[AT] Tractor Weekend

[STEVE ALLEN]

Since all the Memorial Day (Observed) events we normally participate in (flags on vet's graves with the Cub Scouts and taking our cannon to the annual ceremony at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery) have been cancelled, and since we got a break in the rain, we spent yesterday and part of today with the '51 A.

We haven't had time to pull the gas tank out and clean it, so I got creative and rigged a 2-gallon plastic tank from a riding mower to the side of the hood and plumbed it to the carb with regulation fuel line--required swapping the fitting on the inlet bowl, but we happened to have that part on hand.

Anywho, with a steady supply of gas, the tractor not only ran but *worked*.  The main goal of all the effort has been to finish clearing our old bottom of 5 years worth of rush, saplings, and dense undergrowth.  Blackberry patches, locust trees, and vines of astonishing variety have choked off what was once a clean bottom parcel.  

We ran 1/2 a 6' brushhog through some of the worst of it, and the tractor did more work in an hour than we had managed in weeks of handwork.  More to do, but much progress.

Now, all was not perfect.  The carb was *'way* out of adjustment, and we had to keep playing with the needles.  When it bogged down, the stack turned black--we kept closing the load needle till we had that almost all cleaned up.  Doubtless, we'll need to pull the carb and clean it out, but we can't really ask too much more of the old A:  we were pulling it down really hard (the ground was wet in spots, too) with a brushhog that is pretty near the upper limit of capacity and has really dull blades.  So we'll do this carb over the winter, maybe.  In the meantime, we'll get as much of the work done as we can by using my side-saddle affair and maybe a screen over the sediment bowl inlet.

Apparently, we have a leak on top somewhere:  I had drained the water out of the crankcase soon after we got it home, but I checked the oil yesterday, and it was the color and consistency of a hot fudge milkshake.  So we changed the oil today and have put a tarp over the tractor until we can get the lean-to addition to the tractor shed up.  

I also goofed up pretty good yesterday when we got done.  I always kill a tractor by shutting off the gas.  But, since none of the others are battery ignition and I don't even have kill switches on them, I forgot to run off the key when it shut down.  Today, the battery was dead, and the points were scorched. I cleaned them up, but I need to order another set, I fear.  DUMB!  We have the charger on the battery (under a bucket under the tarp).  Well, I hope my son has learned to not trust me to remember this detail ;-)

Anyway, we're looking at rain tomorrow, so we'll probably work on the '47 B's carb,  I wish the ground would stay dry long enough for us to work with the mag on the '49 A. . . .

Well, that's the weekend so far.  I m happy with the tractor and mad at myself.  

:-)

I hope all of you are safe and having at least as good a tractor weekend.

I also hope that all of you remember that Memorial Day is not about BBQ or mattress sales but about those who gave everything they had to ensure the rest of us could putz around with old iron (among other things).

The "original" Steve Allen