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Today’s letter is “K” Klever design and koncern for the kustomer led to a komfortable kab. Knudson Tractor Operator comfort and adaptability to the terrain of the sprawling North Dakota farmlands were two of Jerome Knudson’s primary considerations when he designed his tractor. Virtually all BIG four-wheel drive tractors like the Steiger and Versatile had open operator platforms and were of the articulated design. They were BIG and well suited for the open prairie lands of Iowa, Wyoming, and Montana. The rolling farmland of North and South Dakota offered some challenges that existing BIG tractors were not ideal for. The operator would likely spend half of their day leaning in one direction or the other as he worked the hillsides. Also, the open platform left the operator exposed to the elements for long periods and the articulated ridged frame would often leave one drive wheel above the ground while negotiating uneven terrain. North Dakota farmer Jerome Knudson decided to build his own tractor that would fit the needs of his land incorporating some creature comfort not available on existing BIG tractors in 1967. To keep all four wheels in contact with the ground Knudson used two steerable axels on a rigid frame with the front axel mounted on a separate framework, which allowed it to pivot keeping all four wheels in contact with the ground when going over obstacles. The use of steerable axles front and rear also allowed the tractor to be more nimble on hillsides. If traction was limited the tractor’s axles could be turned to have it “crabwalk” to maintain direction of movement. Operator comfort was another primary consideration, working on hill sides would force the operator to lean for prolonged periods. This would cause a great deal of fatigue and make for a long workday. Also, the ability to stand from time to time would reduce the operator exhaustion. The engine and transmission would also benefit from being in an upright position so Knudson devised a separate chassis to carry the operator cab, engine and drive components which could be leveled by the operator while covering changing terrain. This feature along with the cab being suspended from rubber mounts and a six-and-a-half-foot tall cab allowing a farmer to stand up and stretch when needed was a big plus. These tractors were not aimed at the average farmer but were well received by those land wasn’t flat. The green and white color scheme made the Knutson tractor stand out from the rest and was maintained after the company was sold to Allmand Brothers. The production continued at the Nebraska based factory until 1983 however during the last few years of production Knudson tractors were painted yellow. Major tractor manufacturers have built their own models of BIG tractors over the years but none have incorporated the self-leveling feature that makes the Knudson stand out from the rest

Last week at work I was talking with our part time secretary and she asked me if I would help her this weekend with moving an old truck out of her yard. The old truck she is wanting out of there just so happens to belong to my grandfather (he and her father in law have been farming partners for years). So I told her I would talk to him and see what he wanted to do with it. Talked to him after work and he told me to take it and do with it whatever I wanted to. The truck in question is a 1971 Chevy C50 grain truck. It was last tagged in 1996, and it's been at least 15 years since the truck has ran and was parked. Spent the better part of the day yesterday trying to get it to run, with no luck. I can get it to turn over about a half revolution and stop, pulled the starter and turned it backwards about a half revolution and it stops again. My first thought was a stuck valve, so I pulled the valve covers and all the valves move as they should. But just to eliminate the possibility I completely backed off every rocker arm and turned the engine over with the same results, my next thought is probably some rust in a cylinder not allowing the rings to move past it. The spark plug that came out of the number 6 cylinder did have some rust on the end of it. I've got the cylinders full of Marvel Mystery Oil now letting them soak so we will see what happens in a few days. Now for the question of what do we do with it. We don't really have a use for a grain truck around our place, but we do have a lot of downed trees and brush that needs cleaned up around the farm, thought about removing the end gate and using it for hauling brush and trash to the burn pit, provided we can get it running. The truck is sitting on 9.00-20 tires (which are almost impossible to find) on the old split rims that no one in the area will touch anymore, and both outside duals need replaced. That got me to doing some research into converting it over to modern 22.5s, those wheels are right around $350 a piece, so I'm looking at $2100 just in new wheels and then anywhere from $3-500 a piece for new 22.5 tires. In the process of researching this I ended up on YouTube and went down that famous rabbit hole that we should never go down. I saw a few projects where people had swapped the C50 cab onto a C30 chassis. That got me to thinking I have an old 79 K20 sitting in the pasture with a blown engine, how cool would it be to graft the 71 C50 cab onto the K20 4x4 chassis, custom built flatbed, and drop a big block and 5 speed in. Please someone tell me I've lost the few marbles I had left Here is the truck

Had no idea what to do with a beat up Commando 800 I picked up at the Zag show from Paul @PWL216. It did not look like this before starting on it. Original plan was to just use it for custom building parts. BUT, after getting the engine fired up and going through some stuff I just kept going, it drives really nice and runs sweet, I don't have the heart to chop it up if someone can use a good little snow plow tractor. With bigger tires on it now it's basically a B80.

The hood ornament is painted and installed! I think It turned out pretty good for my first useful CAD design.

I put the engine in this C-145 Auto for a friend of the family the other day. He came to pick it up this morning. “That runs much better than the old one ever did.” Awesome!

And here is the old junker that would donate her frame to this crazy idea I have brewing in my head

I dunno, this all is WAY outside my expertise but it does sound like something pretty cool and exciting. Marbles might be overrated and you can always collect more!

I hear that Pete. Having spent most of my life in the woods and skinning tick infested animals, I have had dozens of tick bites. I had one buried in my thigh in the early 60s that formed a red bulls eye ring. I just thought it was infection and rubbed it with alcohol. This was about ten years before a group of children in Lyme, Conn. were sick with some unexplained symptoms and eventually a researcher who was studying the tick borne Rocky Mt Spotted Fever discovered these children were all bitten by a tick and Lyme disease was discovered. Unfortunately I contacted the disease long before it was known or any treatment was available. I created heart, sinus, joint, tunnel vision, and numbness problems and a neck that has very limited movement. Not complaining though.....I feel lucky to wake up on the green side every AM.

@elcamino/wheelhorse I think it would be a nice gesture for you to send Kevin a "Curad " gift set!

Bryce. You've lost the few marbles you had left. And as stated above.. awesome project no matter what you do.

I know it’s not tractor parts but I’ll have a bunch of these with me if anyone wants one. Cell phone charging stands. Several designs available. $15 each. I’ll add more pics

For one thing you do not plant asparagi seed bro... is not that the plural of asparagus??? ...you plant roots. Walmart usually has them 4 roots for 3 bucks. You really want to know how to grow it I'll give you pumpkin farmer's number. He's got a 1/2 acre plot to die for so I just go and coon some & usually get Dan a bushel basket full. He just planted another row and it's up already. Yes Joe the deer chomped my meager row so i just quit trying and gave all my roots to the neighbor. Bacon wrapped on the smoker with Dan's heart attack loaf is the only way to fly....

Might be cheaper to find an old school bus that has good tires on it.

What did I do? Hmm..... Mowed the lawn, watered the newly planted veg plants, continued my greenhouse building project, installed a new outdoor tap for said greenhouse, planted up hanging basket tomatoes and a couple of flower planters, made a home made pizza for lunch, laid a trial 1 metre square of stabilised gravel to see how it would look and perform..... just a few bits and bobs. Meanwhile, Sandra and her Ginnies girls hit the road and drove to the coast for a jolly day out. Oh then, when the sun had sunk into the West I had to water the community garden with my patented water pump system, home in time to greet the weary travellers.

Sure miss my marbles.

Steel toe flip flops

We're going to have to start calling Kevin " Mr.Sickle!"

Saw this on marketplace for $100 and the only thing the seller knows is it won't stay running. Inherited I suppose. I can probably get it running. Anywho... I'm accustomed to seeing the model on the hood decal. Idk I'm better identifying 60s chevy trucks lol

It will not be adequate . May not break but it will sag considerably. That is a fact. If it sags enough it will at the very least compromise the attachments at the ends. I have built miles and miles of shelving over my career and can tell you for a fact that anything out of any wood related of 1-1/2” in an eight foot span will sag to the point that in the very least its unsightly and unprofessional. There are many things one can do to make it work even with a 3/4” shelf some of which were already mentioned. Laugh if you want but the photos below is what I always resort to, and in over 40 years I have never had a single failure. I have literally built bridges in this manner. Depending on the situation to be used for, the materials such as the rope or the attachment points may be a steel cable if needed, but the principle is the same. It is adjustable according to the load , or atmospheric conditions (which affect materials )a crown is always the desired condition. The one shown although a little buried you can see is a simple 3/4” mahogany board about 10” wide by 8’long not even attached at the ends. It simply rests on top of ends. Over the years at different times I probably have had over 300lbs on it, sometimes increasing the tension to maintain a crown. At one time it had four beer kegs full of wine for over one year.

Guys a moron... sides twant no garden unless it was trying to cultivate scrap iron & racing tires....

@WHX?? I’m aware of the root plantings… some jack wagon plowed through my patch in the garden if you can believe it This will be a dedicated asparagus patch, all separate from plow day traffic

A budget friendly set can be made from 1/2 bar stock.

Gotta get it just to yank the horns and compressor off for Norman!

Jim, you do have a way with words!

And they work just fine.... loosen the rear triangular block on the frame to allow installation...

Because there was several issues with seized Hitch Bolts, that‘s the Way i prevent this.. Remove the old Bolt, drilled a 4,8mm hole into the Holder on the Gearbox. than i taped a thread in and at least i screwed a zerk fitting into that thread. Additionally i use an Standart 19mm Bolt we get here for Agri machinery fixed with 2 Clips. A great decision was the Angle of 48 degrees to fit easily with the Greasepump. Each time i do my regular Greasing routine i cleaned the zerk and refill it after with one pump of fresh grease. So it is even better covered with the hitch itself against rip up

Darn tired of replacing old seats. I'm going to attempt to repair my twenty some year old seat.

Got this in a stack o' stuff from @PWL216 @Stepney thought maybe it could be a PTO part for mid 60s.... ((??))

I am thinking that it would be easier to have the Rescue Squad parked in his yard. Everyone knows that the flip flop kid is going to cut something off within a couple of days after unloading it.

Only, with a sickle bar? I'm thinking you need to add an assortment of tourniquets...

Not certain if patching or attempting to clean the padding will help at all but paint is drying so...

There are low chances it had Lyme disease. However, I’m no doctor and end up in the bumps and bruises thread all too often. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to get in to your local medical center…

I touched up a couple spots on the frame that were missed while hanging, then pressure washed some sheet metal.

The rubber dry rots, or it gets soft from oil, and then the engine hops around like a pregnant rabbit.

Got that right Don. Another thing Kev is whoever told you to disc them in is on crack. You plant it in ROWS! Go check out u tube on proper planting instead of posting vids on proper way to cut yer toenails. More and pics when I get done cooning today.

My dad had a nice big asparagus patch. It was the only vegetable we kids were not required to eat--he would happily eat it all. He let some of it go to seed every year so that it would keep on producing. After he sold the property, the new owners tried to plant grass. Hah! They had asparagus come up through the grass for several years.

Very similar, I have/had (I haven’t checked on it in a while) open offer to come take this ‘64 GMC 6000. It’s got a 671 Detroit Diesel and twin stick transmission with the hi/low rear end if I recall. The grain box is a dumper and when my buddy bought the farm 3 or 4 years back he drove it to it’s current resting place.

Sentimental value and the wow factor of a survivor like that will get you in trouble every time. If you want it as yard art then go for it! If you just want for hauling brush I would suggest using a trailer behind a tractor. If you do decide to go for it

Our pair of scamps Charles and Poppy, this was taken yesterday, our hottest day of the year so far at around 24 C so they look pretty unimpressed. For a pair of rescue dogs who only met in later life they are pretty close, sleeping together and all. Poppy is a Shi Tzsu cross and has anger management issues lol. She has the cutest bark howl that sounds like "How rude" which she aims at us if we dare do anything to offend or upset her. For example, Sandra thought cut tulips in the living room would look great in a crystal vase on the fire hearth. Poppy did not share her interior design idea and did some flower arranging of her own..... The look on her face says it all.... Of course this left her "purdy near tuckered out" and so she nabbed Sandra's brand new chair that at that point Sandra hadn't even had chance to sit in. You gotta love that cute little cervicalgia.

who stolen mummy‘s rag? i never would do so, i just wiped my mouth...😎😇

I just called my dr. He wants me to come in tomorrow and get bloodwork

She’s a mostly complete roller! I have a seat I had in mind for it, but it has a too wide bolt pattern for the springs. Back to the drawing board.

You got it.

Mmmmmm.

Lowell has the solid mounts as well. https://wheelhorsepartsandmore.com/product/engine-mounts-for-wheel-horse/

@ri702bill Thanks for the info. Looks easy enuf.

BUY IT ! ! The deck alone is worth at lest $200.

I mow for part of my job. We recently upgraded my Kubota ZD326 mower to a Scag Turf Tiger 2 with the diesel engine. But I come home to mow with my 1971 bronco 14 and have no complaints on how it mows.

The way I decide is simple. If they don't have a specific use or are a rare model, why have to maintain them. Seeing you have so many, I'm guessing you have ones that barely get used, if at all. Those are the ones I'd thinking about letting someone else get some use out of. We came into this life with nothing, and that's the way we're leaving it.