D BRING
YOU ANOTHER TREASURE.
AND IT'S AN AIR BRAKE TESTER.
- THAT LOOKS LIKE IN
SOMEBODY'S MIND IT'S A TREASURE.
WELL, LET'S SEE WHAT WE GOT.
- IT'S A BANTAM
TRACTOR. IT WAS MY DAD'S.
- WOW.
- IT'S... SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED.
MY DAD PASSED AWAY IN 2002,
SO JUST TO SEE IT AGAIN,
IT'S GONNA CHOKE ME UP.
- WE'RE MISSING A FEW PARTS,
SO TYLER AND I GOT
TO HIT THE ROAD.
AH, CRAP.
REMEMBER BACK IN THE DAY
WHEN THINGS WERE MADE BY HAND
AND PEOPLE TOOK
PRIDE IN THEIR WORK?
MY NAME'S RICK DALE,
AND I BRING THESE
THINGS BACK TO LIFE.
EVERY RESTORATION HAS
ITS OWN SET OF CHALLENGES.
THERE'S NO OWNER'S
MANUAL FOR WHAT WE DO,
BUT THERE'S NO JOB
WE CAN'T HANDLE.
ONE OF MY REGULAR CUSTOMERS,
WHO RUNS A RAILROAD MUSEUM,
JUST SHOWED UP.
I WONDER WHAT HE'S GOT
FOR ME TO LOOK AT TODAY.
HEY, MARK, HOW YA DOING?
- GOOD, RICK, YOURSELF?
- GOOD TO SEE YOU. JOAN.
- HEY, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
- YOU TOO. YOU TOO.
- WELL, WE THOUGHT WE'D
BRING YOU ANOTHER TREASURE.
- THAT LOOKS LIKE IN SOMEBODY'S
MIND IT'S A TREASURE, HUH?
- CAME TO RICK'S TODAY TO HAVE
OUR AIR BRAKE TESTER RESTORED.
AND IT'S AN ORIGINAL
PIECE OF EQUIPMENT
THAT WE'D LIKE TO
PUT BACK IN SERVICE.
THIS IS PART OF OUR COLLECTION.
AND IT'S AN AIR BRAKE TESTER.
GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE CAME
UP WITH THE AIR BRAKE SYSTEM.
HE WAS QUITE THE INVENTOR.
- I WISH HE WAS STILL
ALIVE SO I COULD SORT OF
ASK HIM A FEW QUESTIONS
BEFORE I STARTED.
WELL, THIS IS DEFINITELY
THE FIRST TIME
I'VE EVER SEEN ONE OF THESE.
BUT I HAVE HEARD OF
WESTINGHOUSE BEFORE.
ASIDE FROM BEING A PIONEER
OF THE ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY,
HE WAS ALSO A HUGE INVENTOR.
SO THIS THING ACTUALLY ISN'T A
BRAKING SYSTEM FOR THE TRAINS.
IT ACTUALLY TESTED
THE BRAKES ON THE TRAIN.
- EXACTLY.
THE RAILROAD WAS BUILT
TO HAUL THE COPPER ORE,
WHICH IS VERY HEAVY.
- RIGHT.
- AND THEY'D COME DOWNHILL.
SO IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD
THING TO HAVE BRAKES
WHEN YOU'RE GOING DOWNHILL.
- ESPECIALLY IF IT'S
SOMETHING HEAVY, HUH?
- YEAH, LIKE SOMETHING
HEAVY. EXACTLY.
- BOTTOM LINE, IF THE
BRAKES ON A TRAIN
WEREN'T HOLDING
ENOUGH AIR PRESSURE,
THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE
TO STOP THE WHEELS,
AND YOU'D HAVE A RUNAWAY TRAIN.
SO THE TESTER MADE SURE
THERE WEREN'T ANY LEAKS.
- THEY WOULD HOOK THIS
TO THE BACK OF THE TRAIN.
THIS IS WHERE THE
AIR HOSE WOULD GO TO.
AND THEN THIS IS THE SAME VALVE
THAT THE ENGINEER
HAS UP IN THE CAB.
AND THEY WOULD PULL IT,
RELEASE SOME OF THE
AIR FROM THE TRAIN LINE,
AND THEN THAT SHOULD SET
UP THE BRAKES ON THE TRAIN.
- WHAT YEAR YOU
THINK THIS ONE IS?
- PROBABLY ABOUT 1910, 1915.
- THESE OLD CAST-IRON MACHINES
CAN BE PRETTY INTIMIDATING.
MARK KNOWS HOW IT WORKED,
BUT GETTING IT
ACTUALLY OPERATIONAL
COULD BE ANOTHER STORY.
MAKING IT WORK,
I'M GONNA HAVE TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT'S INSIDE HERE.
IT'S GOT A LOT OF
LITTLE VALVES ON IT.
- YES, THAT'S WHAT
WE HAVE UP THERE.
WE HAVE LOTS OF PUZZLES.
AND SOME OF THESE
PARTS ARE STILL AVAILABLE,
SO GIVE US A CALL
AND WE CAN GO OUT
TO THE AIR BRAKE BUILDING
FOR AIR BRAKE PARTS.
- I MEAN, AS FAR
AS RESTORING IT,
I'M PROBABLY LOOKING AT ABOUT
EIGHT HOURS TO TEAR IT DOWN.
- SURE.
- AND THEN AS LONG AS
STUFF COMES OFF
IN THE SANDBLASTING,
IT'S PROBABLY ABOUT
AN EIGHT AGAIN ON THAT.
ASSEMBLY, I... ASSEMBLY COULD
BE BETWEEN 10 AND 20 HOURS.
- OKAY.
- SO IF YOU ADD ALL THAT UP,
I'M PROBABLY LOOKING
AROUND, TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE,
RIGHT AROUND $5,000.
- OKAY.
- OKAY?
- ALL RIGHT.
- SO WE'RE GOOD TO
GO WITH THE PRICE?
- WE'RE GOOD TO
GO WITH THE PRICE.
THANK YOU, RICK.
- THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
- APPRECIATE IT.
- THANKS A LOT.
LET'S GO INSIDE AND
DO SOME PAPERWORK.
- OKAY.
ONCE THIS IS RESTORED,
WE'LL ACTUALLY USE IT
FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSES,
DOING THE JOB IT WAS
DESIGNED TO DO 90 YEARS AGO.
- WHAT DO YOU THINK?
LET'S TAKE THIS
WHOLE TOP UNIT OFF?
- WHATEVER.
- WE JUST GOT THIS AIR
BRAKE BLEEDER IN THE SHOP.
NOW KOWBOY AND I ARE
GONNA TEAR IT APART.
I CAN TELL YOU THIS
AIN'T GONNA BE NO FUN.
WHY DON'T WE LOOSEN THESE UP
AND LET'S SEE IF WE CAN'T
DROP THIS TANK OFF OF THERE.
SWEET MOLASSES.
- THAT'S THE STRENGTH
IN HIS ARM, BUDDY.
- ONE HELL OF A WHEEL.
- I GOT IT.
BRETTLY.
- HEY, RICK.
- HEY, MIKE.
- HOW'S IT GOING?
- GOOD. HOW YOU BEEN?
GOOD SEEING YOU.
- GOOD, GOOD, BROTHER. YOU?
- I'VE DONE A COUPLE OF JOBS
FOR MY BUDDY MIKE IN THE PAST.
MOST RECENTLY, I RESTORED
A NASA SPACE HELMET FOR HIM,
SO I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE
WHAT HE HAS FOR ME TODAY.
- THIS IS IT. MADE
IT IN ONE PIECE.
- ALL RIGHT. WELL,
LET'S SEE WHAT WE GOT.
WOW.
- I CAME DOWN TO RICK'S TODAY
TO GET MY 1954 BANTAM
YARD TRACTOR RESTORED.
- ALL RIGHT, MIKE, SO WHAT THE
HELL DID YOU BRING ME THIS TIME?
- PIECES AND PARTS OF EVERYTHING
I'D HAVE HAD FOR THIS THING.
IT'S A BANTAM TRACTOR.
IT WAS MY DAD'S.
HE BOUGHT IT RIGHT OFF
THE SHOWROOM FLOOR IN 1954.
- WOW.
- WELL, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S
SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED.
WELL, I SAW BY THE
FRONT, IT IS A BANTAM.
BANTAM TRACTORS HAVE
BEEN AROUND SINCE THE 1940s
AND WERE SORT OF THE INSPIRATION
FOR EVERY RIDE-ON
TRACTOR YOU SEE TODAY.
THIS THING IS WAY COOL.
THERE WAS A LOT OF
GUYS THAT DIDN'T WANT
TO MOW THEIR LAWNS BY HAND.
AND THIS THING WAS
ACTUALLY CAPABLE OF MOWING
LIKE TWO ACRES IN AN
HOUR, SO IT WAS HAULING.
- YEAH, WE HAD AN ACRE OF GRASS.
YEAH, DAD WOULD BE OUT
THERE SATURDAY MORNING.
THERE'S ME AND THE OLD MAN.
- WOW.
- MY DAD PASSED
AWAY IN 2002, SO...
BUT I WANT MY GIRLS TO GET,
YOU KNOW, THE SAME EXPERIENCE.
I WANT THEM TO DRIVE IT
AROUND THE BACKYARD.
- RIGHT, RIGHT.
IT'S LIKE A LITTLE TIE
TO THEIR GRANDPA.
- I REALLY NEED TO GET THIS
TRACTOR PICTURE-PERFECT.
IT'S SO MUCH MORE THAN
A RESTORATION FOR MIKE.
IT'S ABOUT RECONNECTING WITH
HIS FATHER THAT PASSED AWAY
AND PASSING ON THAT
LEGACY TO HIS OWN KIDS.
ALL RIGHT, SO HOW ARE YOU
SEEING THIS TOTALLY RESTORED, MIKE?
- I WANT IT TO LOOK
EXACTLY LIKE IT DID
WHEN MY DAD SAW IT FOR THE FIRST
TIME ON THAT SHOWROOM FLOOR.
- OKAY, OKAY.
- YOU KNOW?
I WANT IT TO BE THAT BRIGHT
BANTAM ORANGE, ALL THE DECALS.
- ALL RIGHT, AND YOU WANT
TO USE THIS AS A TRACTOR?
- JUST AS A TRACTOR.
I DON'T THINK I'M GONNA
CUT GRASS WITH IT.
I'LL LET THE KIDS
RIDE IT, YOU KNOW?
- OKAY.
- SO WHAT'S THIS GONNA COST ME?
AM I GONNA HAVE TO
SELL THE FARM, OR WHAT?
- SO WE GOT TEARDOWN,
WHICH ISN'T MUCH,
BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE
IT'S ALREADY IN PIECES.
- OH, YEAH.
- I'LL PROBABLY HAVE FOUR OR
FIVE HOURS IN SANDBLASTING.
THE MOTOR NEEDS TO COME APART,
WHICH YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA
HAVE ABOUT FOUR HOURS IN THAT.
SEND IT TO THE BODY SHOP,
DO THE BODY WORK ON IT.
PROBABLY HAVE EIGHT HOURS
ON ALL THESE PARTS RIGHT HERE.
NEXT THING AFTER THAT,
WE'LL END UP ASSEMBLING IT.
I'LL HAVE BETWEEN EIGHT AND
TEN HOURS PUTTING IT TOGETHER.
WHEN PEOPLE BRING THEIR
STUFF IN TO GET RESTORED,
I'M USED TO THERE
BEING MISSING PARTS.
BUT I'VE NEVER GOT SOMETHING
THAT'S ALREADY SEPARATED
INTO A MILLION PIECES.
THIS IS LOOKING ABOUT...
WE'RE LOOKING
BETWEEN $6,000 AND $6,500.
- OH, BOY.
ALL RIGHT, RICK, I'M GETTING
A LITTLE PLOWED UNDER HERE.
- YEAH, WELL, I MEAN, THE
THING IS, WHEN STUFF COMES IN
IN A MILLION PIECES LIKE THAT,
NEXT THING YOU KNOW,
WE'RE PUTTING IT TOGETHER
AND WE'RE MISSING
THIS ONE INTRICATE PART.
"OH, MY GOD."
SO I HAVE TO LEAVE
MYSELF A LITTLE CUSHION.
I WILL NOT OVERCHARGE
YOU, BUT THE WAY I'M SITTING
IN MY ESTIMATE IS RIGHT AT THAT,
YOU KNOW, BETWEEN
$6,000 AND $6,500.
- ALL RIGHT, RICK,
YOU'RE THE GUY TO DO IT.
I'D ONLY TRUST YOU
WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
I MEAN, THIS MEANS A LOT
TO ME. LET'S DO IT, BROTHER.
- ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT.
- LET'S DO IT, ALL RIGHT.
- SOUNDS GOOD.
LET'S GO INSIDE AND TAKE
CARE OF SOME PAPERWORK.
- I CAN'T WAIT TO GET
THIS TRACTOR BACK.
I CAN'T GUARANTEE I'M NOT GONNA,
YOU KNOW, BREAK DOWN AND CRY
WHEN I SEE THIS THING BECAUSE
IT HAD SO MANY GOOD MEMORIES.
JUST TO SEE IT AGAIN, YOU KNOW,
IT'S GONNA... IT'S
GONNA CHOKE ME UP.
- THE OTHER DAY WE GOT A
REALLY COOL AIR BRAKE TESTER
FROM MARK, WHO RUNS A
TRAIN MUSEUM IN ELY, NEVADA.
KYLE AND KOWBOY
TORE THIS THING DOWN
AND DETERMINED THAT
WE'RE MISSING A FEW PARTS.
SO NOW, TYLER AND I
GOT TO HIT THE ROAD
TO SEE IF WE CAN FIND THE
PARTS FROM MARK'S PLACE.
Pop!
- OH, CRAP.
- I GUESS YOU SHOULD FIX THAT.
- YEP, AND WE
DON'T HAVE A SPARE.
- WHOO.
SO WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO THEN?
- WELL, LET'S JUST HOPE THIS
PLACE HAS A RADIAL TIRE HERE.
I MEAN, THIS GAS STATION
MUST HAVE SOMETHING.
OH, MAN.
- THAT WHOLE TREAD CAME OFF.
- LET'S GO SEE IF THIS
GAS STATION'S GOT A TIRE.
- ALL RIGHT.
SHOULD HAVE TAKEN MY TRUCK.
- AW, COME ON.
- WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
- WE JUST GOT IN THIS
TRACTOR FROM A CUSTOMER.
IT'S PRETTY MUCH BROKEN
DOWN, WHICH IS AWESOME.
- LET'S START GOING
THROUGH ALL THIS,
SEE WHAT WE GOT.
- SOMEBODY'S ALREADY
HAD THIS THING APART.
- HONESTLY, I REALLY
DON'T LIKE STUFF COMING IN
THAT'S ALREADY TORE DOWN.
A LOT OF PEOPLE
THINK IT SAVES TIME.
BUT IN THE END IT ENDS
UP TAKING MORE TIME
BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO
SPEND HOURS FIGURING OUT
HOW TO PUT IT BACK TOGETHER.
- WE'RE GONNA PULL THE HOOD OFF.
WE GOT TO PULL THE SEAT
OFF, THE SEAT BRACKET.
- THERE AIN'T NOTHING
ELSE COMING OFF IT, HUH?
- NOPE. HE'S PRETTY
MUCH GOT IT GUTTED.
- YOU OSCAR?
- YES. GOOD MORNING.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
- OH, WELL, WE'RE IN DEEP
DOO-DOO RIGHT AT THE MOMENT.
- OH, OKAY.
- YOU GOT SOMETHING
THAT'S CLOSE TO THAT?
AFTER BLOWING A TIRE
ON OUR WAY TO ELY,
WE'RE RUNNING BEHIND SCHEDULE.
AND IF THIS GUY DOESN'T HAVE A
TIRE THAT WORKS ON MY TRUCK,
WE'RE NEVER GOING TO
MAKE IT TO MARK'S MUSEUM.
- WELL, I GOT THIS ONE.
IT'S ALMOST THE SAME SIZE.
- SEE THAT.
- YEAH. NO, THAT LOOKS GOOD.
LUCKILY, WE WERE ABLE
TO GET A SPARE TIRE
THAT SHOULD GET
US TO ELY AND BACK.
I JUST HOPE THAT MARK HAS
THE PARTS FOR THE AIR BRAKE.
OTHERWISE, WE WASTED
A LOT OF TIME AND A TIRE.
- DO YOU KNOW
WHERE YOU'RE GOING?
- YEAH, I KNOW EXACTLY
WHERE WE'RE GOING.
- SHOULDN'T YOU HAVE BROUGHT A
MAP OR SOMETHING OF SOME SORT?
- THERE'S ONLY ONE ROAD THERE.
YOU KNOW, ALL ROADS
LEAD TO THIS PLACE.
THEY DO.
- HEY, MARK.
- HEY, RICK.
- HOW YOU DOING?
- GOOD. TYLER.
- HOW'S IT GOING?
- GREAT.
- THIS PLACE IS AWESOME.
- OH, YEAH.
IT IS REALLY NEAT.
SO WHAT BRINGS
YOU UP TO EAST ELY?
- WELL, WE WERE
NEEDING A FEW PARTS.
- NEEDING PARTS?
WELL, YOU CAME
TO THE RIGHT PLACE.
WE HAVE TO GO TO
THE AIR BRAKE BUILDING.
- ALL RIGHT. HEAD US OFF.
- OKAY. RIGHT THIS WAY.
- THIS IS SO MUCH SNOW.
I DIDN'T WEAR THE
SHOES FOR THIS.
- DON'T BE A WUSS.
- THIS IS THE AIR BRAKE SHOP.
- OH, THIS IS COOL.
- THIS IS WHERE THEY DID THE
TESTING FOR THE AIR BRAKES.
YOU PROBABLY
RECOGNIZE THIS FROM...
- THE OTHER AIR BRAKE SYSTEM.
- YEAH, THE OTHER.
BECAUSE THIS IS A
MOUNTAIN RAILROAD,
IT'S COMING DOWNHILL.
AIR BRAKES WERE
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT
ESPECIALLY WITH
THE HEAVY TRAINS.
SO YOU GET MORE THAN FOUR
POUNDS A MINUTE IN LEAKAGE,
YOU GOT REAL PROBLEMS.
- YOU'RE GOING DOWNHILL FAST.
- YES, EXACTLY.
THIS IS THE PARTS ROOM.
THEY HAVE THE PARTS
STILL IN THE BINS.
THIS WAS USED FOR MAINTAINING
ALL OF THE AIR
BRAKES ON THE TRAIN.
AND RIGHT HERE,
THESE ARE THE GASKETS
THAT YOU'RE GOING TO
NEED FOR THE TEST RACK.
- YEAH. THIS ROOM IS AWESOME.
ALL THESE PARTS
WOULD HAVE BEEN
IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND ELSEWHERE.
I WISH I HAD A SETUP LIKE
THIS FOR EVERY JOB I DID.
- WHILE RICK'S ON THE ROAD,
BRETTLY AND I ARE
DOING THE BODY WORK
ON THIS BANTAM TRACTOR.
IT'S GOT A BUNCH OF DENTS IN
IT THAT WE HAVE TO BANG OUT,
AND WE HAVE TO GRIND OUT
THESE REALLY ROUGH WELDS.
- PHIL, MY SPARKS ARE
BIGGER THAN YOURS.
- YOU GET TO SAND IT TOO.
- IT'S GONNA BE A LONG DAY.
- OH, MAN.
TYLER AND I JUST
GOT BACK FROM ELY
AND NOW WE HAVE SOME
WORK TO CATCH UP ON.
ALL RIGHT, TY, GO TAKE
THOSE PARTS TO KOWBOY
AND GET THEM TO
PREP AND POLISH THEM
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
I'M GONNA GO PAINT THE TRACTOR.
- ALL RIGHT.
I'M GONNA STICK WITH THE
ORIGINAL BANTAM BODY COLOR,
WHICH WAS BRIGHT ORANGE.
BUT FOR THE ENGINE PARTS,
I'M GONNA ADD A LITTLE FLARE
AND PAINT IT WITH SOME CUSTOM
GOLD PAINT SO IT REALLY POPS.
WHEN I GET THIS
THING BACK TOGETHER,
IT'S GONNA BE THE BEST-LOOKING
TRACTOR ON THE WHOLE BLOCK.
- OKAY, LIFT UP THE
TANK A LITTLE BIT.
- EARLIER, TYLER AND
I DROVE OUT TO ELY
TO GET THE PARTS FOR
THE AIR BRAKE TESTER.
- LET'S GET IT ON THERE.
- NOW, KOWBOY AND KYLE
ARE GONNA PUT IT TOGETHER.
- SO THE TANK'S GONNA SLIDE
BACK INTO THIS VALVE RIGHT HERE.
- NOW, THAT'S GONNA BE
A BOOGER BEAR, ISN'T IT?
YEAH, IT IS.
- THIS PROJECT WAS
DEFINITELY A CHALLENGE.
BUT I REALLY ENJOYED
GETTING TO WORK ON IT.
IT'S NOT EVERY DAY THAT WE
GET TO RESTORE SOMETHING
WITH SUCH HISTORICAL
SIGNIFICANCE.
AND WHO DOESN'T LOVE TRAINS?
- WE CAME DOWN TO
RICK'S RESTORATIONS TODAY
TO PICK UP THE NEVADA NORTHERN
RAILWAY 1920s AIR BRAKE TRUCK.
- WE'RE REALLY
EXCITED TO SEE IT.
- RICK, ARE YOU AROUND?
OH!
- HOPE THIS THING
HAS BRAKES, MAN.
YEAH.
- SO WHAT DO YOU THINK?
- OH, RICK, IT'S AMAZING.
OH, THIS IS JUST FABULOUS.
- LOOK AT THAT.
- RICK DID AN AMAZING
JOB ON THE RESTORATION.
- IT'S TERRIFIC.
IT'S JUST TERRIFIC. I
THINK IT'S AWESOME.
- WHEN IT CAME APART, I MEAN,
LITERALLY EVERY SINGLE PIECE
OF THIS PIPE AND
TUBING AND VALVES,
EVERYTHING HAD
TO BE DISASSEMBLED
AND REWORKED INSIDE.
CLEANED UP, MAKE SURE
ALL THE VALVES WORK,
MAKE SURE ALL THE
DIAPHRAGMS ARE GOOD.
I MEAN, IT'S PRETTY
WILD HOW MANY VALVES
REALLY ARE ON THIS THING.
- OH, YEAH.
- I MEAN, YOU GOT BYPASSES...
YEAH, THIS IS A DOUBLE VALVE...
- YES.
- HERE.
I MEAN, THERE'S VALVES
EVERYWHERE ON THIS THING.
AND THEN I'M ASSUMING
THIS IS THE MAIN ONE,
THE THING TO GET IT GOING.
- THAT IS THE MAIN ONE.
THAT'S WHAT THE
ENGINEER WOULD USE
TO SET THEM UP AND RELEASE THEM.
NOW THAT RICK HAS RESTORED
THE AIR BRAKE TESTER,
I WANT TO TAKE IT BACK TO ELY,
SET UP A TRAIN, PUMP IT UP,
AND THEN ACTUALLY
FIND OUT HOW THIS WORKS
BECAUSE NONE OF US
HAVE OPERATED THIS.
SO WE'RE GONNA
HAVE TO FIGURE IT OUT
AND IT WILL BE KIND OF COOL.
- AS FAR AS EVERYTHING
WE GOT GOING ON HERE,
I MEAN, WE HIT THE
BUDGET RIGHT ON.
- COOL.
WELL, RICK, YOU
REALLY BLEW US AWAY.
THIS IS JUST GREAT.
- AWESOME.
- THANK YOU EVER SO MUCH.
- THANK YOU, GUYS.
JOAN, YOU MAKE SURE
HE COMES BACK TO ME
WITH EVERYTHING HE HAS.
- YOU GOT IT.
- OKAY, LET'S GO IN THE
OFFICE AND TAKE CARE
OF SOME PAPERWORK.
- ALL RIGHTY.
RICK DID AN AMAZING JOB,
AND IT'S GONNA BE
QUITE THE ADDITION
TO OUR COLLECTION
UP AT THE MUSEUM.
- OKAY, KYLE.
LET'S DROP THIS BAD BOY
AND SEE HOW IT LOOKS.
THIS BANTAM TRACTOR HAS
BEEN GOING REALLY WELL.
WHEN HE BROUGHT IT IN, IT
WAS A MESS OF LOOSE PIECES.
AND NOW, IT'S
SOMETHING HIS FATHER
WOULD HAVE BEEN REALLY PROUD OF.
JEFF AND I JUST
FINISHED REASSEMBLING
ALL THE ENGINE PARTS.
NOW KYLE AND I ARE GONNA START
PUTTING EVERYTHING
ELSE BACK TOGETHER.
IT SORT OF CLASHES
WITH THAT, DON'T IT?
- YEAH.
- I'M ALWAYS TAKING
CHANCES IN MY RESTORATIONS.
I REALLY TRY TO MAKE
THESE ITEMS STAND OUT.
- IT'S TERRIBLE.
- SO LET'S JUST TAKE IT APART,
SHOOT HER BLACK,
STICK HER BACK IN.
SO NOW, I'VE CREATED
MORE WORK FOR MYSELF
AND NOW I GOT TO
PAINT IT BACK TO BLACK.
- IF IT AIN'T ONE
THING, IT'S ANOTHER.
- WHAT YOU GUYS DOING?
- TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT THIS STEERING, MAN.
IT DOESN'T STEER WORTH A CRAP.
- YOU KNOW, BIG MIKE'S
GONNA GET ON THIS THING
AND IT AIN'T GONNA TURN AT ALL.
- IT'S NOT GONNA TURN.
- I THOUGHT IT WAS
GONNA BE SMOOTH SAILING
AFTER THAT PAINTING FIASCO.
BUT NOW I GOT A TRACTOR WITH
A BROKEN STEERING MECHANISM.
- SEE THIS BOTTOM
ONE WAS A NEW GEAR.
YOU CAN SEE HOW BAD
IT'S GETTING CHEWED UP
JUST FROM TWO... THREE DAYS.
- YEAH, THE PITCH SHOULD
BE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT
TO CATCH THE WHOLE GEAR.
I MEAN, ALL THEY'RE LITERALLY
DOING IS JUST HITTING THE...
WHAT, EIGHTH OF AN INCH?
- IF THAT.
- THE GEARS FOR THE STEERING
ARE NOT LINING UP PROPERLY.
SO THIS THING WILL
NOT TURN AT ALL.
BIG MIKE'S GONNA BE
ARRIVING ANY MINUTE.
IF WE CAN'T GET
THIS THING FIXED,
HE'S NOT GONNA BE
HAPPY WHEN HE GETS HERE.
- I REALLY HOPE MY
DAD TALKED TO BIG MIKE
ABOUT THE PROBLEMS
WITH HIS TRACTOR
BECAUSE I DO NOT
WANT TO BE THE ONE
TO HAVE TO BREAK
THE BAD NEWS TO HIM.
- TYLER.
- HOW'S IT GOING, MIKE?
- WHAT'S UP, BROTHER?
- YOU'RE HERE FOR
THE BANTAM, RIGHT?
- I'M HERE FOR THE
BUCKET OF BOLTS, MAN.
- MY DAD DIDN'T CALL YOU?
- NO.
- I MEAN, THEY SAID THEY WERE
HAVING SOME REAL PROBLEMS.
- ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
YOU'RE FREAKING ME OUT, MAN.
- ALL RIGHT. I'LL GO
CHECK. JUST STAY HERE.
- THIS BANTAM TRACTOR
WAS MY DAD'S TRACTOR.
IT'S GOT A LOT OF
SENTIMENTAL VALUE
BECAUSE EVERYBODY I
KNOW HAS SOMETHING
THAT REMINDS THEM OF THEIR DAD.
AND FOR ME, IT'S THIS TRACTOR.
I'M NERVOUS AND EXCITED.
BUT IF IT AIN'T READY, I MEAN,
I'M GONNA BE REALLY
DISAPPOINTED IN RICK.
- HEY, GUYS, MIKE'S HERE.
- WE GOT IT WORKING!
- WHOO-HOO-HOO!
YEAH!
WHOA, BABY!
- WHAT DO YOU THINK?
- DUDE.
- THAT'S LIKE SHOWROOM NEW.
- IT'S COOL, HUH?
- THAT IS SHOWROOM NEW.
- I BARELY MADE IT, THOUGH.
- DUDE, THAT'S AWESOME.
- CAME OUT NICE.
SO, YEAH, CHECK IT OUT.
- REMINDS ME OF MY DAD, MAN.
- YEAH, GOOD.
- IT REALLY DOES.
I MEAN, IT DOES.
- THANKS.
- YOU BET.
- WHEN THAT THING CAME
AROUND THE CORNER,
I WAS...
THE SOUND OF IT,
THE SMELL OF IT,
JUST TAKES ME BACK TO
BEING SIX YEARS OLD, DUDE.
- WOW.
MOMENTS LIKE THIS REALLY MAKE
ALL THE HARD WORK WORTHWHILE.
WE DIDN'T JUST RESTORE
A TRACTOR FOR MIKE,
WE BROUGHT BACK A
CONNECTION WITH HIS DAD.
AND IT'S JUST AN AMAZING
FEELING TO BE PART OF THAT.
- THIS WAS MY DAD'S
PRIDE AND JOY, YOU KNOW.
- YEAH, YEAH.
- I NEVER THOUGHT IT
WOULD LOOK LIKE THAT.
I KNOW MY DAD'S SOMEWHERE...
HE'S LOOKING DOWN ON
ME JUST SMILING, GOING,
"THAT'S MY TRACTOR."
- WE'VE GOT THESE JUST IN CASE.
- I NEED THEM.
OH, WOW. HOW DID YOU DO THIS?
- IT WAS PRETTY NASTY,
BUT THE CREW IS PHENOMENAL
AT THE JIGSAW PUZZLE.
- WOW. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.
I MEAN, I NEVER THOUGHT
YOU'D GET IT BACK TOGETHER.
YOU DON'T JUST PULL THEM
PARTS OUT OF YOUR BUTT.
- YEAH, SPEAKING OF YOUR BUTT.
- IS THAT THE ORIGINAL SEAT?
- THAT'S THE ORIGINAL SEAT.
WE REINFORCED IT ON THE BOTTOM
BECAUSE THIS IS JUST
SHEET METAL HERE,
SO WE PUT A 1/4 INCH
PLATE ALL IN HERE.
AND IF IT HELD YOU AND
YOUR DAD AT ONE POINT,
IT SHOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM NOW.
- THAT THING'S GOT
SOME SPRING TO IT.
- YEAH.
- ALL THE ORIGINAL STICKERS.
- WE PUT EVERY DECAL THAT USED
TO BE ON THE ORIGINAL MOTOR.
I MEAN, FROM THE AIR
CLEANER AND HOW TO CLEAN IT
TO HOW TO USE THE PIECE, PERIOD.
- I MEAN, IT LOOKS JUST
LIKE WHAT THE OLD MAN
WOULD HAVE SEEN IN THE SHOWROOM.
- RIGHT.
- THE PAINT, THE ENGINE.
ALL THE LITTLE DETAILS,
OH, MAN, JUST BLEW ME AWAY.
I'M AT A LOSS FOR WORDS,
AND I'M NOT USUALLY A GUY
AT A LOSS FOR WORDS, YOU KNOW?
WELL, HERE'S THE KEYS.
- I LIKE IT.
I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO
PUT A PRICE ON THIS THING.
I MEAN, I DON'T
CARE WHAT IT COSTS,
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF
IT WENT OVER BUDGET
THIS IS GONNA TURN INTO A
NOOSE WITH MY WIFE REAL QUICK.
WHERE WE AT, BUDDY?
- WELL, UM...
I QUOTED YOU $6,000 TO $6,500.
- YEAH, YOU'RE SCARING ME.
COME ON, MAN. LET'S GET AT THIS.
COME ON, RICK. SPIT IT OUT.
- UM...
- WHERE WE AT, BUDDY?
AM I SLEEPING IN MY
CAR? WHAT'S GOING ON?
- NO, YOU'RE NOT
SLEEPING IN YOUR CAR.
WE MADE BUDGET.
- WE DID? YEAH!
COME HERE! I GOT YOU!
- YEAH!
- YOU'RE PROBABLY THE
HAPPIEST CUSTOMER I'VE EVER HAD.
- OH, YOU DON'T KNOW.
NOW THAT THIS THING
IS LIKE BRAND-NEW,
I CAN'T WAIT TO JUST
GET IT BACK IN OUR YARD,
JUST DRIVE IT AROUND AND
SHOW OFF MY PRIDE AND JOY.
AND PEOPLE ARE JUST GONNA
LOSE IT WHEN THEY SEE THIS THING
BECAUSE IT'S SO NICE.
WHOO!
- HE'S LIKE A KID
IN A CANDY STORE.
AND THERE HE GOES.
- RIDE IT ALL THE WAY HOME.
- WE MAY NOT SEE HIM AGAIN.
- YAHOO!
---
- UP NEXT ON
AMERICAN RESTORATION
ONE OF MY REGULAR
CUSTOMERS JUST SHOWED UP.
- WE THOUGHT WE'D BRING
YOU ANOTHER TREASURE.
AND IT'S AN AIR BRAKE TESTER.
- THAT LOOKS LIKE IN
SOMEBODY'S MIND IT'S A TREASURE.
WELL, LET'S SEE WHAT WE GOT.
- IT'S A BANTAM
TRACTOR. IT WAS MY DAD'S.
- WOW.
- IT'S... SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED.
MY DAD PASSED AWAY IN 2002,
SO JUST TO SEE IT AGAIN,
IT'S GONNA CHOKE ME UP.
- WE'RE MISSING A FEW PARTS,
SO TYLER AND I GOT
TO HIT THE ROAD.
AH, CRAP.
REMEMBER BACK IN THE DAY
WHEN THINGS WERE MADE BY HAND
AND PEOPLE TOOK
PRIDE IN THEIR WORK?
MY NAME'S RICK DALE,
AND I BRING THESE
THINGS BACK TO LIFE.
EVERY RESTORATION HAS
ITS OWN SET OF CHALLENGES.
THERE'S NO OWNER'S
MANUAL FOR WHAT WE DO,
BUT THERE'S NO JOB
WE CAN'T HANDLE.
ONE OF MY REGULAR CUSTOMERS,
WHO RUNS A RAILROAD MUSEUM,
JUST SHOWED UP.
I WONDER WHAT HE'S GOT
FOR ME TO LOOK AT TODAY.
HEY, MARK, HOW YA DOING?
- GOOD, RICK, YOURSELF?
- GOOD TO SEE YOU. JOAN.
- HEY, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
- YOU TOO. YOU TOO.
- WELL, WE THOUGHT WE'D
BRING YOU ANOTHER TREASURE.
- THAT LOOKS LIKE IN SOMEBODY'S
MIND IT'S A TREASURE, HUH?
- CAME TO RICK'S TODAY TO HAVE
OUR AIR BRAKE TESTER RESTORED.
AND IT'S AN ORIGINAL
PIECE OF EQUIPMENT
THAT WE'D LIKE TO
PUT BACK IN SERVICE.
THIS IS PART OF OUR COLLECTION.
AND IT'S AN AIR BRAKE TESTER.
GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE CAME
UP WITH THE AIR BRAKE SYSTEM.
HE WAS QUITE THE INVENTOR.
- I WISH HE WAS STILL
ALIVE SO I COULD SORT OF
ASK HIM A FEW QUESTIONS
BEFORE I STARTED.
WELL, THIS IS DEFINITELY
THE FIRST TIME
I'VE EVER SEEN ONE OF THESE.
BUT I HAVE HEARD OF
WESTINGHOUSE BEFORE.
ASIDE FROM BEING A PIONEER
OF THE ELECTRICAL INDUSTRY,
HE WAS ALSO A HUGE INVENTOR.
SO THIS THING ACTUALLY ISN'T A
BRAKING SYSTEM FOR THE TRAINS.
IT ACTUALLY TESTED
THE BRAKES ON THE TRAIN.
- EXACTLY.
THE RAILROAD WAS BUILT
TO HAUL THE COPPER ORE,
WHICH IS VERY HEAVY.
- RIGHT.
- AND THEY'D COME DOWNHILL.
SO IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD
THING TO HAVE BRAKES
WHEN YOU'RE GOING DOWNHILL.
- ESPECIALLY IF IT'S
SOMETHING HEAVY, HUH?
- YEAH, LIKE SOMETHING
HEAVY. EXACTLY.
- BOTTOM LINE, IF THE
BRAKES ON A TRAIN
WEREN'T HOLDING
ENOUGH AIR PRESSURE,
THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE
TO STOP THE WHEELS,
AND YOU'D HAVE A RUNAWAY TRAIN.
SO THE TESTER MADE SURE
THERE WEREN'T ANY LEAKS.
- THEY WOULD HOOK THIS
TO THE BACK OF THE TRAIN.
THIS IS WHERE THE
AIR HOSE WOULD GO TO.
AND THEN THIS IS THE SAME VALVE
THAT THE ENGINEER
HAS UP IN THE CAB.
AND THEY WOULD PULL IT,
RELEASE SOME OF THE
AIR FROM THE TRAIN LINE,
AND THEN THAT SHOULD SET
UP THE BRAKES ON THE TRAIN.
- WHAT YEAR YOU
THINK THIS ONE IS?
- PROBABLY ABOUT 1910, 1915.
- THESE OLD CAST-IRON MACHINES
CAN BE PRETTY INTIMIDATING.
MARK KNOWS HOW IT WORKED,
BUT GETTING IT
ACTUALLY OPERATIONAL
COULD BE ANOTHER STORY.
MAKING IT WORK,
I'M GONNA HAVE TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT'S INSIDE HERE.
IT'S GOT A LOT OF
LITTLE VALVES ON IT.
- YES, THAT'S WHAT
WE HAVE UP THERE.
WE HAVE LOTS OF PUZZLES.
AND SOME OF THESE
PARTS ARE STILL AVAILABLE,
SO GIVE US A CALL
AND WE CAN GO OUT
TO THE AIR BRAKE BUILDING
FOR AIR BRAKE PARTS.
- I MEAN, AS FAR
AS RESTORING IT,
I'M PROBABLY LOOKING AT ABOUT
EIGHT HOURS TO TEAR IT DOWN.
- SURE.
- AND THEN AS LONG AS
STUFF COMES OFF
IN THE SANDBLASTING,
IT'S PROBABLY ABOUT
AN EIGHT AGAIN ON THAT.
ASSEMBLY, I... ASSEMBLY COULD
BE BETWEEN 10 AND 20 HOURS.
- OKAY.
- SO IF YOU ADD ALL THAT UP,
I'M PROBABLY LOOKING
AROUND, TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE,
RIGHT AROUND $5,000.
- OKAY.
- OKAY?
- ALL RIGHT.
- SO WE'RE GOOD TO
GO WITH THE PRICE?
- WE'RE GOOD TO
GO WITH THE PRICE.
THANK YOU, RICK.
- THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
- APPRECIATE IT.
- THANKS A LOT.
LET'S GO INSIDE AND
DO SOME PAPERWORK.
- OKAY.
ONCE THIS IS RESTORED,
WE'LL ACTUALLY USE IT
FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSES,
DOING THE JOB IT WAS
DESIGNED TO DO 90 YEARS AGO.
- WHAT DO YOU THINK?
LET'S TAKE THIS
WHOLE TOP UNIT OFF?
- WHATEVER.
- WE JUST GOT THIS AIR
BRAKE BLEEDER IN THE SHOP.
NOW KOWBOY AND I ARE
GONNA TEAR IT APART.
I CAN TELL YOU THIS
AIN'T GONNA BE NO FUN.
WHY DON'T WE LOOSEN THESE UP
AND LET'S SEE IF WE CAN'T
DROP THIS TANK OFF OF THERE.
SWEET MOLASSES.
- THAT'S THE STRENGTH
IN HIS ARM, BUDDY.
- ONE HELL OF A WHEEL.
- I GOT IT.
BRETTLY.
- HEY, RICK.
- HEY, MIKE.
- HOW'S IT GOING?
- GOOD. HOW YOU BEEN?
GOOD SEEING YOU.
- GOOD, GOOD, BROTHER. YOU?
- I'VE DONE A COUPLE OF JOBS
FOR MY BUDDY MIKE IN THE PAST.
MOST RECENTLY, I RESTORED
A NASA SPACE HELMET FOR HIM,
SO I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE
WHAT HE HAS FOR ME TODAY.
- THIS IS IT. MADE
IT IN ONE PIECE.
- ALL RIGHT. WELL,
LET'S SEE WHAT WE GOT.
WOW.
- I CAME DOWN TO RICK'S TODAY
TO GET MY 1954 BANTAM
YARD TRACTOR RESTORED.
- ALL RIGHT, MIKE, SO WHAT THE
HELL DID YOU BRING ME THIS TIME?
- PIECES AND PARTS OF EVERYTHING
I'D HAVE HAD FOR THIS THING.
IT'S A BANTAM TRACTOR.
IT WAS MY DAD'S.
HE BOUGHT IT RIGHT OFF
THE SHOWROOM FLOOR IN 1954.
- WOW.
- WELL, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S
SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED.
WELL, I SAW BY THE
FRONT, IT IS A BANTAM.
BANTAM TRACTORS HAVE
BEEN AROUND SINCE THE 1940s
AND WERE SORT OF THE INSPIRATION
FOR EVERY RIDE-ON
TRACTOR YOU SEE TODAY.
THIS THING IS WAY COOL.
THERE WAS A LOT OF
GUYS THAT DIDN'T WANT
TO MOW THEIR LAWNS BY HAND.
AND THIS THING WAS
ACTUALLY CAPABLE OF MOWING
LIKE TWO ACRES IN AN
HOUR, SO IT WAS HAULING.
- YEAH, WE HAD AN ACRE OF GRASS.
YEAH, DAD WOULD BE OUT
THERE SATURDAY MORNING.
THERE'S ME AND THE OLD MAN.
- WOW.
- MY DAD PASSED
AWAY IN 2002, SO...
BUT I WANT MY GIRLS TO GET,
YOU KNOW, THE SAME EXPERIENCE.
I WANT THEM TO DRIVE IT
AROUND THE BACKYARD.
- RIGHT, RIGHT.
IT'S LIKE A LITTLE TIE
TO THEIR GRANDPA.
- I REALLY NEED TO GET THIS
TRACTOR PICTURE-PERFECT.
IT'S SO MUCH MORE THAN
A RESTORATION FOR MIKE.
IT'S ABOUT RECONNECTING WITH
HIS FATHER THAT PASSED AWAY
AND PASSING ON THAT
LEGACY TO HIS OWN KIDS.
ALL RIGHT, SO HOW ARE YOU
SEEING THIS TOTALLY RESTORED, MIKE?
- I WANT IT TO LOOK
EXACTLY LIKE IT DID
WHEN MY DAD SAW IT FOR THE FIRST
TIME ON THAT SHOWROOM FLOOR.
- OKAY, OKAY.
- YOU KNOW?
I WANT IT TO BE THAT BRIGHT
BANTAM ORANGE, ALL THE DECALS.
- ALL RIGHT, AND YOU WANT
TO USE THIS AS A TRACTOR?
- JUST AS A TRACTOR.
I DON'T THINK I'M GONNA
CUT GRASS WITH IT.
I'LL LET THE KIDS
RIDE IT, YOU KNOW?
- OKAY.
- SO WHAT'S THIS GONNA COST ME?
AM I GONNA HAVE TO
SELL THE FARM, OR WHAT?
- SO WE GOT TEARDOWN,
WHICH ISN'T MUCH,
BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE
IT'S ALREADY IN PIECES.
- OH, YEAH.
- I'LL PROBABLY HAVE FOUR OR
FIVE HOURS IN SANDBLASTING.
THE MOTOR NEEDS TO COME APART,
WHICH YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA
HAVE ABOUT FOUR HOURS IN THAT.
SEND IT TO THE BODY SHOP,
DO THE BODY WORK ON IT.
PROBABLY HAVE EIGHT HOURS
ON ALL THESE PARTS RIGHT HERE.
NEXT THING AFTER THAT,
WE'LL END UP ASSEMBLING IT.
I'LL HAVE BETWEEN EIGHT AND
TEN HOURS PUTTING IT TOGETHER.
WHEN PEOPLE BRING THEIR
STUFF IN TO GET RESTORED,
I'M USED TO THERE
BEING MISSING PARTS.
BUT I'VE NEVER GOT SOMETHING
THAT'S ALREADY SEPARATED
INTO A MILLION PIECES.
THIS IS LOOKING ABOUT...
WE'RE LOOKING
BETWEEN $6,000 AND $6,500.
- OH, BOY.
ALL RIGHT, RICK, I'M GETTING
A LITTLE PLOWED UNDER HERE.
- YEAH, WELL, I MEAN, THE
THING IS, WHEN STUFF COMES IN
IN A MILLION PIECES LIKE THAT,
NEXT THING YOU KNOW,
WE'RE PUTTING IT TOGETHER
AND WE'RE MISSING
THIS ONE INTRICATE PART.
"OH, MY GOD."
SO I HAVE TO LEAVE
MYSELF A LITTLE CUSHION.
I WILL NOT OVERCHARGE
YOU, BUT THE WAY I'M SITTING
IN MY ESTIMATE IS RIGHT AT THAT,
YOU KNOW, BETWEEN
$6,000 AND $6,500.
- ALL RIGHT, RICK,
YOU'RE THE GUY TO DO IT.
I'D ONLY TRUST YOU
WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
I MEAN, THIS MEANS A LOT
TO ME. LET'S DO IT, BROTHER.
- ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT.
- LET'S DO IT, ALL RIGHT.
- SOUNDS GOOD.
LET'S GO INSIDE AND TAKE
CARE OF SOME PAPERWORK.
- I CAN'T WAIT TO GET
THIS TRACTOR BACK.
I CAN'T GUARANTEE I'M NOT GONNA,
YOU KNOW, BREAK DOWN AND CRY
WHEN I SEE THIS THING BECAUSE
IT HAD SO MANY GOOD MEMORIES.
JUST TO SEE IT AGAIN, YOU KNOW,
IT'S GONNA... IT'S
GONNA CHOKE ME UP.
- THE OTHER DAY WE GOT A
REALLY COOL AIR BRAKE TESTER
FROM MARK, WHO RUNS A
TRAIN MUSEUM IN ELY, NEVADA.
KYLE AND KOWBOY
TORE THIS THING DOWN
AND DETERMINED THAT
WE'RE MISSING A FEW PARTS.
SO NOW, TYLER AND I
GOT TO HIT THE ROAD
TO SEE IF WE CAN FIND THE
PARTS FROM MARK'S PLACE.
Pop!
- OH, CRAP.
- I GUESS YOU SHOULD FIX THAT.
- YEP, AND WE
DON'T HAVE A SPARE.
- WHOO.
SO WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO THEN?
- WELL, LET'S JUST HOPE THIS
PLACE HAS A RADIAL TIRE HERE.
I MEAN, THIS GAS STATION
MUST HAVE SOMETHING.
OH, MAN.
- THAT WHOLE TREAD CAME OFF.
- LET'S GO SEE IF THIS
GAS STATION'S GOT A TIRE.
- ALL RIGHT.
SHOULD HAVE TAKEN MY TRUCK.
- AW, COME ON.
- WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
- WE JUST GOT IN THIS
TRACTOR FROM A CUSTOMER.
IT'S PRETTY MUCH BROKEN
DOWN, WHICH IS AWESOME.
- LET'S START GOING
THROUGH ALL THIS,
SEE WHAT WE GOT.
- SOMEBODY'S ALREADY
HAD THIS THING APART.
- HONESTLY, I REALLY
DON'T LIKE STUFF COMING IN
THAT'S ALREADY TORE DOWN.
A LOT OF PEOPLE
THINK IT SAVES TIME.
BUT IN THE END IT ENDS
UP TAKING MORE TIME
BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO
SPEND HOURS FIGURING OUT
HOW TO PUT IT BACK TOGETHER.
- WE'RE GONNA PULL THE HOOD OFF.
WE GOT TO PULL THE SEAT
OFF, THE SEAT BRACKET.
- THERE AIN'T NOTHING
ELSE COMING OFF IT, HUH?
- NOPE. HE'S PRETTY
MUCH GOT IT GUTTED.
- YOU OSCAR?
- YES. GOOD MORNING.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
- OH, WELL, WE'RE IN DEEP
DOO-DOO RIGHT AT THE MOMENT.
- OH, OKAY.
- YOU GOT SOMETHING
THAT'S CLOSE TO THAT?
AFTER BLOWING A TIRE
ON OUR WAY TO ELY,
WE'RE RUNNING BEHIND SCHEDULE.
AND IF THIS GUY DOESN'T HAVE A
TIRE THAT WORKS ON MY TRUCK,
WE'RE NEVER GOING TO
MAKE IT TO MARK'S MUSEUM.
- WELL, I GOT THIS ONE.
IT'S ALMOST THE SAME SIZE.
- SEE THAT.
- YEAH. NO, THAT LOOKS GOOD.
LUCKILY, WE WERE ABLE
TO GET A SPARE TIRE
THAT SHOULD GET
US TO ELY AND BACK.
I JUST HOPE THAT MARK HAS
THE PARTS FOR THE AIR BRAKE.
OTHERWISE, WE WASTED
A LOT OF TIME AND A TIRE.
- DO YOU KNOW
WHERE YOU'RE GOING?
- YEAH, I KNOW EXACTLY
WHERE WE'RE GOING.
- SHOULDN'T YOU HAVE BROUGHT A
MAP OR SOMETHING OF SOME SORT?
- THERE'S ONLY ONE ROAD THERE.
YOU KNOW, ALL ROADS
LEAD TO THIS PLACE.
THEY DO.
- HEY, MARK.
- HEY, RICK.
- HOW YOU DOING?
- GOOD. TYLER.
- HOW'S IT GOING?
- GREAT.
- THIS PLACE IS AWESOME.
- OH, YEAH.
IT IS REALLY NEAT.
SO WHAT BRINGS
YOU UP TO EAST ELY?
- WELL, WE WERE
NEEDING A FEW PARTS.
- NEEDING PARTS?
WELL, YOU CAME
TO THE RIGHT PLACE.
WE HAVE TO GO TO
THE AIR BRAKE BUILDING.
- ALL RIGHT. HEAD US OFF.
- OKAY. RIGHT THIS WAY.
- THIS IS SO MUCH SNOW.
I DIDN'T WEAR THE
SHOES FOR THIS.
- DON'T BE A WUSS.
- THIS IS THE AIR BRAKE SHOP.
- OH, THIS IS COOL.
- THIS IS WHERE THEY DID THE
TESTING FOR THE AIR BRAKES.
YOU PROBABLY
RECOGNIZE THIS FROM...
- THE OTHER AIR BRAKE SYSTEM.
- YEAH, THE OTHER.
BECAUSE THIS IS A
MOUNTAIN RAILROAD,
IT'S COMING DOWNHILL.
AIR BRAKES WERE
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT
ESPECIALLY WITH
THE HEAVY TRAINS.
SO YOU GET MORE THAN FOUR
POUNDS A MINUTE IN LEAKAGE,
YOU GOT REAL PROBLEMS.
- YOU'RE GOING DOWNHILL FAST.
- YES, EXACTLY.
THIS IS THE PARTS ROOM.
THEY HAVE THE PARTS
STILL IN THE BINS.
THIS WAS USED FOR MAINTAINING
ALL OF THE AIR
BRAKES ON THE TRAIN.
AND RIGHT HERE,
THESE ARE THE GASKETS
THAT YOU'RE GOING TO
NEED FOR THE TEST RACK.
- YEAH. THIS ROOM IS AWESOME.
ALL THESE PARTS
WOULD HAVE BEEN
IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND ELSEWHERE.
I WISH I HAD A SETUP LIKE
THIS FOR EVERY JOB I DID.
- WHILE RICK'S ON THE ROAD,
BRETTLY AND I ARE
DOING THE BODY WORK
ON THIS BANTAM TRACTOR.
IT'S GOT A BUNCH OF DENTS IN
IT THAT WE HAVE TO BANG OUT,
AND WE HAVE TO GRIND OUT
THESE REALLY ROUGH WELDS.
- PHIL, MY SPARKS ARE
BIGGER THAN YOURS.
- YOU GET TO SAND IT TOO.
- IT'S GONNA BE A LONG DAY.
- OH, MAN.
TYLER AND I JUST
GOT BACK FROM ELY
AND NOW WE HAVE SOME
WORK TO CATCH UP ON.
ALL RIGHT, TY, GO TAKE
THOSE PARTS TO KOWBOY
AND GET THEM TO
PREP AND POLISH THEM
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
I'M GONNA GO PAINT THE TRACTOR.
- ALL RIGHT.
I'M GONNA STICK WITH THE
ORIGINAL BANTAM BODY COLOR,
WHICH WAS BRIGHT ORANGE.
BUT FOR THE ENGINE PARTS,
I'M GONNA ADD A LITTLE FLARE
AND PAINT IT WITH SOME CUSTOM
GOLD PAINT SO IT REALLY POPS.
WHEN I GET THIS
THING BACK TOGETHER,
IT'S GONNA BE THE BEST-LOOKING
TRACTOR ON THE WHOLE BLOCK.
- OKAY, LIFT UP THE
TANK A LITTLE BIT.
- EARLIER, TYLER AND
I DROVE OUT TO ELY
TO GET THE PARTS FOR
THE AIR BRAKE TESTER.
- LET'S GET IT ON THERE.
- NOW, KOWBOY AND KYLE
ARE GONNA PUT IT TOGETHER.
- SO THE TANK'S GONNA SLIDE
BACK INTO THIS VALVE RIGHT HERE.
- NOW, THAT'S GONNA BE
A BOOGER BEAR, ISN'T IT?
YEAH, IT IS.
- THIS PROJECT WAS
DEFINITELY A CHALLENGE.
BUT I REALLY ENJOYED
GETTING TO WORK ON IT.
IT'S NOT EVERY DAY THAT WE
GET TO RESTORE SOMETHING
WITH SUCH HISTORICAL
SIGNIFICANCE.
AND WHO DOESN'T LOVE TRAINS?
- WE CAME DOWN TO
RICK'S RESTORATIONS TODAY
TO PICK UP THE NEVADA NORTHERN
RAILWAY 1920s AIR BRAKE TRUCK.
- WE'RE REALLY
EXCITED TO SEE IT.
- RICK, ARE YOU AROUND?
OH!
- HOPE THIS THING
HAS BRAKES, MAN.
YEAH.
- SO WHAT DO YOU THINK?
- OH, RICK, IT'S AMAZING.
OH, THIS IS JUST FABULOUS.
- LOOK AT THAT.
- RICK DID AN AMAZING
JOB ON THE RESTORATION.
- IT'S TERRIFIC.
IT'S JUST TERRIFIC. I
THINK IT'S AWESOME.
- WHEN IT CAME APART, I MEAN,
LITERALLY EVERY SINGLE PIECE
OF THIS PIPE AND
TUBING AND VALVES,
EVERYTHING HAD
TO BE DISASSEMBLED
AND REWORKED INSIDE.
CLEANED UP, MAKE SURE
ALL THE VALVES WORK,
MAKE SURE ALL THE
DIAPHRAGMS ARE GOOD.
I MEAN, IT'S PRETTY
WILD HOW MANY VALVES
REALLY ARE ON THIS THING.
- OH, YEAH.
- I MEAN, YOU GOT BYPASSES...
YEAH, THIS IS A DOUBLE VALVE...
- YES.
- HERE.
I MEAN, THERE'S VALVES
EVERYWHERE ON THIS THING.
AND THEN I'M ASSUMING
THIS IS THE MAIN ONE,
THE THING TO GET IT GOING.
- THAT IS THE MAIN ONE.
THAT'S WHAT THE
ENGINEER WOULD USE
TO SET THEM UP AND RELEASE THEM.
NOW THAT RICK HAS RESTORED
THE AIR BRAKE TESTER,
I WANT TO TAKE IT BACK TO ELY,
SET UP A TRAIN, PUMP IT UP,
AND THEN ACTUALLY
FIND OUT HOW THIS WORKS
BECAUSE NONE OF US
HAVE OPERATED THIS.
SO WE'RE GONNA
HAVE TO FIGURE IT OUT
AND IT WILL BE KIND OF COOL.
- AS FAR AS EVERYTHING
WE GOT GOING ON HERE,
I MEAN, WE HIT THE
BUDGET RIGHT ON.
- COOL.
WELL, RICK, YOU
REALLY BLEW US AWAY.
THIS IS JUST GREAT.
- AWESOME.
- THANK YOU EVER SO MUCH.
- THANK YOU, GUYS.
JOAN, YOU MAKE SURE
HE COMES BACK TO ME
WITH EVERYTHING HE HAS.
- YOU GOT IT.
- OKAY, LET'S GO IN THE
OFFICE AND TAKE CARE
OF SOME PAPERWORK.
- ALL RIGHTY.
RICK DID AN AMAZING JOB,
AND IT'S GONNA BE
QUITE THE ADDITION
TO OUR COLLECTION
UP AT THE MUSEUM.
- OKAY, KYLE.
LET'S DROP THIS BAD BOY
AND SEE HOW IT LOOKS.
THIS BANTAM TRACTOR HAS
BEEN GOING REALLY WELL.
WHEN HE BROUGHT IT IN, IT
WAS A MESS OF LOOSE PIECES.
AND NOW, IT'S
SOMETHING HIS FATHER
WOULD HAVE BEEN REALLY PROUD OF.
JEFF AND I JUST
FINISHED REASSEMBLING
ALL THE ENGINE PARTS.
NOW KYLE AND I ARE GONNA START
PUTTING EVERYTHING
ELSE BACK TOGETHER.
IT SORT OF CLASHES
WITH THAT, DON'T IT?
- YEAH.
- I'M ALWAYS TAKING
CHANCES IN MY RESTORATIONS.
I REALLY TRY TO MAKE
THESE ITEMS STAND OUT.
- IT'S TERRIBLE.
- SO LET'S JUST TAKE IT APART,
SHOOT HER BLACK,
STICK HER BACK IN.
SO NOW, I'VE CREATED
MORE WORK FOR MYSELF
AND NOW I GOT TO
PAINT IT BACK TO BLACK.
- IF IT AIN'T ONE
THING, IT'S ANOTHER.
- WHAT YOU GUYS DOING?
- TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT THIS STEERING, MAN.
IT DOESN'T STEER WORTH A CRAP.
- YOU KNOW, BIG MIKE'S
GONNA GET ON THIS THING
AND IT AIN'T GONNA TURN AT ALL.
- IT'S NOT GONNA TURN.
- I THOUGHT IT WAS
GONNA BE SMOOTH SAILING
AFTER THAT PAINTING FIASCO.
BUT NOW I GOT A TRACTOR WITH
A BROKEN STEERING MECHANISM.
- SEE THIS BOTTOM
ONE WAS A NEW GEAR.
YOU CAN SEE HOW BAD
IT'S GETTING CHEWED UP
JUST FROM TWO... THREE DAYS.
- YEAH, THE PITCH SHOULD
BE ENTIRELY DIFFERENT
TO CATCH THE WHOLE GEAR.
I MEAN, ALL THEY'RE LITERALLY
DOING IS JUST HITTING THE...
WHAT, EIGHTH OF AN INCH?
- IF THAT.
- THE GEARS FOR THE STEERING
ARE NOT LINING UP PROPERLY.
SO THIS THING WILL
NOT TURN AT ALL.
BIG MIKE'S GONNA BE
ARRIVING ANY MINUTE.
IF WE CAN'T GET
THIS THING FIXED,
HE'S NOT GONNA BE
HAPPY WHEN HE GETS HERE.
- I REALLY HOPE MY
DAD TALKED TO BIG MIKE
ABOUT THE PROBLEMS
WITH HIS TRACTOR
BECAUSE I DO NOT
WANT TO BE THE ONE
TO HAVE TO BREAK
THE BAD NEWS TO HIM.
- TYLER.
- HOW'S IT GOING, MIKE?
- WHAT'S UP, BROTHER?
- YOU'RE HERE FOR
THE BANTAM, RIGHT?
- I'M HERE FOR THE
BUCKET OF BOLTS, MAN.
- MY DAD DIDN'T CALL YOU?
- NO.
- I MEAN, THEY SAID THEY WERE
HAVING SOME REAL PROBLEMS.
- ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
YOU'RE FREAKING ME OUT, MAN.
- ALL RIGHT. I'LL GO
CHECK. JUST STAY HERE.
- THIS BANTAM TRACTOR
WAS MY DAD'S TRACTOR.
IT'S GOT A LOT OF
SENTIMENTAL VALUE
BECAUSE EVERYBODY I
KNOW HAS SOMETHING
THAT REMINDS THEM OF THEIR DAD.
AND FOR ME, IT'S THIS TRACTOR.
I'M NERVOUS AND EXCITED.
BUT IF IT AIN'T READY, I MEAN,
I'M GONNA BE REALLY
DISAPPOINTED IN RICK.
- HEY, GUYS, MIKE'S HERE.
- WE GOT IT WORKING!
- WHOO-HOO-HOO!
YEAH!
WHOA, BABY!
- WHAT DO YOU THINK?
- DUDE.
- THAT'S LIKE SHOWROOM NEW.
- IT'S COOL, HUH?
- THAT IS SHOWROOM NEW.
- I BARELY MADE IT, THOUGH.
- DUDE, THAT'S AWESOME.
- CAME OUT NICE.
SO, YEAH, CHECK IT OUT.
- REMINDS ME OF MY DAD, MAN.
- YEAH, GOOD.
- IT REALLY DOES.
I MEAN, IT DOES.
- THANKS.
- YOU BET.
- WHEN THAT THING CAME
AROUND THE CORNER,
I WAS...
THE SOUND OF IT,
THE SMELL OF IT,
JUST TAKES ME BACK TO
BEING SIX YEARS OLD, DUDE.
- WOW.
MOMENTS LIKE THIS REALLY MAKE
ALL THE HARD WORK WORTHWHILE.
WE DIDN'T JUST RESTORE
A TRACTOR FOR MIKE,
WE BROUGHT BACK A
CONNECTION WITH HIS DAD.
AND IT'S JUST AN AMAZING
FEELING TO BE PART OF THAT.
- THIS WAS MY DAD'S
PRIDE AND JOY, YOU KNOW.
- YEAH, YEAH.
- I NEVER THOUGHT IT
WOULD LOOK LIKE THAT.
I KNOW MY DAD'S SOMEWHERE...
HE'S LOOKING DOWN ON
ME JUST SMILING, GOING,
"THAT'S MY TRACTOR."
- WE'VE GOT THESE JUST IN CASE.
- I NEED THEM.
OH, WOW. HOW DID YOU DO THIS?
- IT WAS PRETTY NASTY,
BUT THE CREW IS PHENOMENAL
AT THE JIGSAW PUZZLE.
- WOW. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.
I MEAN, I NEVER THOUGHT
YOU'D GET IT BACK TOGETHER.
YOU DON'T JUST PULL THEM
PARTS OUT OF YOUR BUTT.
- YEAH, SPEAKING OF YOUR BUTT.
- IS THAT THE ORIGINAL SEAT?
- THAT'S THE ORIGINAL SEAT.
WE REINFORCED IT ON THE BOTTOM
BECAUSE THIS IS JUST
SHEET METAL HERE,
SO WE PUT A 1/4 INCH
PLATE ALL IN HERE.
AND IF IT HELD YOU AND
YOUR DAD AT ONE POINT,
IT SHOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM NOW.
- THAT THING'S GOT
SOME SPRING TO IT.
- YEAH.
- ALL THE ORIGINAL STICKERS.
- WE PUT EVERY DECAL THAT USED
TO BE ON THE ORIGINAL MOTOR.
I MEAN, FROM THE AIR
CLEANER AND HOW TO CLEAN IT
TO HOW TO USE THE PIECE, PERIOD.
- I MEAN, IT LOOKS JUST
LIKE WHAT THE OLD MAN
WOULD HAVE SEEN IN THE SHOWROOM.
- RIGHT.
- THE PAINT, THE ENGINE.
ALL THE LITTLE DETAILS,
OH, MAN, JUST BLEW ME AWAY.
I'M AT A LOSS FOR WORDS,
AND I'M NOT USUALLY A GUY
AT A LOSS FOR WORDS, YOU KNOW?
WELL, HERE'S THE KEYS.
- I LIKE IT.
I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO
PUT A PRICE ON THIS THING.
I MEAN, I DON'T
CARE WHAT IT COSTS,
BUT, YOU KNOW, IF
IT WENT OVER BUDGET
THIS IS GONNA TURN INTO A
NOOSE WITH MY WIFE REAL QUICK.
WHERE WE AT, BUDDY?
- WELL, UM...
I QUOTED YOU $6,000 TO $6,500.
- YEAH, YOU'RE SCARING ME.
COME ON, MAN. LET'S GET AT THIS.
COME ON, RICK. SPIT IT OUT.
- UM...
- WHERE WE AT, BUDDY?
AM I SLEEPING IN MY
CAR? WHAT'S GOING ON?
- NO, YOU'RE NOT
SLEEPING IN YOUR CAR.
WE MADE BUDGET.
- WE DID? YEAH!
COME HERE! I GOT YOU!
- YEAH!
- YOU'RE PROBABLY THE
HAPPIEST CUSTOMER I'VE EVER HAD.
- OH, YOU DON'T KNOW.
NOW THAT THIS THING
IS LIKE BRAND-NEW,
I CAN'T WAIT TO JUST
GET IT BACK IN OUR YARD,
JUST DRIVE IT AROUND AND
SHOW OFF MY PRIDE AND JOY.
AND PEOPLE ARE JUST GONNA
LOSE IT WHEN THEY SEE THIS THING
BECAUSE IT'S SO NICE.
WHOO!
- HE'S LIKE A KID
IN A CANDY STORE.
AND THERE HE GOES.
- RIDE IT ALL THE WAY HOME.
- WE MAY NOT SEE HIM AGAIN.
- YAHOO!