Workin' on the Old Tractors

[cjet69]

A lot of our tractors have been sitting for many years waiting for some TLC to get them back running reliably. The 1946 John Deere AO had a small rust hole in the gas tank that I need to fix and a new set of points and condenser installed. The last time I tried to start it the starter bendix drive didn't retract and has since gotten stuck engaged in the flywheel ring gear. Pulled the starter and took it apart and after warming it up a little and tapping the gear loosened up. Now I can take it apart and clean it good. I put a bunch of ATF/Acetone mix in the cylinders and rolled it over several times to work it in. I touched up the points and got spark so I shot some starting fluid in it and pulled it over by hand. It popped a few times so if I set up a remote tank and get the starter working It should fire up. I had a filter so I went ahead and changed the engine oil. I always forget how much these old tractors take. This one is 11 quarts. I also need to repair the muffler.

I think we will continue working on all of the ran when parked tractors until they run again before winter sets back in. Wanted to do this for the last several years and didn't get around to it but we are getting it done this year.

 

[MFDAC]

Dang, CJet, you always bring on more surprises of the stuff you folks have there to work on! I don't recall ever seeing that JD before, and the other stuff in the pictures is real interesting too including the tractor in front of it! You even have a yacht back there to fix up!

DAC

 

[cjet69]

Dang, CJet, you always bring on more surprises of the stuff you folks have there to work on! I don't recall ever seeing that JD before, and the other stuff in the pictures is real interesting too including the tractor in front of it! You even have a yacht back there to fix up!

DAC

Never ending supply of projects for sure. The little tractor is a PK/Economy 2414 and the sailboat is dads 23' San Juan.

 

[Sawdust]

I had a friend that was rebuilding a Pk Economy not sure the model. He said it was a beast of a tractor. They were real simple but solid and easy to work on.

 

[dodge trucker]

Huge fenders
Orchard tractor?

 

[MFDAC]

I had a friend that was rebuilding a Pk Economy not sure the model. He said it was a beast of a tractor. They were real simple but solid and easy to work on.

I think Gary, MNGB has one?

DAC

 

[cjet69]

Huge fenders
Orchard tractor?

Yes, It a 1946 Unstyled "AO". We also have a couple of Unstyled "BO" tractors.

 

[4getgto]

I had to look up "Unstyled" as I didn't know..This is what found below if that sounds right to you..

"Unstyled means that the tractor was built with the steering post, radiator and most of the engine exposed. Production of the John Deere A began in 1934 and there was a total of 300,00 built"

 

[cjet69]

I had to look up "Unstyled" as I didn't know..This is what found below if that sounds right to you..

"Unstyled means that the tractor was built with the steering post, radiator and most of the engine exposed. Production of the John Deere A began in 1934 and there was a total of 300,00 built"

They also built a version with fancy sheet metal called the AOS.

From Tractordata: The John Deere AO Streamlined (AOS) was a modified version of the AR/AO. The AOS was lower, narrower, and shorter than the AO which allowed for greater maneuverability and improved clearance in narrow crop operations.

 

[cjet69]

Since the Ford 9N is now running I thought I would start on another tractor. This is a 1950 Minneapolis Moline ZAU. We had completely gone thru this tractor about 20 yrs ago. It was a basket case with a stuck engine and needed lots of work. We found a parts tractor in the local salvage yard that had most of what we needed. What I am working on now is replacing the fuel tank because the fuel cap bung has come loose. I'm sure it can be fixed but I have a spare tank that I can use in the mean time. Some pics now and a slide show video of the restoration.

 

[MNGB]

I think Gary, MNGB has one?

DAC

Yes I do about 8 of them good tractors

 

[cjet69]

Sandblasted the tank. It has a couple small dents that need to be worked out and then its time for primer.

 

[MNGB]

Hi Chris enjoyed the Z restore video, have a question did you repair the hood rust out or replace it with a better hood, and what caused it to rust out there was it holding mud? The ZAU looked really good when you guys finished it, My Dad had a Red Nose Z when I was growing up spent many an hour standing on it (it had the swinging seat that was about impossible to use when working in fields)

 

[cjet69]

Hi Chris enjoyed the Z restore video, have a question did you repair the hood rust out or replace it with a better hood, and what caused it to rust out there was it holding mud? The ZAU looked really good when you guys finished it, My Dad had a Red Nose Z when I was growing up spent many an hour standing on it (it had the swinging seat that was about impossible to use when working in fields)

I repaired it. Where the top and sides are spot welded together collects dirt and debris and holds water in causing the rust out. I used the press with a heavy piece of angle iron and a pipe to form the patch panels to weld in on the top section of the hood. For the dog legs, I used 2 plates with a gap in between and another plate on top of a small diameter round stock to form the bead to match the hood. Then its take your time welding it in so it doesn't warp. When done I used a bullseye pick and body file to get it straight and finished with high build primer and blocking with no body filler.

Here is another hood hanging in the shop with the same rust out. The spot weld flange was made too wide allowing it to catch all of the crud.

 

[cjet69]

Pulled the MM ZAU out of the weeds and started with a pressure washing. Removed the hood and gas tank. This makes it easy to get at the distributor to check out the points. They looked good but I gave them a quick touch up anyway then hooked up the battery, turned on the switch, and worked the points and got great spark. Tried hitting the starter button and got nothing. Jumped straight to the starter and still nothing. Pulled the starter which wasn't easy because of rust. These are mounted in a close tolerance hole and located with a tapered lock bolt. Now to tear it down and clean up the armature and brushes. Hopefully thats all it needs, though it seemed like the solenoid wasn't working either.

 

[cjet69]

This evening we went to pull the Minneapolis Moline ZTU out of the field and found it had a brake locked up. The Farmall SC had a tough time pulling it so I got the New Holland to drag it out. I pulled it backwards and after sliding a tire for about 10 ft the brake broke loose and it started rolling again. We pulled it up close to the shop where we can try to get it going also.

 

[4getgto]

Quite the assortment or collection of tractors you guys had there over the years. Don't look like you were brand loyal either...
Have you used all these tractors at one or another or some just brought home for the fun of it ? Real surprising that most are still able to be run with a little love..

 

[cjet69]

Quite the assortment or collection of tractors you guys had there over the years. Don't look like you were brand loyal either...
Have you used all these tractors at one or another or some just brought home for the fun of it ? Real surprising that most are still able to be run with a little love..

Its a mix of collector and working tractors. Most all of the runners will do some work occasionally. Yes, we own a wide variety of brands. I'm hoping that when we go thru these tractors that need just a little work that we will have about 20 antique runners at this time. We also have many engines that need to assembled for some of the none runners. Just need the time.

 

[4getgto]

Its a mix of collector and working tractors. Most all of the runners will do some work occasionally. Yes, we own a wide variety of brands. I'm hoping that when we go thru these tractors that need just a little work that we will have about 20 antique runners at this time. We also have many engines that need to assembled for some of the none runners. Just need the time.

Cjet you have enough could put on your tractor show in your front yard..
Shame none of us are closer. Would love to see them..

 

[MFDAC]

Cjet you have enough could put on your tractor show in your front yard..
Shame none of us are closer. Would love to see them..

No kidding, Bill, the stuff CJet is pulling out to get running is a show in itself! There guys are serious "Tractor Fanatics"!

I might be the closest one to him, but it is still a long way out there from here, and I don't know squat about full size tractors anyway! Just know they are cool! Learning a lot with these posts!

DAC