1941 John Deere LA
This tractor was purchased in 1950 by my father. I took possession in 2007. It had not run since 1980. I had the generator and starter rebuilt. I rebuilt the carb and magneto with parts from Steiner Tractor Parts. I had the gas tank and radiator hot tanked and sealed. Some fresh gas and it fired right up after a couple of cranks. The engine has never been re-built to my knowledge. It smokes a little upon first start up, but does not use any oil.
In Spring of 2017 I began the restoration. I finished on December 19, 2020.
Emil Kuelske of Lansing, Michigan
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Emil, A beautiful restoration. It looks so much like mine I restored in 1989 – 1990. I bought the 4th last oil pump JD had in the archives warehouse ($279.00 back then)…One thing you might want to check on occasion, certainly at least once–those babbit rod bearings on mine were almost worn away when I looked a mine. I sent rod to have turned 0.01″…then I sent the rods and crank to some place in NE to have the babbits inserted. But in the end, I had something I was really proud of. Enjoy.
Michael,
Thanks for the compliment. It was truly a labor of love. I rode on my Dad’s lap while he worked in our garden. I even named it ” Putt-Putt” when I was around 4 years old because that’s what it sounded like to me. I agree, someday I am going to have to pull the engine down and rebuild it. I don’t think it has ever been apart. But the old girl seems to run fine. It makes good oil pressure. It smokes a little upon an increase in the throttle…but not bad for an 80 year old engine. The grand plan is to get all the implements restored next.