New Business - Building Farmall Cub Parts

[Urbish]

I have some exciting news that I think most people on this forum will be interested in. I've been mulling over an idea for a long time and through a recent significant windfall, I now have the resources to put this plan into motion. I quit my job as a Mechanical Engineer on Friday and I’m starting up a sheetmetal stamping/metal fabrication business which will produce, among other things, parts for the Farmall Cub.

I’ve been prepping my Farmall B for summer mowing duty as I plan to take my 1948 Cub up to a company that does 3D scanning this coming week. They will scan the entire exterior of the tractor and provide me with a CAD model. I will then disassemble the entire tractor and have each item which is not easily measured 3D scanned as well.

I would like to be able to completely reproduce a Farmall Cub using new parts. While some reproductions may not exactly match the originals, I aim to preserve all attachment interfaces so that original parts and my reproduction parts will be fully interchangeable. In the end, I’d like to produce an entire tractor, not unlike what what Cleber, TuffBilt, and TIlmor have done with their Allis Chalmers G style cultivating tractors. It will, of course, use a different modern off-the-shelf engine. There are lots of details to be worked out there, but I’m in no hurry.

My aim is to get started by reproducing those parts which are not currently available in the aftermarket and are becoming difficult to buy used. I’d like to start with one or two simpler items like the floor pan and fenders, and expand my offerings from there. The hood/fuel tank would be high on that list as well.

Given my recent good fortune, making money in this endeavor isn’t really necessary. I’d like to do whatever it takes to ensure that these little tractors can live on for a LONG time. In the meantime, I have lots of figuring and planning to do. More to come soon! Happy Easter!

Jim

[Slim140]

Jim, hope this goes well for you and I’m excited to see what you come up with!

Is this an April fools joke?

[staninlowerAL]

Good to hear that this might come to pass. Best of Luck with the process. Stan

[Dale Finch]

Either April Fool's joke, or he was the latest Lottery winner last night!! Sure would be nice if it were the latter!

[Urbish]

Well, phooey. I can't pull anything over on you guys. Happy April Fool's Day!

[Dale Finch]

But it was a delightful fantasy!!!

[FLOPGUY]

In all seriousness something like that could be done.. especially casting some of the more vulnerable pieces. The problem would be cost, you would have to have enough people to buy parts to make it financially worth it.. start off slow with something like 1000 bolsters or engine blocks.. but would there be a market?

[Urbish]

In all seriousness something like that could be done.. especially casting some of the more vulnerable pieces. The problem would be cost, you would have to have enough people to buy parts to make it financially worth it.. start off slow with something like 1000 bolsters or engine blocks.. but would there be a market?

I don't think that would be profitable until most of the parts-tractors out there have been consumed. They made so many Cubs that it will be a while before that happens. And by then, will there be enough interest in keeping them going? But if somebody hit the lottery and was excited enough about Cubs, it could definitely be done.

[brewzalot]

Sure hope you can get your job back...

[lliberto]

If you are going to do this maybe one of the engines options should be a diesel.

[T-Mo]

Jim,
Good one.

[Urbish]

Just to be clear, this was an April Fool's joke. That said, I would totally do this if I hit Mega Millions or something. And if I were to actually do this, a Kubota 3 cylinder diesel (20-25hp) would be the first engine I'd look at.

[lliberto]

Oh boy did I fall for that one!

[AL Farmall Boy]

Yeah I did too at first. I was all fired up ready to ask you to reproduce sheetmetal for the Super A, 100, 130, and 140 tractors. Now THAT is something that is desperately needed in this tractor hobby. Dang it!!

[ricky racer]

Man, I was getting ready to invest my 401k savings in it....
Dodged a bullet there!!!