442 Killaly Street East, Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada, L3K
1P5
Introduction
I am a member of the Niagara Antique Power Association. Our club
is dedicated to keeping the past alive, and old iron in view for
the younger generation to see.
The tractor I am describing was built by myself during the
second World War (out of necessity). I needed a tractor on rubber
to use on my hundred acre farm, and none were available at that
time. I had ordered two, a 9N Ford, and an ‘S’ series Case,
neither was available.
I decided in the Fall of 1944 that I would have to build it
myself. Equipped with a cold chisel, hammer, hack saw, power emery
wheel, homemade electric welder, and a great deal of determination
and the use of a neighbor’s metal lathe, I did just that. I
finished the tractor in April 1945, in time for spring
planting.
The borrowed metal lathe was 18 inch swing and five foot bed,
and it has recently been donated to our Antique Power Association
Blacksmith Shop for display.
Construction
The front axle was made from the middle part of a Fordson axle
with Model A axle ends, welded on and 1935 Ford V8 hubs and wheels,
with 600 x 16 tires.
The frame: six inch channel iron, the round front on the frame
was formed out of one-eighth plate with a cold chisel, hammer and
pieces welded together.
The rear axle: from a Ford one-ton truck with wooden wheels, the
hubs of which were modified to take steel twenty-inch truck wheels,
with the rims widened out to ten inches to take 900 x 20 truck
tires. I used a set of heavy tire chains made from half-inch log
chain for cross chains to drive in muddy weather.
Motive Power
It was powered by a model A Ford engine complete with a new
Pierce governor, price of which was $35.00. It was fitted with a
model AA Ford truck four-speed transmission complete with power
take off which was used with a 9 N belt pulley gear box, this was
available for $35.00 new at the time. The drive shaft for the
pulley machined from a Model T drive shaft complete with perfectly
fitted splines to fit the universal joints.
The Final Drive
To the differential accomplished through two universal joints to
a ‘tapered roller pinion, housing and shaft’. Modified to
take a twenty-four tooth #80 roller chain sprocket.
The end on the differential being a forty-eight tooth supported
by an outboard bearing. The complete drive was housed in a
specially designed and fabricated steel case with the chain running
in oil. The complete reduction drive was made on the lathe,
including sprockets. The #80 chain was purchased from John Deere.
The radiator cover was cut of one-eighth plate for the top, and
below three thirty-seconds material. This was all cut with a chisel
and hammer and welded and then formed with the hammer.
The rest of the hood, gas tank and dash and fenders were just a
simple construction job.
This tractor was used exclusively on our hundred acre farm for
ten years, filling silo and all other farm needs.
The motor was completely rebuilt twice.
In 1956 or ’57 it was sold to a farmer who used it for
another 10 years. The fiber timing gear broke, it was dismanteled
for repairs but never repaired. Thus it ended up in pieces outside
in the weather.
I was able to buy it back in April 1983. I restored it in time
for the last day of our Niagara Antique Power Association show and
it was displayed there.
Submitted by Kenneth Benner, 1173 Sunset Dr., Fort Erie, Ontario
L2A 5M4. Lome Augustine and wife Erma with 2 sons had a dairy farm
and dairy and now have a restaurant where they make ice cream.
