Just in case anybody was wondering - yes, that is an unstyled 25 parked next to the styled 25 in the barn, Here is a better photo of the unstyled.
Interesting story about the unstyled 25. Bought it at an auction in Illinois. It was a miserable, rainy day. Muddy as all hell. Trucks and trailers were stuck in the field where they had us park. My good friend Jim Dawson had purchased a Challenger at this sale. He and some Ohio friends had been trying to get it started, without success. I figured I was going to have to wait on the one backhoe/loader to get around to my purchase to load...
But my friends said, "Let's see if we can get your 25 started." I scoffed... There was a large hole in the gas tank, and it didn't look like it had run for some time. But, what the heck. We found some gas, and poured it into the tank of the 25. Feeling not much hope, I grabbed the crank while Jeff Noah worked the choke. On the second pull of the crank, it fired! We were all shocked. On the third pull, it was running!
We then used it to pull Jim's truck and trailer out of the mud onto the road, and then my truck and trailer out of the mud onto the road. We then used it to pull Jim's Challenger over to his trailer, and then push it up onto his trailer before I loaded it onto my trailer.
The unstyled 25 never spit, sputtered, or missed a beat during that whole process. We were all quite amazed.
Of course, after the ride back to Indiana on my trailer, the needle and seat in the carb have never worked right again.... Oh, well... ;-)
Just thought I'd share that story with those of you who haven't already heard it.
- JB