Hi Stan
Yes Ian Told me you had called in and looked over "Wally". I absolutely loved that machine and was proud of it, being only the third owner since new, and it was in my possession for over 18 years! It was a pleasure to operate with the previous owner converting the electric over hydraulic bowl controls to pilot hydraulic. It weighed in at 24 tonne empty so yes a fair bit lighter than the 222 but as you say a heck of a lot easier to work on (no electrics!). I sold it to a guy by the name of Steven Joyce from Lara, a little hamlet down towards Geelong in Victoria. I was amazed how quickly it sold, placing an ad on Gumtree on the Sunday night and having the money in my bank by Wednesday lunchtime. Steve didn't even come to have a look! I was sad to see it go, but really couldn't justify keeping it and seeing it rust sitting in a paddock. Although it worked for a long time here in Canberra, it was considered too old by all the local contractors, notwithstanding the condition it was in, and undesirable because it didn't have an air-conditioned cab! It was more than capable of keeping up with its Cat counterparts (621B's). Anyway the best part is that it has gone to someone who will look after it.
So the future for me now is to concentrate on restoring my C'Pull open bowl.
Thanks so much for your kind comments
Cheers Gordon