John Deere 690B excavator

This is a 20 ton class machine which was manufactured at the Davenport Iowa works between 1973 and 1987.  This particular one was built in 1982 supposedly.
Why a John Deere?
Why so Bigggggg?
Why an excavator
How do you know its not thrashed?
Why not just hire someone instead?
Well why not invest in the stock market instead?
Visitors who have taken it for a spin

These pics are from the morning after it arrived.  She's a real beauty, ain't she.  Granted the retrofit paint job is terribly campy in a sort of Theodore Tugboat chic, but it what can I say--it grows on you. No really.  Well ok the orange isn't bad, but does the blue have to go or should I just paint the whole thing baby blue?   Heh heh well hey the JD yellow was a bit boring and overdone anyway doncha think? 

Special features:  extra counterweight for added stability (2000 lbs add to the original 4000), a hydraulic thumb with its own separate hydraulic pump and system running off the a/c pulley, 30" wide pads, and two quick change buckets--one a digger (seen here) and the other is a two yard "cleanup" bucket, both in real decent shape.