[AT] Iron and lots of it

[Grant Brians]

It has been a while since I posted on the list. My vegetable farm has been
suffering from a running tractor deficit as well as too many weeks with
significant rain this spring to maintain consistent planting schedules. As I
have no ability to play God and affect the weather directly, I will live
with that and just survive!
     But on the running tractor deficit, I can do some things. First, we
have been madly repairing both modern (1980's and 1990's tractors) and
antiques. I can advise anyone looking at 300 series Massey Ferguson
tractors, anything Same or Kubota, DO NOT use them for heavy work. All can
be ok for some uses, but not for heavy tillage.
Second, I have been acquiring more tractors.
     First on the old tractors. My Oliver 550 loader needed to have the
carburetor rebuilt and the kit from NAPA Auto Parts plus a cleaning job did
the trick there. Not so happy was the failure of the water pump as that
necessitated my ordering a new one from the Midwest - not as fast as calling
the local store.
     The 9N Ford that I bought 10 years or so ago is going back into regular
service tomorrow for hauling produce from field to packing shed here on the
main ranch. It will then match with the two Panoche produce haulers - an IN
Farmall 100 (obviously also antique tractor) and a 1988 Toyota pickup that
is non-opped to stay offroad and not pay the high California registration
fees.
     One of my Oliver 77 tricycles needed a carburetor rebuild lately too
and it is now a happy camper except when my workers pull the battery out! It
is used for planting, pulling trailers, mowing and shredding.
     My Massey Harris Pony with the irrigation pipe racks needa a battery so
I can go back to using it to haul irrigation pipe this week. Maybe by late
week?
     I will only make one or two comments about the modern tractors. My Ford
4610 tall row crop tractor (an unbelievably durable and sturdy tractor for
its little size)keeps having the workers leave the key on after the diesel
is shut off so it needed an almost complete wiring harness replacement. That
took precious time too. On the other hand my New Holland 6610S is an
unbelievable workhorse and is possibly the strongest tractor in its class
built in the last 20 years..... I love it.

     Now on to the "Iron and lots of it" title. I finally got the tractor I
purchased last spring delivered on Friday. It is a 1954 Caterpillar D8 with
full double cable controls and a cable bulldozer blade. It "only" weighs
57,000 pounds. The tracks are nearly shot and so I am working on a
replacement set and it looks very promising. Also, I have to fix the water
jacket freeze cracks on the main engine, but that actually should be a
pretty easy job. The starter engine will need to have the carburetor rebuilt
too, but I know how to do that from experience in the 1970s when I was in
high school.
     Also, last Saturday I bought a Caterpillar D6C SA - 140 drawbar
horsepower according to the books. It has a few problems too, but I expect
to be working soil with it (as opposed to pulling the D8 like on Friday -
LOL) in a matter of a week or three. This should be my main soil working
tractor shortly. It weighs only about 32,000 pounds. So you all can see that
lots of iron arrived! I need to get going to take care of Mothers Day, but I
had to share with my buddies on the list. No doubt as I search for disc,
plow, landplane and Rippers that I will have more stories!
               Grant Brians
               Hollister, California