ANTIQUE IRON
Keep it in the Family
By Tom Jackson
Kotkowski and his brother Larry, vice president of the company, have completely rebuilt the shovel along with coworkers and friends. “We totally disassembled it right down to every track pad,” he says. “Everything was taken
The 15B is not the only machine Kotkowski has worked on. He and his friends currently have three pieces they’re restoring and the company is home to more than 180 pieces of antique equipment and trucks. “I’ve got a whole group of guys that come down to the shop for this, a lot of retired crane operators,” he says. “They all like to work on the old machines and we meet every Wednesday.”
The latest refurb took about a year and now Kotkowski brings it out for demos and events at his own quarry and also uses it to make the dirt fly at the Historical Construction Equipment Association’s annual conventions. Kotkowski is the current president of the HCEA and says the group is an important link to America’s history. “There are a bunch of us working to preserve this stuff,” he says. “A lot of people restore cars and trucks, but there are not a lot of people working to preserve the history of building in this country.”
If you would like to see more antique iron like this, or get involved in preserving its history the HCEA will hold its annual convention September 14-17 in Bowling Green, Ohio. To find out more go to hcea.net.