[AT] Old tractor cabs

[Indiana Robinson]

I recently posted a picture of the steel factory cab my father bought
for the Ford 9N he bought new in 1942.
About 1950 or so he bought a canvas cab for his new Ferguson TO-20. I
am pretty sure that it was made by the Original Tractor Cab Company of
Arlington IN about 12 miles north east of me. They are still in
business and have a web site but sadly they do not seem to make that
same cab any more. It was an extra nice one especially compared to the
weather breaks most farm stores sell now.
The Original had a nice wide windshield with a gradual curve and it
also had full height post at the sides which was where the doors
hinged. They were nice solid feeling doors and you could take a couple
of screws out of each one and sit them off in the barn if you liked.
You could also swing one or both of them forward and fasten them there
and make several changes over the day depending on how much the
weather changed. It also had a buggy top with it that matched the
curve of the windshield and it would hook over the top of the
windshield and was rain and wind tight Of course the wind did blow
across the back but if it was really bad out you could sit forward a
little between the doors and stay dry in a hard rain. With the top on
and the hood curtains set to blow the radiator heat back on the driver
you stayed pretty warm even when the wind was at your back.
We used it originally on the TO-20 then on the Jubilee which it also
fit perfectly and in later years (about 1970) I used it on my 8N. It
served well even though it was showing some age and wear, mostly on
the canvas. When I sold my 8N (stupid move) I stuck it up in a loft
and it "rested" there for a long time. Maybe 10 years ago I was
cleaning some stuff out and found that the mice had riddled it. I
didn't have a tractor it would fit so I tossed it (another stupid
move). Dang I wish I had that frame. I have a leather sewing machine
and I could make a new canvas cover and top and have a nice soft cab
that would make you throw rocks at those new ones they sell. I almost
always eventually regret getting rid of things...


-- 
Have you hugged your horses today?

Francis Robinson
aka "farmer"
Central Indiana USA
robinson46176 at gmail.com