[Farmall] O-12 Progress

[Karl Olmstead]

Oops.. I forgot one tractor, a 10-20.  A Waukesha F-12 would be nice, 
although it's not a burning desire.  I'd really like to have an O-14.

Based on what I've seen, O-12s seem to be a lot more common than W-12s out 
here.  Maybe the 10 mph top speed on the O-12s made them more attractive? 
There do seem to be plenty of F-12s, many of them with the single front 
wheel option.  Great tractors for cultivating the narrow row vegetables 
grown in California.

It would be fun to find some of those odd T-20 variants that Guy Fay 
describes.  There do seem to be a surprising number of the 10-20 
TracTracTors around; half a dozen rough ones sold last year at the Heinrich 
museum auction up in Sacramento.

I'm wondering just what tractors were sold as Fairway versions.  I think 
I've read about a Fairway Regular, and we know about Fairway 12s; what other 
versions were there?  Any idea how many were sold?  Somebody on the YT forum 
recently claimed that 600 Fairway 12s were built.  Their serial numbers are 
intermingled with O-12s.

I took a few pictures over the weekend, primarily of the row of F-12s.  Most 
of the orchard tractors are packed in a 40x60 metal building without lights, 
so it is pretty much impossible to get a decent picture of them.  Things are 
really tight in there... at least 25 tractors hiding from the sun and rain. 
And the 'nuisance vehicle' ordnance enacted a year ago.

Jim, good point about the governor.  I need to find a source for that flat 
thrust bearing.

-Karl