Farmall Cub

Had an opportunity drop in my lap last week. I've been friends with my neighbor down the road over the years. Due to a motorcycle accident and no fault of his own, he lost his left leg, just above the knee. Back story related here: http://www.farmallcub.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=176&t=81007

He called me this past week, wanting me to come down and possibly buy his Farmall H because he was convinced by family that he shouldn't be climbing upon it in his condition. So, optimistically, I walked the 1/4 mile down the road to his house on Saturday...

My friend is waiting for me in his pickup. We drive around the house to the tractor and I told him I wanted to get his pic:


We inspected the tractor. He told me all the things wrong with it and what procedures he has to go through to start it. Serial number (if I remember) is 231,516 which would place it in the 1946 range. Rear tires have weights, swinging drawbar, fancy chrome headlights and sheet metal that is mostly there and could be refurbished if I choose. Tires are worn, but not too much; one of the front tires was flat. Got on and drove it around his back yard (1 acre) a couple times. No smoke; engine sounds good. He told me that he has the side pulley and the service manual as well.


We confirm the price ($250) per his earlier proposal, then I fork over the cash and drive it home:


At it's new home:






None of the wheels are rusted out. The exhaust pipe at the manifold needs to be replaced (threads are stripped), there's a slow leak of gear oil...but it's my first H and I'm grateful to my friend who wanted me to have it. Haven't any plans to refurbish...yet.

Stanton wrote:... it's my first H ...

I like your optimism.
Looks like you did very well. But, judging by what you've done with your other tractors and implements, it won't look like it does now for very long.

NOW who's being optimistic!!

Pretty decent looking old rig. No rust on rear wheels on a tractor that old means their probably is not any CaCl in the tires, which is good. Make sure you keep the clamps tight on the front rims are they will work around the rim and shear the valve stems off. On the one we had the loader on a pair of blocks had been added to each front rim to prevent that.

John *.?-!.* cub owner wrote: Make sure you keep the clamps tight on the front rims are they will work around the rim and shear the valve stems off.

Looks like the adjustable front wheels with the lugs permanently attached to the rims, no possible slippage.

I see it also has a pair of those cultivator brackets that I spent two or three years looking for.

$250- and you drove it home. That's a really good deal. Congratulations.

Jim Becker wrote:

John *.?-!.* cub owner wrote: Make sure you keep the clamps tight on the front rims are they will work around the rim and shear the valve stems off.

Looks like the adjustable front wheels with the lugs permanently attached to the rims, no possible slippage.

I see it also has a pair of those cultivator brackets that I spent two or three years looking for.

Mr. Jim,
Is this the bracket you referred to?




Nice find. You'll love the H.

Jim Becker wrote:

John *.?-!.* cub owner wrote: Make sure you keep the clamps tight on the front rims are they will work around the rim and shear the valve stems off.

Looks like the adjustable front wheels with the lugs permanently attached to the rims, no possible slippage........

Yup, I did not look closely enough.

Mr E wrote:[Mr. Jim,
Is this the bracket you referred to?

Yes, those are the brackets. They are like the square blocks for a Cub snow plow. They get left on the tractor and separated from the rest of the cultivator. Many of them have probably gone on tractor restorer's scrap piles.

I am trying to remember where I have seen those headlights before. What does it say on top of them? Looks like off a real old Dodge truck, from the 30s or 40s.

John *.?-!.* cub owner wrote:I am trying to remember where I have seen those headlights before. What does it say on top of them? Looks like off a real old Dodge truck, from the 30s or 40s.

Jim Becker wrote:http://shop.unityusa.com/4595-U-Unity-Raised-Ornament_p_464.html

Mr. Becker's got it pegged. It reads "UNITY". I've not investigated as to whether they are 6v or 12v right now, but they're not connected to the battery/electrical system. The current battery is a 12v.

With those bulbs they make me think they may be old spotlight heads.

John *.?-!.* cub owner wrote:With those bulbs they make me think they may be old spotlight heads.

I suspect the same. The fact they are chromed also suggests they migrated from something else. If new utility lights had been bought for a tractor, it seems more likely they wuld have been painted.

Stanton,

Wow, great lookin' ol' H, and you can't beat the price! The connection with your neighbor certainly adds a lot in my opinion. Congratulations!