[AT] JD 620 details

[Ron Cook]

Dean,
     I suspect you are correct about the work Dean Vinson's 620 
performed.  The first thing I noticed about it, other than the 620 on 
the front, was the lack of wear at the steering shaft support. That 
usually indicates low hours or long rows or stationary work. The 
steering wheel is exceptional.  That tells me much time stored indoors.  
Cab tractors have good plastic steering wheels and open station of the 
same vintage usually do not.
     I have practically no time on a B or 50.  None, actually working.  
Just pulling wagons around.  My experience was mostly the '48 A and '53 
70.  I have the A that I wore out once.   The 70 that I spent my high 
school years on is still on the family farm.  Used it today.  But it is 
not in very good shape anymore.  It has been a loader tractor for 40 
years.  I really liked that 70 with the exception of the darned high 
speed gearing in reverse.  The A got a lower radiator tank water pump, 
power block, automatic fuel shut-off, Delco distributor and Baker 
Hydraulic valve installed in the very early fifties.  I think maybe 51 
or 52.  As soon as that stuff was available anyway.  All done at the 
Deere dealer.   It still has all that stuff and it works perfectly.  At 
one time I thought the fuel shut-off had gone south and I bought an 
overhaul kit from Deere for it.  Maybe 25 years ago.  Still have not 
used it.  There was just a piece of junk between the seat and the seal. 
A few years ago I would have used that kit if I could find it, as the 
seal finally split.  I stuck an aviation o-ring on there to get by with 
and it is still on duty.
     I won't be buying any tractor either, unless I have work for it.  
They all have to earn their keep one way or another.  No hangar queens 
here.  They all got to work at least a little.  I would really like a 
single row cultivating outfit like a 40S. but so far I have to be happy 
with a two-row on my '46 A.
Ron Cook
Salix, IA
On 7/4/2014 1:02 AM, Dean VP wrote:
> Ron,
>
> I fully agree. That tractor has been taken care of. I don't think I have ever seen an original working
> 620 with the automatic fuel shutoff still working.  I sure would like to spend several hours talking
> to the original owner about what he did to take such good care of it.  I suspect one of the reasons is
> this tractor was the main farm tractor for only two or three years when a NG JD Tractor was purchased
> to do the major amount of the work.  Then I suspect the 620  became a "Yard Tractor" in the language
> that was used on our farm. I thought I bought a fairly pristine 1958 620 High Clearance with WFE but
> this one is even better.  I'm impressed. I think I would have wet my pants if I had run onto this
> tractor.  We had a JD 50 that was our "Yard Tractor"  and I spent quite a bit of time and energy
> trying to locate it when I started collecting tractors. My BIL bought it at my Dad's auction and then
> a couple years later traded it in on a IH tractor. "heresy". The IH dealer went out of business and
> all sale records have been lost. I never knew the serial number or I would have run an ad in the local
> NW IA newspapers to see if it was still around. 50's aren't all that much of a collector tractor but
> it was my Dad's. Dad traded in a 70 Gas for a 3010 which he got killed on with 40 hours on the
> tractor. I never wanted to trace or ever see that tractor again at all although I know it was rebuilt
> and sold.  The JD 70 was the tractor I have several 1000's of hours of seat time on as a teenager but
> it was so worn out that I really didn't pursue finding it either.  What is a bit strange is I've
> gathered up several JD Two Cylinder Tractors over the years but never a JD 70. I've looked at a few
> but I have never found one that floated my boat.  I guess I wanted the perfect one and never found it.
> My buying days are over now.  Maybe it is good to just let my fond memories of that tractor live in my
> fantasy world.  I did get my Dad's original two Bottom tag plow and two row cultivator that I pulled
> behind B's when I was really young.  My Dad, my brother and I would three shift that B pulling the two
> bottom plow and plow 24 hours a day round the clock. A 5 gallon can of gas would run that tractor for
> 8 hours.  I wanted the night shift because the tractor had a little more power at night and liked to
> see the muffler glow a little. Very fond memories.
>
> Dean VP
> Snohomish, WA
>
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