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Wfen the ET list of owners was put together, I listed my E10M
which I purchased new, probably in the late 60's or early 70's. I couldn't
recall exactly when. I believe that someone asked if I could remember how much I
paid for it, which I couldn't.
I have been thinking about about it since then and looking for
any records. I think that what I have found will be of interest
to several of the group. Just a couple of days ago I found my
original check record book for the years 1968 to '75. I found the check
listing.
The Elec-Trak E10M was purchased on July 8, 1972 from the
Boulder Dealer, a local Equipment Co. owned
by a nearby neighbor. The price was $1152.57 including tax. After finding that record, I located the former
neighbor in Berthoud Colo., about 35 miles north of Boulder. I called him and
talked with him about his experiences as dealer. He is about 85 now;
after a stroke and a cardiac artery bypass operation, his memory
is rather hazy about many things.
He sold 20 or 21 ET's during the years he handled them. The
most interesting thing he remembers happened after he met a man in Boulder who
worked for Climax Molybdenum Co. They mined Molybdenum up at Climax Colo. from
the fifties until the nineties, I believe. Climax is about 15 or so miles
off I70 between Vail and Frisco, at about 10,000 ft. altitude. He
took an ET (probably an E20), up to the mine for a demo.
They were using lp-gas-fueled tractors in the mine. This meant
lots of extra ventilation was required, especially at that altitude. The
air-breathing tractors were certainly not at their best at that altitude either,
especially in those days.
For a demo, they hooked up the ET to a mine cart. It
pulled it with no problem at all. They added another, and another, until it
was pulling four with apparently no problem. They bought that tractor on
the spot. They subsequently bought five more. That was the only volume sale
he ever made. This is also probably the first ET Tractor Pull.
The mine was shut down in the nineties, I believe. The company
apparently still operates a mine near Henderson Colo., not very far from Climax,
but possibly a little lower altitude. I am going to see if I can find out
anything more about the ET's from them.
Herb Crary
Boulder CO
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