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This tractor cost only $ 50.00 In May of 1950 Popular Science Magazine encouraged us to build our own garden tractor for $ 50.00. If you adjust that $ 50.00 for inflation it would be $ 643.83 in 2024, still not too bad for a garden tractor. Many of you weren’t even born when this was written but let’s pretend, we could do this build for $ 50.00. Of course, the $35 for a surplus engine-a single-cylinder, air-cooled, four-cycle Briggs & Stratton. A Ford transmission, Ford steering gear, pre-war Austin rear end, and other parts came from a junk yard may be hard to find today. A powerful midget, it shows what you can do with junk-yard bargains, a hacksaw, and a welding outfit. PS photos by W. W . Morris Popular Science May 1950

One year it was so sweltering hot, in the mid to upper 90s with high humidity and 0 wind. We needed the rain to try and wash away some of that old man BO mixed with exhaust fumes that was stuck on everything! LOL

Today Lucy did some subsoiling, until she had a little breakdown. She was sad about that so she went and did some mowing instead.

got a 100' roll of 4" corrugated tubing so i can finish my pond inflow project. here's my 14yo son using the 312-8 and Harbor Freight trailer to run it back into the woods until i can do the work. i really enjoy the ball-hitch on the wheelhorse as opposed to driving my truck thru the yard.

If Richie and Uncle Jim can’t fix you up, I bet I have some parts stashed away I could send home with Richie…. If you could get a total list of repairs needed, I could look around too.

Cleared that up with vodafone here locally. i booked a additional fee for a fixed price ahead. but thanks for warning.

Where are you in Georgia? I have a hood and steering wheel. I’m in east North Carolina south of greenville. Hood is decent. I’ll get pics tomorrow. I’ll be going to Florida at the end of July. I could meet you somewhere on the way.

That girl is sure photogenic. New Holland is too. Not so much for green n yellow. She looks bummed.

I got it mostly put together from start to now in about 4 hours today. Still needs a few small odds and ends done to wrap it up. But this is how it will look. Put back together with all 304 stainless hardware.

Best off to stand on some ones shoulders & yell really loud.

About time I post an update here. I've done a BUNCH of jobs in the meantime but did'nt take pictures of everything so here are some highlights I guess you could say. First a John Deere 6310 which came in for maintenance (which I did) and respray of the 'bodywork' aswell as the rims. The painting was outsourced but I did the (dis-)assembly. Did'nt take a lot of pictures but here's the endresult. Became a nice tractor. Next up a Kaweco silage trailer. Came in because of steering issues with the rear axle. Turns out that on one side of the axle the clamps that should hold the leafspring to the axle came undone. The picture below shows the spring in the correct position (far side) and where it came loose (near side). Leafsprings off. That's a 1-1/4" dia. pin by the way. This caused the wagon to crab walk while driving. After I inspected the machine some more I found multiple cracks in the frame, probably because of the axle situation. For reference, the beam with the arrow is about 6" high. New clamps were ordered and installed and several cracks were welded. Good to go again. To be continued..

Don’t let them horses hear that they aren’t veehickels.

Yea but I'm still gonna fix that one up because something tells me m not done buying tractors..........

Ooooo, another project going on! I'll have some steel rod and bolt cutters to make some wire belt guide finger thingys if need be. Some of those nut roasters can take a while to get them to work right, while others just work great with minimal effort. No belt guard Mike? 1/2" x 30 belt if all the pulleys are original sizes

It will be like working in a boiler room but with a (hopefully) natural breeze. Whenever we had a big job going on in the boiler room, we'd start singing! Made it more bearable although the boss thought we were nuts! Don't worry I'm not gonna start singing!

I'm putting an K91 on a 551 at the show and am bringing every wire belt guide I have in my box of parts to try to get it running and driving before going home. If no one guesses it I take it for a bottle of water!

I also have a C series hood, that you can have if Richie's doesn't work out.

My chair is all oiled up!

Dell City has about anything you could want for this type connector. https://www.delcity.net/store/Packard-56-Series-Electrical-Connectors/p_9108?mkwid=&crid=&mp_kw=&mp_mt=&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsaqzBhDdARIsAK2gqndMi2gRp_GOniA2Rz-6Htb5WXo9hM9a7YN08KHBe0rjamXJjT1uCfMaAucZEALw_wcB

Things I am bring to the Big Show next week for sale. All reasonably priced ! Nothing over $60. prices will Range from $10 to $60. see me at the Big Show! Lane Ranger or Lane Ralph !

I have Vodafone, last time i was in the States it was roamed with Verizon. but however i be shure there is less time to weite large Articles, pictures are more important as @WHX?? mentioned.

I may have a belt guard. Yours for shipping if I do.

I don't have the crimper for those so I just fold the tabs over on the wire and solder it. Once it's clipped in no one is the wiser.

Got this partially apart to give it a bath and completely rewire it!

My son made part of his deck into a sun room, so I repurposed the deck boards into a trailer floor for my horse and bucket hauler. Then gave it a coat of a kerosene/used motor oil mixture.

I know it’s a ways out…but my weather app shows HOT days for Biglerville next Thursday thru Saturday. Better than rain ( maybe rain on Saturday)…but going to need sunscreen and drink plenty of water folks!

Someone ?? mentioned availability of new mower decks. I talked to my local Toro dealer about it. The 42" side discharge deck is still available. $1500.00. Since it will probably last 20 years or more, maybe the price isn't all that bad. Marv

I hope they stock the concession stand with plenty of ice cold water, like @Sparky said we are going to need it! Ice cream social is going to be nice when the sun goes down. Hot or not, I’m excited as usual! It’s become my annual pilgrimage. Looking forward to seeing so many of you that I have grown to know over the years, and meeting some new folks as well.

@Sparky well Mike, I will be your neighbor at the Best Western. Changed my stay and saved $50. That will pay for food. See ya there!

Good plan heard tell they don't make square pans any more...

Weather will be perfect I talked to Mother Nature again😂

I believe the nest is about 40 yards down a fence row, the tree above the feathers is rather bare. Haven’t seen a raccoon in a long time. Small birds often fight the hawks to save their nests but I never seen any do more than harass the hawk till it moves on. Whatever happened, I won’t miss the squawking things.

42" rear discharge Drive belt 108834 (1/2" x 98")

Yes but there are always a couple of clicks left in it

This switch should work. Cole Hersee 95521B https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/cole-hersee/95521-B/6347770?utm_adgroup=&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PMax Shopping_Product_Low ROAS Categories&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_id=go_cmp-20243063506_adg-_ad-__dev-c_ext-_prd-6347770_sig-Cj0KCQjwsaqzBhDdARIsAK2gqnc33jo5mrpHM3KZMLH70vZBfDb3aDQNJLhX4EYblxWAKD6yTQgurz4aAsfUEALw_wcB&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsaqzBhDdARIsAK2gqnc33jo5mrpHM3KZMLH70vZBfDb3aDQNJLhX4EYblxWAKD6yTQgurz4aAsfUEALw_wcB

42" side discharge Drive belt 102742 replaced by 94-2501 (1/2" x 103") 48" side discharge Drive belt 102742 replaced by 94-2501 (1/2" x 103")

LOL You probably can't remember what you had for breakfast today but somehow can't forget that little incident huh? It was funny!

Yup 2012. First year I didn't drive down on and arrive Fri morning and leave Fri afternoon. Was sure glad to have a room with AC!

brand new Galaxy 6.5-16 AG tires. Measure around 29 1/2 inches tall. $200 for pair

One more piece of the puzzle. I’ve got this #26 carb all dipped, cleaned and tuned up for the show.

Lane, I'll hunt you up Thursday for the square seat!

The cost of the structural tubing and angle iron today, if bought new, alone could make this project a no-go....

@Tractorhead be sure and check with you phone carrie. I’ve heard of people getting hit wit continuous international roaming charges causin a huge bill.

Try to just spot weld it if you wanna weld sheet metal. firstly wide range spots and give them enough time for cooling down to reduce warping. Than each step closer and allway‘s between the first spots and so on until it is a complete nearly closed weld. Get firstly few parts of scrapmetal and try to spot them together and while doing this step by step reduce the Power until you didn‘t burn it down. The advice with copper behind is right. Another option to repair defect sheetmetal on Cars is to Mig Solder them with a CuSi3 wire and Argon. That‘s now a common and allowed fixup in the Industry on sheetmetal. benefits be Mig solder brings less temperatures into Material so warping can massive reduced. a cheap HF Mig welder with few settings and gas support and wire feed is enough and works. Just use CuSi3 wire instead of a normal Weld wire. CuSi3 wire is more expensive but works much smoother. try it.

Couple things about buying ANY tractor... or anything for that matter. If the seller accepts your first offer, that offer was too high. Offer less that the asking price---all he can do is say "no". To that, you might reply with: "well, what would you take for it?" It's a negotiation to find the 'Market Value' which is defined as : 'The price a willing seller accepts from the buyer, neither party being under duress.'

Or you wait to find a Sea where you can drop the Bus in.. 😎🤫😂

After another productive day at the power plant(no the boss' name is not Mr Burns) came home and did a full check and re grease of the new front hubs on Dug! Double checked spindle nut tightness etc.

Yes. If you're going to get a bus stuck, make sure you fill the bus with people to help you get it out!

I've sprayed dozens of items with Rustoleum Regal Red and sprayed the clear right over the wet final coat. Never an issue.