Gilbert Tractor Club
Nov.1, 2022
Meeting Place: Ames Lab in Ames, Iowa
Welcome \ Introductions: Bob kicked off our meeting.
Guest and family additions: None
Treasurer Report: around $1,325.00
Old Business: December will be a trip revisit to Larry Massdam at Clarion. We’ll tour the Heartland Museum, have lunch and then possibly head to his home to see his tractor collection and toy tractors collection. Directions will be sent later.
New Business:
Discussion Items: Future Presentations and ideas.
Auction or Threshing events: None
For Sale or Wish List: None
Presentation: Al was the official attendance taker as we entered the doors of the Ames Lab. They required a head count with names.
Greg, Maggie and Mitchell from the ISU Antique Tractor club spoke briefly about their club and their activities. They held their first tractor show and had a great turn out with about 25 tractors. They have a D17, 1959 Allis Chalmers that they’re working on. They raise money for their projects by taking the donated tractors, restoring them and then selling them. This money is then used to restore their next tractor. When a tractor is donated, they consider the money it will take for restoration and the length of time. If it will fit within their budget, they accept the donated tractor. The next tractor under consideration is a Super MTA.
The club meets two night per week. They’d also be happy to have us visit their shop; however, they only meet on Mondays and Thursdays. On November 7th, they’ll have a fund raiser at the Ames Pizza Ranch located on 13th street. In the future there is possibility that our club and their club could join together for a tractor show.
Paul showed us a diagram of the buildings surrounding the lab and discussed various tunnels which run under them, plus the various pipes which go from building to building. Zaff hall, which is where the Ames Lab is located was built in 1967. Physics Hall was built in 1960, which is where Paul started work. There are 2 Ames Labs, the Ames Animal Disease Lab and the one we were at, known as the Ames National Lab. We then started the tour. In one building we learned the Nitrogen tank held 10,000 gallons and the building has over 3,500 feet of 2” piping which runs from building to building. We toured various levels and ended up down in one of the tunnel areas. One area had daisy chained nitrogen tanks, some of which date back to WW1. The tanks are sent to Nebraska every so often to be inspected. Students do not work in the Ames Lab.
Secretary Report by: Marlene Youde