Doon Elevator

Under the hood of the 1955 Ford Crown Victoria and the 1950 Ford F1 pickup, plus a shot of the pickup’s interior.

Jim went to his home in Doon and eyeballed where he wanted to build his own shop. “I took four pop bottles and set them out in my yard and measured the distance between them and then I went to the lumber yard and told them here’s the size shop I want.” He opened the doors of Blankenspoor Motors on June 13, 1974. Over the years, Jim added on to the shop twice. And it needs more expansion now, but that’s up to his son, Randy, and his business partner, Joe Huyser, who own Blankenspoor Repair today. Randy and Joe have purchased land for a new shop, but aren’t moving too quickly because of the current high cost of construction.

According to Jim, “The first tractor I overhauled in this building (back in 1974) was a 1942 or ’44 M Farmall. We had that tractor back in here last summer and it’s still running today. It purrs like a tomcat in a creamery.” Even at age 82, Jim’s energy seems boundless. Nevertheless, the years march forward and now macular degeneration is beginning to steal his sight. Today, he wears magnifying glasses similar to the ones jewelers wear – the powerful eyewear helps him continue to work in the shop on old International M tractors. “When you get old, your body tends to wear out,” he said.

So far, diminished vision hasn’t limited Jim’s ability to spot the trucks, tractors and vintage equipment which he plans to overhaul and jump-start to a new life. On a cold winter day, touring the inside of his garages and sheds is like discovering a

Serving and Growing with the Ag Industry for Over 60 Years

712-726-3215 | 712-726-3361 301 Gere Ave, Doon, IA

The 1951 Ford tractor on the left has a flathead V8 engine; and the 1950 Ford tractor on the right has a 970 John Deere diesel motor.

A look at part of Jim’s collection of gas pumps. The Phillips 66 pump is functional. previously hidden stash of tractors, trucks and motorcycles which have been perfectly preserved – and are now ready to roll onto the show floor.

Jim’s basic process is to assess the viability of a restoration; if chances seem favorable, then he’ll buy it and began dismantling it; he’ll do the initial sandblasting work; but then turn the body finish work off to a professional in that field (typically done by Memory Lane Restorations in Sheldon.) Then its Jim’s turn to take a look at the mechanical problems and prospects for the engine. “My 8N Ford has got a flathead V-8 in it. It came out of a 1949 truck the Sioux Center Fire Department used. I went through 11 engines before I found a good one. They were all cracked or something else was wrong with them. I completely rebuilt the engine.” Bill advertised on a swap shop program on WNAX