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F-20 to the county fair

Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2005 9:48 pm
by Bob McCarty
Last Saturday I helped a friend move his collection of about 40 antique tractors to the fairgrounds for the Boulder County Fair. He put me on a 1938 Farmall F-20. Had about a three mile drive. Went past a speed sign and it blinked back and forth between 6 and 7 MPH. It seems to me like the engineers built the tractor first and then said, "Whoops, we have to put a seat on the back somewhere!!". This Sunday, I hope to get to drive it back to the barn. A fun tractor, but way to big for me to want one. I'm sure some of you grew up on these and have lots of memories (fond or otherwise).
Bob

Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2005 10:08 pm
by Eugene
IH engineers weren't the only ones to design the tractor then put the operator's platform on it - some place. On the old Allis Chalmers tractors the seat is about a foot behind the differential. To operte the tractor your feet are above the differential, leaving your butt hanging in the air.

On a recent post an Allis owner, 350 lbs, was worried that the spring holding the seat would break and drop him to the ground in front of the bushhog. I grew up on old tractors and never thought about it.

Eugene

Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2005 10:16 pm
by WKPoor
I had my H at Cubfest and my wife followed me home. I asked her how fast I was going and she said between 15 and 20 mph. At one point I hit 20. Thats fast enough on an H. By the way, I don't think I ever had it wide open on that trip home.

Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2005 8:30 pm
by RedNed
That's that JP-4 your putting in,Full military power.Stop taking the stuff from work.................
:shock:

Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 11:23 am
by 'Country' Elliott
When I had my 1946 Farmall "M" I used to love to ride on the road! My longest, one-way trip was 31 miles from my former home in Mendham, N.J. to Washington, N.J. to the Case/IH dealership. Even with the road gear...it hummed along at 16 to 18 m.p.h. :D

Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 11:55 am
by beaconlight
Country. How come those big ole jersey skeeters never picked you up and carried you away?

Bill

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 3:48 am
by RAW in IA
I greaw up with an F-20 and my son has it now. Grandfather bought it new in 38. Not the most comfortable tractor to ride, but I enjoy running it anyways. Spent many hours cultivating with it.Hand lift cultivator too! I just love the sound of that old engine under load, but do agree, it needs a faster road gear.

Posted: Mon Aug 08, 2005 4:53 am
by 'Country' Elliott
Hey Bill...MOST of those "Jersey Skeeters" were "Down The Shore"! :lol: Besides it woould have taken a whole FLOCK a them to lift my butt off'n that "M"! :shock:

Besides the F-14 Farmall...I believe the NICEST F-20 I ever saw and drove was a 1936 F-20 on rubber with round spokes front & rear :wink: ! BUT, that seat position is just not natural to try to sit in for any extended period! :shock:

When I went to college in Iowa, we used to visit the John Deere Works in Ottumwa, Iowa. It used to be the old Dain Manufacturing Works that made the 3-wheeled Dain tractor and Dain feed grinders. :wink: AND, the BEST place to visit then was Mt. Pleasant, Iowa for The Thresher's Reunion...WOW, I've NEVER seen so many steam traction tractors in my entire life :D