My John Deere Automobile

By Staff
Published on September 1, 1972
1 / 3
2 / 3
Courtesy of Loren E. Lippoldt, Rt. 1, Box 58, Kinsley, Kansas 67547.
Courtesy of Loren E. Lippoldt, Rt. 1, Box 58, Kinsley, Kansas 67547.
3 / 3
Courtesy of Loren E. Lippoldt, Rt. 1, Box 58, Kinsley, Kansas 67547.
Courtesy of Loren E. Lippoldt, Rt. 1, Box 58, Kinsley, Kansas 67547.

Rt. 1, Box 58, Kinsley, Kansas 67547.

This automobile is homemade; painted John Deere green with John
Deere yellow wheels, powered with a John Deere open flywheel, 1? HP
single cylinder water cooled gas engine. The chassis is a Model T
Ford, shortened 3 feet with the engine in the rear compartment and
on top of the frame. It has a 1951 Hudson radiator across the back
with thermo siphon cooling (no water pump); an old 4 cylinder
Chevrolet transmission with 3 forward speeds and reverse; a V belt
drive from the engine to a jack shaft, and uses a belt tightener
idler pulley for a clutch. These is a chain and 2 sprokets off of a
Baldwin combine going from the jack shaft to the front end of the
transmission; another chain and 2 sprokets off of a Massey Harris
combine going from the rear end of the transmission to the Model T
Ford differential.

I took the Model T ring gear off of the spider cage and put the
Massey Harris sproket on in its place; cut 2 holes in the Model T
differential housing for the chain to pass through. It has Model T,
30 x 3? wooden wheels with hard rubber tires. The tiller bearings
are from a horse drawn B & O ridge buster, and right hand
controls.

The brake pedal is from a 1927 Buick, the lever on the right
hand outside is the clutch control lever and is from a B & O
horse drawn ridge buster. It has a Cushman Motor Scooter carburetor
on it so that I have throttle control–does not use a governor
control. Use a 2 gallon oil tank from a furnace to supply gasoline
to the Cush-man carburetor.

I removed the John Deere ‘make and break’ spark plug and
made an adapter plate and use a Model T spark plug and a Model T
coil and hot shot for ignition, the points of which are from an old
toaster.

Have a Model T crank on the right side to start the engine; a
Model T type choker wire below and aft of the crank to get the
engine started. I gave $1.00 for the engine and 25 gallows of
roofing stain at a farm sale.

I installed a crankcase breather in the hole where the magneto
drive was; use Phillips Trop Artic oil in it, and I never have to
add oil. It has a buggy step on each side, wagon type brakes
controlled from the Buick brake pedal. I have a throttle and spark
and ignition switch under the right front edge of the seat, so that
I can have my right hand on the throttle most of the time. The
Buick clutch pedal is hoped up as a foot feed. The seat is wood
painted black to look like leather. The body sides are
Masonite.

I have driven it hundreds of miles in the last 3 or 4 years in
parades and up and down country roads and haven’t had a speck
of trouble with it. It will go most anywhere you want to go, but I
haven’t tried to get it licensed.

Online Store Logo
Need Help? Call 1-866-624-9388