[AT] [External] The Saga Continues

Tue Nov 11 06:07:29 PST 2025

Really great to hear from you, O Fearless Leader of the list!

As for me, I am still postponing retirement, when I might start on the 
restoration of Little Johnny H, who is patiently waiting in my shed out 
back.

Mark Johnson
Columbia MO

On 11/10/2025 1:39 PM, Spencer Yost wrote:
> Great Progress!
>
> I still stay busy with old tractors. After the 861 engine imploded mid 
> 2021, I bought a Ford 3600. 1975 model IIRR. I did finally have to 
> rebuild the injection pump this year. It was leaking when I bought it, 
> but the leak just slowly gotten worse over the last four years. I used 
> Central Fuel Injection out of Estherville, Iowa. They specialize in 
> Ag, cheaper and faster than the local shop, and do great work that’s 
> never let me down. The reason they are faster  is they are usually 
> have a rebuilt one in stock, and just use yours as a core.  So you get 
> it back quicker.  I also sent them the injectors to be rebuilt, and 
> the fuel tank cleaned for the first time it’s life.  Turned out the 
> tank had a couple very tiny pinholes starting.  Those were repaired by 
> the radiator shop doing the cleaning.
>
> Made three cuttings of hay in this year. Got right at 300 bales. The 
> baler is mid 60s. The John Deere rake age is unknown but probably a 
> 640 from the 60s. The mower is around mid 70s, like the tractor. The 
> tedder is the newest piece of equipment on team hay.  Probably 80s or 
> 90s.  This hay equipment makes a perfect bale of hay every time No 
> exceptions, no grandma bales, no banana bales. Amazing for equipment 
> and an operator that are mostly 50 to 63 years old.
>
> The Pacer only gets driven to pull the tedder occasionally and once in 
> a while for a “fun” drive.
>
> Hope all is well with everyone,
>
> Spencer Yost
>
>> On Nov 8, 2025, at 8:34 PM, Dean Vinson <dean at vinsonfarm.net> wrote:
>>
>> 
>>
>> Steve, thanks for the detailed account.  You and your son are sure 
>> treating those old tractors right, giving them disciplined care and 
>> then putting them to some honest work.   Must have been hugely 
>> satisfying to see those furrows turning behind you, smell that soil, 
>> hear that old A chugging along.
>>
>> Dean Vinson
>>
>> Saint Paris, Ohio
>>
>> *From:*AT <at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com> *On Behalf Of 
>> *Gunnells, Brad R
>> *Sent:* Monday, November 3, 2025 9:33 AM
>> *To:* Antique Tractor Email Discussion Group 
>> <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
>> *Subject:* Re: [AT] [External] The Saga Continues
>>
>> Great recap of your adventures. It is fun seeing these old machines 
>> put to good use. It’s been several years since I had a garden but I’m 
>> thinking of plowing up a spot for one. The worst part is that it’s 
>> such a small patch that you just get everything adjusted and working 
>> well and you're done.
>>
>> Good to see a little traffic here as it has been very quiet lately. 
>> My dad recently picked up an early (1963 I believe) Ford 4000 (light) 
>> Industrial. It hadn’t been running in several years and needs a 
>> little work. It’s been fun working with him on getting it running and 
>> in operating shape.
>>
>> Brad
>>
>> *From: *AT <at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com> on behalf of STEVE 
>> ALLEN <steveallen855 at centurytel.net>
>> *Date: *Monday, November 3, 2025 at 8:12 AM
>> *To: *at at lists.antique-tractor.com <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
>> *Subject: *[External] [AT] The Saga Continues
>>
>> I can't believe it has been since July that I last updated. Time does 
>> get away from one.
>>
>>  Let's see: The steering shaft on Old Reliable has been fixed. If you 
>> get Green Magazine, you may have read a short article on it, but, to 
>> summarize:  I followed the procedure I outlined last time by cleaning 
>> up the ends of the tube, purchasing a steel rod that fits inside, and 
>> having my friend weld the whole thing back together. When 
>> reassembled, everything seems to be in order.  So our '51A is back in 
>> service.
>>
>>  I put the borrowed shaft back in Big John, the '49A.  In removing 
>> and reinstalling it, I found that both of the tapered bearings around 
>> the worm gear were trashed.  I have purchased replacements, but I 
>> haven't installed them yet.
>>
>>  My son took the clutch apart on the '47B, we inspected it, and 
>> reassembled it. Everything seemed to be in good shape, including the 
>> crankshaft splines.  The bearing felt good.  We readjusted it, and 
>> Old John awaits a test drive.  We have not yet gone into the 
>> transmission to find out why the overdrive side won't engage. Given 
>> the way our temps went directly from August to November last month, 
>> that job may wait for Spring.  I don't like to get all greasy when 
>> it's cold if I don't have to.
>>
>>  But we're doing another job on him: my son bought a pair of 
>> fenders--pretty good shape. But, to mount them, we have to remove the 
>> studs in the axle housings. There were four that needed to come out  
>> The first came out just peachy. The second snapped off: we had to 
>> drill and retap.  The third snapped off, too, but we are having real 
>> trouble drilling and tapping it.  I am about ready to suggest a 
>> Helicoil.  The fourth is not coming out, either.  I need to get the 
>> tanks filled on my torch, but I have to scrape together some pennies 
>> for that.
>>
>>  On a brighter note, we launched November by doing something we have 
>> wanted to do for years but have never gotten to:  we hitched up the 
>> 4B plow to Old Reliable, cleaned up the shares and moldboards, and 
>> went down to the bottom ground and plowed two patches, one for corn, 
>> one for veggies. We'll disk the patches after the ground dries out a 
>> bit, and then we'll disk again in the spring.  I'd like to find a 
>> spike harrow for final prep.
>>
>>  Now, understand: neither of us had ever plowed before.  I have read 
>> the pow's manual, and we have watched some videos, but nowhere near 
>> us does anyone plow or hold a plow day.  so we were facing a steep 
>> learning curve.  Still, things went surprisingly well.  We had to 
>> make some adjustments early on, and, about a third of the way 
>> through, we had to raise the plow up a bit, but we are learning.
>>
>>  We were busting sod, and the 4B plow is not really the best 
>> implement for that job, but we made some very nice furrows by the 
>> end.  The safety release tripped twice because of roots--it's good to 
>> know it works!  And we faced a LOT of roots, including Hedge 
>> Apple/Ozark Orange.  The trees are long gone, but nobody seems to 
>> have told the root systems. Well, they got the update yesterday :-D 
>> And, boy!  Did we ever make that tractor bark!  Eight inches deep in 
>> heavy soil and vine-laden sod with lots of roots!
>>
>>  Tough sod in the best dirt in our neighborhood along our creek 
>> bottom--some of it pitch black.  It grows tough plants, and it 
>> remains moist even in dry times--like this past summer.  I can't wait 
>> to see how it grows for us!
>>
>> Yesterday, we got out the B to do some disking with our old Case 
>> Model R disk. Old John handled the disk just fine--would have been 
>> happier if we had remembered to push the choke all the way in after 
>> he warmed up. The rich mixture made him stumble a bit, but that's 
>> just our inattention at work.  We did have to break off early, 
>> however, because the gas tank has begun leaking, and it started drip, 
>> drip, dripping, one drop at a time, onto the exhaust pipe. Not gonna 
>> take *that* chance!  And a squeal showed up the mag for the first few 
>> minutes.  At least, we think it was the mag.  It sounded and *felt* 
>> like it was the mag. But it went away.  Odd. Anyway, since we have to 
>> pull off the steering shaft to get the hood off, it will be a good 
>> chance to pull the transmission cover off and see it what might be 
>> amiss there.
>>
>> If it ain't one thing, it's another, as my mother used to say. The 
>> really impressive thing is, given all the problems that keep cropping 
>> up, the tractor still runs and works better than we should expect.
>>
>>  Anyway, that's it for now.  I'm a little late with these updates, 
>> but I just know everyone has been waiting for them with bated 
>> breath-lol! Still things are slow on the list, so I thought it was 
>> high time.
>>
>> The "original" Steve Allen
>>
>> '47 B 207862 (eagerly anticipating more fixes)
>> '49 A   641033 (feeling cranky wanting his new bearings)
>> '51 A   670397 (feeling good!)
>>
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