Questions about my cubs appearance

[Scott from Marshfield]

I have two cubs, a ‘64 and a ‘65, that came the with property I purchased 27 yrs ago. They both work, and are 100% working tractors, and always will be as long as I own them. As you can see, they are not pretty, they show their wear and age cosmetically. I have been wondering for years if I should paint the hoods and maybe the hubs to improve their appearance.
( the red ‘64 hood has a cutaway sadly above the generator... it’s serial number is 224403, so I think it’s the third tractor off the assembly line that was 12 V, maybe there was an issue with the charging or gen, who knows...)

Three questions for you wise cub owners:

1- should I paint them at all? Do they have more “authenticity” and value as they are in their original paint?
(Granted, both have needed many replacement parts: New seats, batts, all new tires, new mufflers, new regulators, belts, new light switches, the yellow one had an engine rebuild about 20 years ago, and the red one has two aftermarket headlights - it came with one original broken light)

2- if I do paint, where can I find the correct white color? My quickie Internet research suggests that the color should be IH #901, which I’m guessing is no longer available…

3- if I were to paint them myself what steps do I need to take? I have no professional tools, certainly no paint spray apparatus.. spray can or brush on?

Thanks!

[ScottyD'sdad]

Most of mine need paint. Doesn't affect their ability to work, so, unless I'm really bored, they'll stay the way they are.
Ed

[chuck ma]

Paint them to protect the metal and stop the rust. If you paint the prep work is the important spend the proper amount of time prepping and your paint job will come out nice. If you decide to leave them in their "work clothes" at least apply some type of clear sealer to slow the rusting. I partial to painting to protect them there preserving them for a much longer period. You don't have to use a automotive quality paint to repaint, unless you want a show tractor. Mine are all used for work and I use Valspar paint its been ten years and it still looks good, doesn't shine like it was new any more but the paint still looks good.

[Lt.Mike]

I notice the one has a grader blade / snowplow mounted. When the day comes and you get a heavy snowfall you and maybe a neighbor that might have thought you’d need a pretty new tractor will see it differently afterward. After clearing your drives and the mounds that the city plow leaves at the bottom that crusty little tractor will look beautiful.
Remember once it’s all painted and pretty it takes care to keep it that way.

[DickB]

Scott, Yup.
Paint them to protect them (also paint what you don't see as that too rusts). My local repaint guru's words to me were to take things apart as much as makes sense so that you can see where the rust has crept to. He suggested to sand and wire brush everything not necessarily down to exposed metal but to firm paint, then finer sandpaper and then more even finer sandpaper but always stop before you lose a tooth to the sandpaper--you'll want that to help with new paint adhesion. Then on to Rustoleum heavy metal primer. Then sand that to knock down high spots. Then a 2nd coat of the primer. Then sand again, a bit more lightly. Then paint 2 costs of IH Iron Clad Farmall Red (or whatever it is called) with a light sanding in between. All of my work has been with brushes as I'm not a paint sprayer. I use throw away bristle brushes for the primer and toss out Jen foam brushes for the treat of laying on that quality red. Step back 20 paces and if you've been okay with the brushwork, it'll look more than "good enough"--I presume mine to be almost spray gun quality but without the super gloss that the professionals get with epoxy coatings and other "over the top" job. It'll be really okay, yeah...really something you'll appreciate more than you do now as you go out to see how the Cubs are going to treat you in the morning. Nearly perky, those painted with love Cubs--they'll know it and like you lots. Cub owners get a bit perky feeling about it too. Surely much better than your haggard (but obviously beloved) Cubs.

For white...I've only used that on my pre-Cub horse drawn hayrake and the wheels of the Farmall 100 manure spreader. For that I've used Rustoleum gloss white and like it. Take a look at the manure spreader--I deem it "good enough " for me and the Cub:

That's about the right distance for "critical" viewing, BTW. The top of the wheel fender has a spot welded thin sheet metal over some rusted through spots. Bondo came to the rescue with liberal coatings and grindings and sandings and the paint steps mentioned above. If you can do the same with your hood I'd do that although I think you'd be better in the long run buying one from one of the sellers on the Vine. That chunk of sheet metal on the side of the hood needs another task other than a Cub hood. You've got the metal signage for the hood sides? I'd chase that down too. Then going for the fully nonessential decals would be worth it -- not least for all the heckling you might well get from those you know you too well.

Wrong time of the year for this unless you've got a heated work space. But I do hope that's I've given you the bug to do it.

[ddlebail]

A couple of old sayings come to mind...

Total condition:
It is good looking by far, but by far from good looking.

Character building items, dings, rust, wrinkles, and the like:
Can't see it from the road, and a blind man would be glad to see it

[Waif]

I'll toss in another old saying....
Look but once for beauty.

[Glen]

Hi,
That is interesting that you own the 3rd 12 volt Cub.

People on here have said they like the Case IH paint, sold by Case IH dealers. They have said it is durable.
TM Tractor sells it also, below is their page, with 4 colors, including white.

http://www.tmtractor.com/new/sp/sp_001.htm

Below is the cover of the 1965 Cub owner's manual, it has a pic of the Cub.

http://farmallcub.com/rudi_cub/www.clea ... ge-001.jpg

Below are pages from the Cub parts manual.
The 1st page shows the Farmall Cub you have in the lower pic.
The 2nd page shows the Cub, in the upper pic. It shows the serial numbers when they were made also.

http://www.farmallcub.info/manuals/cub_ ... 000-12.jpg

http://www.farmallcub.info/manuals/cub_ ... 000-13.jpg

Below are hood decals from TM Tractor, yours are the 1st and 2nd ones on the page.
Many of their decals were used on certain years of Cubs.

http://www.tmtractor.com/new/de/de_003.htm

[inairam]

yours look better than most of mine.

I paint as I fix/ replace like the battery box for sure.

Most part I "oil" to stop corrosion with a lanolin-based oil

[welderrx]

I prefer them in their working clothes, A tractor is only original once, I might repaint one of our Allis Chalmers C's because it was repainted poorly with a brush right over the grease and crud, but Im kind of used to it that way now. I would actually panic if I ever got caught up enough to have the time think about painting one of the herd. TJ

[Peter Person]

Scott,
Your 1964 12V Farmall Cub is one of the "rarest" of Cubs. I had one of these for a few months several years ago.
Here's one of many threads that discuss this tractor;
http://www.farmallcub.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=93591&hilit=1964+12V+Farmall+Cub

The hood can be patched by a good fabricator.

Peter

[Stanton]

Lol. You’re getting the whole range of responses from this one!

If you’re gonna use rattle cans, I recommend using Valspar. Good paint, but as with any paint job, prep is a must and the most time-consuming. Valspar won’t break your budget like Case-IH will.

I do like that ‘64 Cub (what used to be red and white). Man! The restore I’d love to do on that!

[inairam]

they are only original paint once.

All of mine I want to paint were painted poorly with the wrong colors