By CINDY LADAGE
Illinois Correspondent

BOURBANNAIS, Ill. — This year at Bourbannais, Illinois collectors came to enjoy the Fourth of July weekend and the 32nd annual tractor and car show, which featured  Ford and Fordson tractors.
On this year’s “Thee Olde Time Farm Show” placard, Jim Hubley’s 1955 640 Ford tractor with a Dearborn Bucket Loader was especially highlighted. The little booklet that details information about the show explained he found this tractor buried in the woods in a Deselm fencerow.

“After some down-to-earth negotiations, he brought it home and began the process of renewal,” the story shared.

Although Ford was the featured brand, since the Bourbannais/Bradley area was the home of the David Bradley Manufacturing Co., Bradley garden tractors and memorabilia were on hand, as well. Bob Simpson represented the Bradley collectors club and had a variety of items from the company.

The group is trying to raise money to create a David Bradley museum. Simpson said in Bourbannais, there is a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright where Bradley’s son, Byron, once lived. Although the home itself is a private residence, there is a gift shop and museum out back for visitors.

Simpson’s items included pens, a Bradley wrench, postcards and other notables. Lance Talbott, from near Penfield, Ill., had a unique item he made for his parents, Gene and Marilyn Talbott, both diehard Bradley collectors.

“My dad and his ideas,” Lance said. “He showed me this picture of a David Bradley plane (made from Bradley parts) and he wanted me to build him one.“

This wasn’t the first Bradley item that Gene saw and strongly hinted his son build for him. “This was like the wrench chair he wanted,” Talbott said.

Long story short: Gene won and Lance built both his wrench chair and a little Bradley plane. The hood is made from a Bradley lawn mower, the wheels were from a kid’s wagon and the rest of the model was created from items that Marilyn said “I dragged home over the years.”

The result was a cute little airplane everyone enjoyed. Other family members got in on the project and it became a Talbott family model by the time it was completed.

Another project that caught a lot of attention at this year’s show was a miniature Minneapolis-Moline model that Don Brenner created.
This show is rather unusual in that along with tractors, trucks and other items are on display. This year, Bill Ohrt’s 1960 Ford Econoline truck was on the 2008 Show Pin. The truck was found in nearby Gibson City.

Another mode of transportation at the show was a collection of vintage motor scooters, most made by the Cushman Motor Works Co., once located in Lincoln, Neb. Besides scooters, the company also made golf carts, industrial plant vehicles, golf course mowers and maintenance equipment.

One of the neater scooters at the show was owned by Don Childs of St. Anne, Ill. He had a 1945 military Cushman, which even had a place for a rifle. Childs, who had other scooters in his collection, is the cousin of the late Francis Child, who held the National Corn Grower Champion title.

Gas engines and an old-time car cruise closed the show. This Fourth of July weekend celebration had something for most everyone who likes vehicles, whether tractor, truck, scooter or stationary engine.