OT: The Princess's First Driving Lesson

So... awhile back I gave our daughter her first driving lesson....



PS: No clutch plates were fried in this video (I did correct her on riding the clutch but it didn't make the final cut)

Not everyone gets a driving lesson in what is basically an antique halftrack.

Pretty cool. Maybe a tad rough and loud?

Boy!!! What I would give up to get a driving lesson in that!!! That is too cool! Thanks for sharing. Ken

The first 400 yards would be fun! Beyond that it become WORK.

Joe in NH

She looks like she has the arms to handle it. I bet if you wrapped your arms up in that steering wheel and hit a rock, it would dis-member you in a heart beat! Wonder what the turning radius is on that beast?

Is that a Lombard she was driving?

Pretty cool. Maybe a tad rough and loud?

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Just a bit! What amazes me is she is Autistic and has always been very sensitive to sounds yet this old machinery doesn't bother her in the least!

She looks like she has the arms to handle it. I bet if you wrapped your arms up in that steering wheel and hit a rock, it would dis-member you in a heart beat! Wonder what the turning radius is on that beast?

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The steering isn't that bad at all. The chains are a bit slack so it doesn't kick back at all. With the hard rubber tires steering on soft ground or snow takes a lot of muscle. As for turning radius... I am going to guess maybe 25 to 30 feet? Its fairly manuverable.

Is that a Lombard she was driving?

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Yes, its a 1928 Lombard Model "T" dump truck. It weighs in at about 8 tons. Here is an advertisement from back in the day. Its an interesting beast to drive. It has 4 speeds forward and four in reverse. Reverse is via a separate reverse lever. As an option (and a bit extra) you could buy one with a six speed forward and two in reverse. It also came equipped with two sets of cleats that bolt to the track pads. - grousers for off road work and rubber pads for pavement - though I cannot imagine being the poor fellow who had to swap them over!



Abby loves to help out when we have events. Here she is helping prep the Steam Lombard Log Hauler for a run.



And helping to fill potholes.

Lucky kid. She seems to be enjoying herself. This is where pitching in on the maintenance and pothole filling pays off for her.

I regret that my son and I never shared a hobby like that. I think it would have helped in some of the rougher patches of our relationship.