Classic Champion 100T Grader Facing Sad Demise

Thanks to our American mega heavy machinery enthusiast friend Anthony Lucibello we have an update on the classic Champion 100T motor grader that we featured on the blog in May 2019.

Unfortunately, it seems to be bad news for the future of this awesome old machine, which although it was first launched way back in 1975, still looks current and modern in design.

This giant motor grader was powered by a 700hp motor, either a Cummins VT-1710-C700 or in this example a Detroit Diesel GM 16v-71T engine and weighed in at 202,000 pounds, designed primarily for maintaining haul roads in giant surface mines it was equipped with a massive 24-foot blade.

It had been residing at a coal mine in Kentucky where it had been used as a back up grader until 2008 when the coal mine itself was retired.

A couple of years ago the machine was sold to Equipment Jockey, whoever or whatever that is. Apparently while being driven down a public road one of its tyres blew out and it was nose dived off into a ditch alongside the road, where it has been parked up ever since, virtually abandoned to its own fate.

Unfortunately, some of the local Kentucky louts have stopped by and smashed out all the cab windows, which has left the old girl looking in a rather sad state. It seems unbelievable that such a rare and historic machine could just be left like this, we sincerely hope that some local enthusiasts can save this machine for future generations to see.

Incredibly the short video clip of this beast working is one of the best performing videos on our Digger Man Blog You Tube channel.

Massive thanks to Anthony Lucibello for the images included in this post.