Starting on the '50

[Rob in NH]

that is really going to be a nice cub when your done.

[bob in CT]

that is really going to be a nice cub when your done.

It should be a good working tractor. Some of the tractor was painted with automotive paint when I bought it and I am using the fenders and platform as-is. The color match it pretty good with the Nason I used to paint the castings. The hood has a fisheye spot on it the size of a baseball, so I will need to sand that and put on another coat.

Boss set me up with with his favorite Zenith carb to complete the engine upgrade- 154 governor, pop-ups, 154 manifold and carb. I will source some SS tubing for the exhaust stack and run a larger pipe without a reducer. I'll wait to paint the hood to make sure there are no fit-up issues with the larger stack. I started out going for stock, even finding all the dot-head bolts I needed. The magneto looks bad, I had no charging system, and I had a nice battery ignition so I decided to put on an alternator and go with 12 volt and a Pertronix system. I will make up my own wiring harness and find some LED bulbs for the teardrop lights. I like the underslung exhaust for mowing, but if I whittle down to a single tractor, this may be my keeper. That won't be an easy choice with the red Longstripe in the mix.

[PVF1799]

Bob - good luck with that - can't wait to see pictures.

[bob in CT]

Been blasting the front bolster, steering box, and front axle pats plus this touch control. Burned up the belts on "someone's" compressor (located in a unattached shed where you can't hear the shrieking) I ordered new belts so in the meantime, I opened this up:



It was loaded with a gelatin-like goop and, as usual, the screen was shot. Good thing I am taking this one apart too.

I sandblasted the outside before I took it apart. Last time I tried to use stripper and that was a mess. Made the blanking plate out of 10 gauge steel and punched out a heavy gasket. This will work for blasting the steel lines too. I taped up the cylinders up front to protect them.

[VMBanner]

Hey Bob. Looks like you've been going at it for a few years. I recently purchased a complete 1950 and a "for parts" 1948. Thanks for telling your story about the '50. I'll use it as a guide for mine.

[bob in CT]

Hey Bob. Looks like you've been going at it for a few years. I recently purchased a complete 1950 and a "for parts" 1948. Thanks for telling your story about the '50. I'll use it as a guide for mine.

This had been a VERY un-Bob-like project! I usually put my head down and push a job right through to conclusion. This one has been a lot more relaxed, but I have had numerous parallel projects going at the same time while this has been on low heat. Today has been a great example: tilled some of my neighbor's garden ( too many rocks!) with my old Swiftamatic Gravely, made a trip to figure ourt what belts to order for "someone's" compressor , planted peas and spinach for us, did a little on this, picked up the wheels I had balanced for my Sunbeam Tiger, prepped for a plumbing job tomorrow, did a little with 1948 BSA bicycle, hauled in a little firewood to take off today's chill. Just another day in The Empire!

[Ben B]

Mercy Bob! It sounds like you have a talent for juggling!!!

As usual, you do top notch work!

[bob in CT]

Nice day. I planned to paint tomorrow, but I have a 24 hour window to topcoat the etch prime, so I thought I would get one out of the way.

First a good washdown with Final Clean and then a wipe with phosphoric acid to clean any flash rust.



Then etch primer



Tomorrow, sealer and then RED.

[Ben B]

You do excellent work as usual Bob! That looks excellent! Looks by the casting code that your engine block was cast one day before mine was.

[bob in CT]

You do excellent work as usual Bob! That looks excellent! Looks by the casting code that your engine block was cast one day before mine was.

Thanks Ben! It is now RED. I wheeled it into the garage to cure as I am getting a few pops. I have a bunch of blasted parts so I am going back out to see how many I can rig up and shoot today. My engine number is 109775.

[bob in CT]

A little more red.

[Stanton]

Lookin' good! Like to see new paint shot on.

[Ben B]

... My engine number is 109775.

I had never even looked at my engine's serial number Bob. I checked it and its 109869, but I had to scrape off a few layers of paint to get to it!

That RED paint sure does make it look AWESOME!

[bob in CT]

After reading one of Clark's posts about replacing clutch yokes, I took a look at mine.

The holes for the TO bearing cross pins are .030" out of round and I don't know what this was rubbing on. Later style yokes are still available from IH, at $150 for both halves. I think I will re-work this one before I install the engine.

[tst]

the rub marks were from hitting the fingers on the pressure plate