My journey with a 1951 Cub

[jasondepinto]

I decided to make a post sharing my journey with my 1951 Farmall Cub. A Cub was on my list of "things I need to own at some point", when I purchased my house in 2018. Much to my delight, I spotted one under a tattered old tarp in a neighbor's backyard, a few houses down. Conversation began, and before long, the Cub found a home in my pole barn. Here is what it looked like when I brought it home.

[jasondepinto]

The tractor had spent its entire life in NJ, working on a farm not too far from my house. The original owner sold it in 1996, to the man who would become my neighbor. He used it for hay rides around his property, and some light duty tasks, before it was parked around 2003 or 2004. Unfortunately for me, the exhaust wasn't covered very well, and the starter was taken out, so it was more of an aquarium/mouse hotel than a tractor when I got it!

[jasondepinto]

I got to work right away, disassembling, spraying everything down with PB and Kroil, and taking the head off to asses the stuck engine. No horror movie ever made rivals what I saw when I took the head off!

[jasondepinto]

After several weeks soaking the cylinders in Kroil, rocking the tractor in gear every so often, to no avail... I determined it was time for a split to really tear down the engine. Lucky for me, a Cubfest was coming up at Cecil's, in Oxford, NY. Being new to Cubs, and tractors in general, I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to bring my engine up with me, to get help and advice from those who had tread before me. I got to work splitting the tractor, did some more general cleaning and degreasing, and prepared to head north.

[jasondepinto]

My first CubFest!! I brought up my engine, threw it on a stand, and dove right in, with the help of a lot of great folks!

After a full day of removing the valves and literally trying to beat the pistons out of the block, it was not looking so good for my poor old "60"! Berlin to the rescue! Fortunately for me, Berlin had brought an engine with him, just so there would be projects at the fest. At dinner on Friday night, a deal was made, and I was now in possession of a good engine!

[jasondepinto]

For the rest of that weekend, I replaced every seal I could on the engine. Cecil had the tool to drive the governor seal in to the correct depth, so that was great. The carb gurus, Bob and Don got me all set up with a freshly rebuilt Carburetor. I listened to everyone's advice, and tried to take home as much knowledge as I could. More than that, I left with some new friends...like minded fellows with similar interests! A win all around!

[jasondepinto]

Once I got home, the real work began. A fellow forum member, and new friend who happens to live close to me, came over with a bore gauge, so I could be sure I had the right pistons, rings, etc. I disassembled even more of the tractor. I used a wire cup brush on an angle grinder for the majority of the stripping. All of the loose pieces I blasted in my sandblast cabinet. I began spraying primer on everything that had been stripped or blasted, and started to put the engine back together with all new rings, bearings, valves, valve guides, etc.

[jasondepinto]

More engine work...Sourced some parts from Tim, a newly machined rear main seal retainer, new head bolts, various other things. I employed a trick of another forum member, who I met at that first Cubfest, on getting the old pilot bushing out...Bread!

[jasondepinto]

With the engine and tractor going back together, and mostly everything stripped, and primed, it was time to start slinging some red! I think IH 2150 has permanently become a part of my DNA strand at this point! I setup a "paint booth" in my garage, and shot mostly everything through a gun.

[jasondepinto]

Starting to look like a tractor again!!

[jasondepinto]

Time to be brave, and tear down the Touch Control for a rebuild! Once again, the forum provided everything I needed, with a really great write up on how to do it.

[jasondepinto]

Scored some awesome, new to me, Firestone Turf treads from , yet again, a friend I met at Cubfest, who also lives in NJ! Noticing a trend here?

[jasondepinto]

What happened next was a long period of no forward momentum on the Cub. Life, kids, a Pandemic that stripped me of work, still to this day, requiring me to find other outlets of income, all left no time to work on the old girl. With another Cubfest in sight though, I decided it was time to make the final push. I got back on the horse, gathered all my parts, rented a trailer, and once again, headed north to Cecil's Cubfest!

[jasondepinto]

Another great weekend, spent with great folks. Everybody pitched in with turning wrenches, offering parts, advice, and good old supervision! By the end of Friday, we had the engine running..a moment I will never forget. More assembly work took place on Saturday, and by the end of that day, I had taken the first ride on my Cub...2 years in the making! I went home with a nearly complete tractor, having only a few more tasks to complete!

[jasondepinto]

Well, at long last, my 2 year restoration is over..but my lifelong fascination with Cubs has just begun! Originally, I had hoped to bring the Cub home, get it running, and use it in its original work clothes. In a strange way though, I'm actually happy I had to do as much work as I did. I now have a greater knowledge of these tractors than I would have if the road had been a little easier. This forum, and it's members, was instrumental in me being able to do this. I can not thank everyone who helped me wrench, sold me parts, or offered advice, enough. I hope I can pay it forward to future generations by passing on the knowledge you all have given me. Now...I need a Loboy to make a full set!