Another tractor - the Pow'r Pup

[jdcrawler]

I have been looking for one of these little tractors for a very long time.
This is a garden tractor that was built from plans from a late 1950's issue of Science and Mechanics magazine.

This has a 1928 to 1931 Ford model-A transmission and a 1939 to 1948 Ford rear axle with hydraulic brakes.
The plans call for using a 1951 to 1953 Studebaker steering box. From the photos that I can find on the internet of the 51 to 53 Studebaker steering box, that is exactly what was used on this tractor.

Over the years, I have seen several of these " Pow'r Pup " tractors that were built from the magazine plans and they all very from being real close copies to almost not being recognizable as being built from the plans, depending on the builders ability and the availability of parts. There is also a wide variance of quality of the build.
With the exception of the seat mount, this tractor build fallows the plans exactly, right down to the shape and function of the clutch and brake pedals. The brake master cylinder on it even looks just like the one shown in the plans.

The plans show using an engine with the gas tank mounted right on it. The gas tank is mounted on a frame work on this tractor and because of how high the tank is mounted, I don't think it ever had a hood made for it.

The rear wheels are the 16 inch that would have come on the 39 to 48 Ford car originally ( the rear tires are shot ).
The front tires are wider than they show on the tractor in the plans so I'll change them back to narrower tires.










A view of the transmission and the unique steering setup with long steering arms on either side of the frame..




The plans shows using the more common lang flat seat spring with it bolted down on top of the driveshaft housing and angeling up to the seat.
This has a neet coil spring setup for the seat. I like the coil spring.




Here is a copy of the plans from the magazine.

 

[1967Craftsman's]

I always thought they were weird, but cool tractors. There was one guy who used to own one in CT, and one guy who used to own one in MA….

 

[jdcrawler]

I got ahold of a pair of good used tires and rims that are the correct size for the front.






Initially, I had planned on using 6.00x16 tractor ag tires like these for the rear.
New, they cost around $220 for a pair.
In keeping with the used tires on the front, I would see if I could find a good used set of rear ag tires.



Then I ran across an add for the frame of an old walk behind tractor with a good looking pair of the old style 6.00x16 knobby tires on it.
This is the style of tire that the plans show being used on the tractor and they would be perfect with me wanting to keep this tractor as close to the plans as I can.
Miller Tire is the only place that I have found that still has this size knobby tires and they want $265 each.
I'm getting the whole walk behind tractor for $100.

 

[jdcrawler]

Picked up that walk behind tractor today.
Considering how old these tires must be, thay are in very good condition.
I would say that they never sat out in the sun.

There is some good usable steel in it also.
The bars going back to the handlebar are 1x1 solid square steel plus the solid steel bars in the plow bracket and the tractor frame.
Also the chain, sprockets and shafts on bushings.

 

[jdcrawler]

Spent the morning doing salvage work.
Got the wheels and tires removed.
Both hubs have a ratcheting lug in them.
With these I could build a solid straight axle that would have positive traction to both tires and the ratchenting hubs would still let it go around corners without dragging one tire.
Would be great for a pulling garden tractor. The only problem being that because of the ratchets, the axle would not work in reverse.




The frame was cut apart to make it easier to handle and store the parts instead of the whole big heavy frame.
Seperated the three rotating shafts from the frame to be used on future projects.
This leaves the main frame that has usable pieces of flat bar stock and some channel steel.




The arms for the handle bar are 1 inch solid square steel bars.
The plow bracket has 3/4-1 steel and 1-2 steel bar.

The three plows could be used as is or I could use the steel bar stock from them.
The wide single plow has a 1 inch square steel bar and the other two have 3/4x2-1/2 inch steel bar.