The Gracey was a Bubba's shade-tree design from the git-go - bronze oil filled bushings instead of sealed bearings, rubber hose for the shaft coupler, that janky clamping setup for the cutters, and not even an on/off switch.
The Gracey was never all that great, IMHO. It was just leaps and bounds *faster* (once it was set up) than anything else at the time.
Their neck turner was even worse.