M35/51

I am clearing brush to make room for some conex boxes and ran across my old M35/51, I parked it maybe 20 years ago and have not seen it in 10-15 years as it was reclaimed by the S TX brush.
I carefully aired up her tires and managed to un-track her with the JD 310 backhoe.
Lots of memories, when I bought my ranch in 1998 I picked up a 1958 Cat 977 trackhoe, (EDIT track LOADER WWIT?, Basically a D6-9U with a loader ) the pony was toast and I had not secured an electric starter, I would hook up the M35 to the 977, get her moving in low range, jump out of the M35 and onto the 977, kick it in gear and get it started, then jump off the 977 and run up and shut down the M35, I would like to see my crap knees do that today
I also hauled well over 250 tons of caliche with an average load of 12 tons on a 30 mile loop to the quarry and back, 45 unloaded and 40mph loaded.
I may toss some batteries in her and see what happens!

I am grateful that I blocked up the M51 bed so it would drain, the bed looks pretty good but for a few holes in the sides.

I used that same starting technique to fire up my D7-7M dozer using my M275A2 tractor, how I was not killed doing that I will never know.