gUesS WHAT I gOt? !

Figure it out yet?

After an exhaustive search on CraigsList, (spent a whole evening) I found listings for a couple tractors in my area that sounded promising. So I called about them, and... you know.... maybe I should back up a day or two.

After 5 years of workers comp hearings and 30+ doctors, and, well, you have heard the whining about this fiasco before, being as I'm a cripple and can't have a job. But that doesn't stop nature from being nature. A 20 inch thick, 80 foot tall, shaggy bark hickory tree decided to get blown over in the last windstorm. And by the way, it fell westward, really puzzling, because the storms come from the west. Anyway, it fell across the fence into the pasture the neighbor uses to rest his milking cows between calves. Oddly enough it didn't crush the fence yet, being hung up on trees on the neighbor's side, but it would eventually, so I had attempted to clear up the situation.

I borrowed a friend's chainsaw, it's small but works well now. It needed a little tune up and a couple parts replaced, so as a test I decided to try to cut this monster tree.

You know, that's what I used to do for a living. Clean up the streets after storms, remove trees from peoples houses, garages and driveways and generally create a lot of firewood and sawdust. This was usually done in the middle, to the end, of a big storm. Anyway we always had fairly nice saws, at least a step better than the average homeowner, but nothing that could be considered PRO quality, because that cost more. Our leadership always considered us incompetent hacks at best, but I'd like to think we acted as we were treated. (I never realized how much there is to chainsaw operation until I attended a lumberjack show a couple years ago. It seems there are a lot of things that can, can't and shouldn't be done with chainsaws.) I knew there were things we could improve as I had spent 5 years teaching our new recruits, but everything was such an ordeal. We basically never had any money, time, or resources to devote to training. The companies were usually busy putting on a show as inspectors, hydrant repairmen, or area beautification experts, (lawnscapers) and although there was a lot of lipservice paid to "training" it was not a major issue until someone got hurt, or a piece of equipment was wrecked or destroyed. They were entirely reactionary, but the training academy was a stepping stone for officers to further promotions. As such, well, things were not given a true priority. Each new leader had an agenda and the firemen came in second at best. The one thing about it was, I found that if I went on as if I had some say and a brain, it was at least appreciated by those who got what limited amount of training we (because I wasn't alone in this mess) could sneak into a day of jumping through hoops. But, I digress.

Back to the farm. Well, the little saw was not liking the big tree, and I finally "got some money out the system," so I bought a nice commercial saw, and went and made short work of the big tree. Not the whole story though (after all, I'm still crippled, so the methods I had to employ to do what a normal person might have done in a day, took me three, but, I'm still here) so enough background for now. Except to mention that the TREE OF HEAVEN (ailanthus) is a totally useless and nasty tree. A known rhizome, a tree without burning value—really I think it takes more calories to try and burn one than it would generate if you could make it burn! But hickory burns great, and generates enough heat to thaw out a frozen tractor in only two or three days. How do I know? Keep reading.

 

Then, with the money that was left (because commercial saws are pricey) I went searching for a tractor. And look at the quality rascal I found in a "tow yard / car lot" south of Zanesville!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In fact it was such a good deal, I opted to buy its brother, who was also abandoned and not in the hands of someone to love it properly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Actually this machine cost less than the price of the new rear tire it has. Now, neither machine currently runs, or is likely to without considerable work, but the price was what the state thinks I'm worth, basically scrap! The Ford will run, at least it did a couple days ago when I asked for the engine to be started before I bought it. I can fix most everything else. The yellow CASE tractor won't even roll; I'm told the brakes are locked up. But the brakes are a couple little discs on the sides of the rear end and they won't be much trouble to get loose. I may not get them to work right away, but I will be able to roll it then, and push it back to the machine shed where it can sit for a while. Really, it has a new tire on it that is worth what I paid for it.

The cost of having them delivered was significant, but the ease it brought with it, was worth it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sign on the side should have continued, "AND SELL THEM TO SUCKERS", but at least, I now have something to work with. OH, and there was a 5 foot brush hog included in the deal. So now I'm in really familiar territory—broken down mechanical stuff that needs to be fixed to get it working, and then on to do what I need.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now I could use a a posthole drill, a crane attachment, and a fence post pounder and a log splitter—that should do for starter—and I should be about set. Of course, that's just to maintain the Status QUO . If I'm going to do any farming, a set of plows, discs and some sort of planter will be required, but don't tell the boss. I don't want to start all the recriminations just yet. She already has some sort of a conspiracy theory about my need for a tractor, and now that I have two, well she's sure to be sensitized about something...

I'm thinking I might need to go back and read that Farm Wife stuff she adds. Someone told me they thought it might be about me somehow.....

 

UPDATE: OK I read the farm wife stuff and I'm offended, mostly that she thinks I'm that easy to figure out, Nah not really. I think it's funny and it makes me smile to know we can jab at each other in a good natured manner and it is just for fun... really, just for fun... UH huh.

 

But seriously folks, the Ford runs and everthing works mostly, except the three point hitch lift. Haven't figured that part out yet. But the really weird thing is that the yellow tractor runs! Other than a few teeth missing in the gear box, first gear I think, it seems to be a pretty nice tractor. The brakes weren't locked up, though it's quite a tale as to how I determined that. I now know that the inside of the engine is as clean as a pin, the valve train oils well and the starter motor has the weirdest bendix mechanism I've ever seen. I suspect the ring gear is a little iffy, and OH YEAH, the reason the rear wheels were frozen in place was water! I took the brakes apart and they look great, the engine won't idle completely down but runs real smooth at about one quarter throttle, needs the carburator rebuilt, no biggy, and the gear box and the rear end were filled with a solid chunk of ICE.

Not even a hint of gear oil, just a big, totally locked up, chunk of ICE. After four hours of winching and jacking and pushing and pulling with three vehicles, I finally got the tractor into the garage, built a fire, and in only three days, thawed out the gears. The tractor rolls fine now. I removed about 4 gallons of water from the rear end.

I was thinking I would end up parting the CASE VAC out, but it seems to be a good tractor other than a reported tendency to roll over backwards and kill the driver. I might invest in wheely bars and keep it for a while to pull the set of discs I inherited with the place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Ford appears to be a mix of various years, the rear end seems to be a 9N because of the wheel centers, but it has a three point hitch / lift setup, which I'm told is 8N, the gear box is three speed, 9N 2N, there is also a high low range shifter on the left side of the tranny, but the engine serial number says 8N from 1949, and the instrument cluster is clearly 9N, or maybe 2N, so Chris was gigling as she pointed out " it fits right in" here on NADA FARM, It's a FREAKIN FORD FRANKENTRACTOR!!!!!

Well what did you expect?

I'd just like to thank all those who have helped in the cause, my family, cousins, kids, siblings, and friends, who have been on the lookout, and sent me info on various tractors that they passed in their daily travels, or saw in fields rusting into oblivion. Yes, most of them were too nice for me, and too pricey. It is weird how much these dumb things cost, but with every backyard mechanic buying them up to paint pretty and ride in the allotted"4th of July" parade, it inflates the prices. It's ridiculous. I needed something to skid logs with, and mow the fields. I'd feel bad taking a little garage queen out and using it to bang bowling-ball sized rocks around the pasture with a brush hog. SO the FRANKENTRACTOR is ideal for my purpose. Just seems strange how things work out doesn't it?

Man, are we happy out here!

 

The Chores, Fresh Air, Green Acres is for ME.