My name is Jeff Roberts, and I have been interested in Oliver/Cletracsfor many years. Around 1983 I purchased a very rough Cletrac 30 with a cooked motor. This machine went on to test my engineering knowledge and ability, but I did manage to get it back into good operating condition. The satisfaction of achievement led me on to purchase numerous DDH's and also an FDE, during which I became friends with a very nice chap named Kevin Stanley. Kevin was the spare parts manager for Queensbridge Motors who were the agents for Cletrac, and later, Oliver. Kevin purchased the bulk of the spare parts at QBM when Oliver retired from business, and our friendship meant that I had access to some original spare parts. He also was a wheeler and dealer, and wrecked tractors to supplement his stock of spares. I eventually sold my machines for more modern equipment, thinking that this would be the end of my Cletrac experience. Not so it would seem!
12 months ago I was scanning the classifieds, and spied an AG4 in Adelaide, some 800 kms. away. Nostalgia kicked in emmediately, and the thought of tinkering with something that otherwise sane people would consider scrap metal, soon had me on the phone doing a deal. Of course family and friends telling me that "you''ll never get that heap of scrap going", combined with my thirst for a challenge, now has me the proud owner of the AG4, 2 DDH's, 2 OC15's, and an International TD15-150. Some of these are now running, with the balance now being restored fully.
Congratulations to Blake for this site which is such a valuable resource.
Cheers for now, Jeff Roberts
Welcome Jeff, Interesting story. Now we're going to put you on the spot and demand pictures ;D
Hi Jeff , Welcome to the forum from a fellow Aussie . As Hotratzs said , love to see some photos . Ian .
Hello Jeff. I am also a Oliver Fan having served my time with Britstand the Oliver Aust Agents in Sydney, I worked there 1954-59 and would like to meet with You, to see all your Machines ?
brock38 Melb.