Had a busy summer, got the Plymouth rewired worked through some bugs and failed at fixing my radiator leak. At that point I was growing tired of working on her, and switched gears. Late summer and into fall the threshing shows start and I get tractor fever. (some of the reason I've been gone for a while, maybe no noticed lol)
I know this is a car forum, but you guys may get a kick out of the story and the early engineering of the equipment. Similar to the cars of the era, its interesting to see how it evolved. And like the car, I like to get things mechanically accurate and working the way they were intended when new.
Tractor Story - My Grandpa grew in north central MN. Nice area, not a lot to do for money but farm. That is what his dad did and what he did for while before and after some time spent in the tail end of WWII. In the early 70's he decided to move down to the Twin Cities metro and get a descent paying job. (which he did) He had one tractor left (maybe the only one) when he moved and had no reason to bring it to a neighborhood in a Twin Cities suburb. So it was sold to a family friend / neighbor up north. This was a 1935 B John Deere that was on the farm since he was a kid. (My Great Grandpas) He would bring it up once in while, kinda wishing he still had it. I bought an old Minneapolis Moline to restore, when he was still around, and my dad still farms and we members of tractor clubs. The interest never leaves, but when there are reminders it helps.
A number of years back I asked one of my great uncles if know the guy who bought it. He said he did and would ask if he had any interest in parting with it. He said no. Kind of put it out of mind and did not give another thought. So September this year, I get a message out of the blue. My great uncle ran into him (they live in the same area, small towns) and he was wondering if that fella was still interested in that old tractor. Indeed I was. So I contacted him and actually met up with at a tractor show in September and made arrangements to pick it up. He is 90 years old (same age as my grandpa would be) and just starting to get ready to part with some of his collection.
So roughly 44 years later, my Great Grandpas tractor is back in the family. After some light mechanical touch ups, I put it work! I buy stuff to use!
I know this is a car forum, but you guys may get a kick out of the story and the early engineering of the equipment. Similar to the cars of the era, its interesting to see how it evolved. And like the car, I like to get things mechanically accurate and working the way they were intended when new.
Tractor Story - My Grandpa grew in north central MN. Nice area, not a lot to do for money but farm. That is what his dad did and what he did for while before and after some time spent in the tail end of WWII. In the early 70's he decided to move down to the Twin Cities metro and get a descent paying job. (which he did) He had one tractor left (maybe the only one) when he moved and had no reason to bring it to a neighborhood in a Twin Cities suburb. So it was sold to a family friend / neighbor up north. This was a 1935 B John Deere that was on the farm since he was a kid. (My Great Grandpas) He would bring it up once in while, kinda wishing he still had it. I bought an old Minneapolis Moline to restore, when he was still around, and my dad still farms and we members of tractor clubs. The interest never leaves, but when there are reminders it helps.
A number of years back I asked one of my great uncles if know the guy who bought it. He said he did and would ask if he had any interest in parting with it. He said no. Kind of put it out of mind and did not give another thought. So September this year, I get a message out of the blue. My great uncle ran into him (they live in the same area, small towns) and he was wondering if that fella was still interested in that old tractor. Indeed I was. So I contacted him and actually met up with at a tractor show in September and made arrangements to pick it up. He is 90 years old (same age as my grandpa would be) and just starting to get ready to part with some of his collection.
So roughly 44 years later, my Great Grandpas tractor is back in the family. After some light mechanical touch ups, I put it work! I buy stuff to use!
