tractor restoration Archives - Antique Tractor Blog

1949 Ford Tractor

09/29/2023 by ST Leave a Comment

My tractor story is really my husbands. He loved projects and a used 1949 Ford tractor was his next challenge. When he got it there was a dumpster on the front that worked. He took it apart and got down to replacing old pieces and painting. I remember pieces hanging from our clothes line.

My first ride was before the gas tank was in. Somehow he hooked a can of gas to it and off we went for a short ride. It got new seat and fenders, new tires and for whatever reason a new motor. The winter of 2021 he put on a new Meyer snow plow, and plowed our very long city driveway.

Well, as the circle of life goes round and round, he passed away last October. His little tractor sitting under the pine trees in our front yard needed to be moved. City folk just don’t like that sort of thing. My husband was a farm boy, he didn’t much care. So now my son and I are trying to figure out how to start it. Found the key but where is the ignition, I know, but remember he was the farm boy. We found it but it wouldn’t start. We both looked up and asked him for help which arrived almost immediately. He had turned off the gas. That little Ford started right up. The next obstacle was a flat tire. Once we got the tube the tire shop had a time putting it on the rim. Ugh city folk.

Got it moved to his shop only to find out the hydraulics on the plow was being difficult. The worst part was that somehow the block was broken. People told me it’s hard to weld and would need a new engine. Oh my gosh, it is a new engine! One day I’m going through his files and found a claim for the broken engine. Now I can’t tell you why he went ahead and put it in for he never mentioned any of this to me. Perhaps it was too painful. We all thought he broke it.

That’s not the end of the story. My husband saved everything. So as we are cleaning up what do we find? Another engine. So the pieces to the story are either he found another engine to fix this one, ordered another one or it’s the old motor. So my tractor story doesn’t have an end yet. I’m hoping to find someone else who love projects like my husband to rescue it from the shop and make good use of it. Country folk I guess.

Shari Meyer of Fort Collins, Colorado

If you would like to submit a story with photo(s) about an experience with your tractor, interesting facts about its history, or a restoration project, please go to Tractor Story Submissions. If your story is picked to appear on the blog you will receive a FREE Steiner hat. Some stories will also go on to be published in our quarterly magazine. We look forward to hearing your story!

John Deere 3020 Hi-crop

09/27/2023 by ST Leave a Comment

The first time I saw this 3020 Hi-crop tractor I told my friend that was with me at the time whoever buys this tractor is crazy!! It was in terrible shape it had been rolled over, the front end was broken and had been welded up, the electrical wires were all burnt up, tin work was all dents and weld’s, didn’t run, and so on. But it had the serial tag! After about 6 months of thinking about the tractor I decided to send the number in to be researched. It came back as a true Hi-crop power shift transmission, built March 20,1968 shipped to Salinas, California.

Now I’m the crazy guy that bought the tractor!! Wow what a restoration project that was, finding Hi-crop parts was a challenge. Mechanic work was done by Jeremy’s Shop planada, California, New parts were purchased from Steiner tractor parts inc. and others from Tractoropolis Fresno, California.

After three and a half years it was ready for paint and decals. What a difference from the day I purchased it. Now this 3020 gets used on long tractor rides, and tractor shows. When I look back now and see what I’ve learned along the restoration process and how much I enjoy it, maybe I’m not that crazy!

Angie Scoto
Atwater, California

1951 John Deere A Restoration

09/20/2023 by ST Leave a Comment

My Grandfather traded in a B on steel for a new John Deere A 1951, it was his pride and joy, a neighbor who is long passed would tell how Grandpa was so proud to be able to drive down blacktop to get farm necessities, it was a main workhorse on the farm

Plowing, planting, harvest work, silo filling with the belt on filler. At 4 years old it was the first machine I learned to drive 60 years ago. Through the years it was neglected as bigger equipment became the norm.

A couple of years ago my brother in law and I decided it was time for a restoration.

With the help of Steiner parts and fun work we have progressed to almost completely done, a little tinkering and rear tires and wheel paint, it will be done for my grandchildren to enjoy

Daniel J Arndt
Gillett, Wisconsin

Allis Chalmers pulled from the weeds

09/18/2023 by ST Leave a Comment

This story starts when I was about 10 in the early 60’s , when my brother and I discovered an old tractor behind a shed in weeds and trees at my uncle’s farm. It turned out to be an Allis Chalmers model A of my uncle’s.

We learned much later that he bought the A in the early 40’s, possibly to help out someone who needed money. My dad and uncle Elery, dad’s brother, used it to do custom combining for years until it was retired behind the shed. In the mid 80’s, dad and Elery pulled it out and took it to Elery’s shop to restore, but due to other projects and health issues, it never got done. Dad died in 2001 and uncle Elery in 2004.

At Elery’s estate sale in 2005 my brother Dan, and nephew James and I bought the A and began a 3 year rebuild. It was completely disassembled, every nut and bolt, and a complete rebuild was under way. The crankshaft was worn so bad it had to be welded and reground. New valves and valve seats were installed in the heads. New sleeves were installed but the original cast iron pistons were reused. The only work farmed out was the machine work and fabricating a new hood. Everything else the three of us did, including painting by James. New tires and rims were added to finish it off. We decided to keep it original with hand crank start instead of adding electric start, which was optional when it was built.

In the spring of 2008, as we were getting close to ready to run, Dan was diagnosed with a brain tumor. The A was put on hold for a while. By mid summer his condition was getting worse. We knew we had to get it running soon. It was running the last week of July and Dan drove it twice, the day it first ran and again the first week of August at the Carroll county fair tractor parade. Dan passed away September 6, 2008. The A was part of the funeral by running in the background at the cemetery.

James and I enjoy showing the A in memory of Uncle Elery and Dan. It has gone to Hutchinson Minnesota, Grinnell Iowa, the Antique Engine and Tractor Show in Geneseo Illinois, and the gathering of the Orange centennial held in 2014 at LaPorte Indiana, as well as many local shows. Our family owns 12 Allis tractors and a few Olivers and Fords.

Ron Shank
Morrison, Illinois

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