[AT] Iron and lots of it

[Paul Waugh]

now there is a busy fellow, Good luck :))
Paul-46555
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Grant Brians" <sales at heirloom-organic.com>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2010 11:03 AM
Subject: [AT] Iron and lots of it


> 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
>
>
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