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Rodney51Cub

501 Club
Purchased a 1953 Farmall Super M from a cousin. It was her dads tractor. She has driven one of my tractors in the local parade for the last four years. I thought it would be good if she could drive her dads tractor so I bought it and hope to have it ready for the parade in October. Going to need a lot of work. I have another set of front and rear tires and rims already so mainly engine work and paint.

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Finally got the Super M in the shop after spending to long on the transmission on my 43 H. Started draining fluids. Engine is stuck but no water in engine oil. There was water in the transmission though. Will have to pull top plate an check it out. It had good looking antifreeze in the radiator so hopefully no freeze damage to the engine or radiator. Clutch is stuck and exhaust manifold will have to be replaced. Will need to replace gas tank, it is beyond saving. Going to need one rear rim. Hope to have it ready for the parade in October, good thing I am retired.

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Got more of the engine apart this week. 2 and 3 pistons are stuck at the bottom of the stroke so I am having trouble getting around the crank to get a straight shot at knocking them loose. I can move the crank a little, 1 and 4 move with the crank. Got all the manifold studs out except one. Broke my stud removal tool so I will have to get another one and try again. In the mean time the stud is getting soaked with P B Blaster.
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ThIs tractors name is going to be Frankenstein. I have found date codes from Dec of 52 to Nov of 55. Serial number says it is a 53 depending what you read. I went by the International Harvester Tractor Data Book by Guy Fay. Got the front end and engine removed and only broke one bolt in the front end. Got #2 and 3 sleeves and pistons out. Will pull # 1 and 4 sleeves this weekend. New sleeves, pistons, gaskets and a couple of gauges will be here Monday. Mouse nest and dirt dobber nests in the bell housing. Will have to drop the hydraulic pump to get the rest of the nests out.
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Went to JP's this week and got a fuel tank, seat, magneto drive adapter and light switch. Removed the old fuel tank and seat and added them to the scrap pile. Removed all the old wiring and switches. It had a solenoid and push button, I will be going back to the original set up of the starter button and push lever. Opened the amp gauge / light switch box and found dirt dobbers and wasp nests, good thing it is February instead of July. Will have to order a water jacket cover, the one that was on it came out in three pieces. Do not figure I will be able to start sand blasting until April but there is still plenty to do and get new parts on order.
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Got the head and block stripped and cleaned up. The head will have to have go to get some seats dressed up or replaced. Have all new valves, springs and guides on order. Also have a new int/ex manifold on order. Took a while to get the water jacket in the block flushed, it was nasty. Will put the crank and rods back in and plastic gage them. Hopefully just some new bearing is all I need.
 
Spent a lot of time chasing parts. Finally started reassembling the engine. Replaced cam bearings and put cam back and then crank. Sent head to shop to have valve seats worked over. Found new intake valves, but exhaust valves were another story. Finally found 2 new ones, hopefully 2 of the 3 original valves that were not pitted will work. Took the carb apart and started cleaning it, it is going to take a few soakings in Berrymans to get it clean. Hope to start putting sleeves and pistons back in tomorrow but have 3 lawn mowers to get ready and the grass has started growing early this year.
 
Bought a pair of good looking fenders and a bunch more new parts. Sleeves and pistons are back in. Had a hard time trying to find rod bolt washers with out breaking the bank. Still waiting on Rod bolt locking tabs, they should be here tomorrow. Head is still at shop. The guy told me he was 3 weeks out when I dropped it off. I told him, no hurry I had plenty of other things work on. Still trying to get crud out of carb bowl. Got a local show on the 13th so I have to get a Cub ready for that.
 
Got the carb cleaned and a kit put in it. It had a mag on it so I cleaned it up put new points in it. If that does not pan out I have an extra vertical distributor to try. I have a spare mag and horizontal distributor, just no adapter for the distributor yet. Pulled the back half out of the shop. Hit it with the pressure washer and some oven cleaner. It looks a lot better, but will do it again before I start sand blasting. Hope to get wheel centers removed and wheel weights off for sand blasting and painting next.
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Ordered more parts today. Should have everything I need except an alternator, battery, and rear rim. Did some painting on small parts. Been raining every few days so it is not easy to get big stuff done. Rear wheel weights are being a booger to get off. Finally got the bolts on the left one to move but the right one is still being stubborn. Will end up taking the wheel off and laying it down, and using the persuader on it.

I know come July and August I will be wishing for rain but right now I have enough.
 
Two steps forward and three back. Got the head back from the shop. Got most of the parts plus an alternator. Filled the trans to the proper level with a mix of hydro fluid and diesel fuel to rinse it out. Half an hour later the right axle seal, pto seal and the counter shaft seal started dripping. Ordered more seals and gaskets. Hope to have all gaskets and seals replaced this week so I can start bolting it back together. Will need to replace the left brake drum and brake actuator, both are rusted very badly. Painting is still on hold as there is a chance of rain all week.
 
Slow going. Replaced input shaft seal, countershaft seal, right axle seal, both bull gear seals, and pto seal and retainer. PTO seal retainer was broke at bolt hole. Got another brake drum and brake actuator. Have two broken bolts that hold the right brake drum on so I will have to take care of that before I reinstall brakes. One was broke when I got the tractor and I broke one taking the drum off. The right wheel weight still has not came off. I have it laying down, soaking the bolts in PB blaster and hitting it with a sledge but no movement yet. I may have to break out the hot wrench and use some military words.

We got 2.25 inches of rain over the weekend and power was out for 17 hours but no storm damage. Had a EF-3 tornado about 20 miles northwest of us. That was close enough for me.
 
Finally got a day to do some sand blasting yesterday. Today it is raining again.
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Both brake drums, one side rail, oil pan, rear gas tank mount and belt pulley delete plate.

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Engine is almost ready to go back in, just want to put trans top plate back on before I install engine.
It is a lot easier to remove and install the top plate with an engine hoist and going from the front with the engine out of the way.

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Filled the transmission back up with oil and no more leaks. :{_}: :{_}:
 
Attempted to clean the flywheel up to put back on the engine but found several cracks. After posting a question on YT about it and finding the maximum grind dimensions I am going to get another one.
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I did get the trans top cover back on and the wheel weight removed and tire back on.
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Got some red sprayed.
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Was hoping to have the engine back in but will this week end but will have to wait on flywheel.
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Have plenty of other things to do so the flywheel is not a big set back.
 
Got another flywheel and put engine in.
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Got some other parts sand blasted and primed before the humidity went back up.
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Suppose to rain again for the next 3 or 4 days so sand blasting and painting is on hold again.
Still have plenty to do but it is good to be reassembling. :{_}:
Now if I can only remember where all the parts are that I took off. :oops:
 
Got some more sandblasting and painting done before the next round of rain.
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Have to order a seat shock and some other small parts but only one set back this time.
The governor rod housing, is cracked at a mounting hole and I have one broken screw in it.
Messicks has NOS one, so I will order it instead of hoping to find a good used one.
October is sneaking up on me, hopefully I will have it ready.
 
Installed the seat shock. Replaced the governor rod housing, reassembled the governor, painted, and put back on. Put a heli-coil in the head were the stud was that had to be drilled out. Cleaning it up to paint and reinstall. Got some other small parts painted but not much else. Spent some time getting my Massey and rotary cutter ready to help the neighbor mow his CRP ground. I will spend 3 or 4 days helping him and then back to the project.
 
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Put the head, manifold, distributor and carburetor back on. Ordered a new water pump, the impeller shaft on this one was grooved. Should have it tomorrow. Started working on wiring while waiting on the pump. Weather is suppose to cool off a little and be less humid with no rain all week. I can get the front end cleaned, painted and back on. Got less than seven weeks to get this done and the other six ready for the show and parade.
 
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