HC-63, Box 38, O’Neill, Nebraska 68763
This is the story about a tractor that had a bearing on my life.
It is the F-20 built by IHC. In 1935 my dad bought a new F-20 and
the next year a second one. They both had double mowers which cut
hay in 14 foot swaths. These two tractors were traded for two new
ones in early 1939 which was the last year they were built. They
were used to mow hay for a few years until Dad got an H Farmall and
an M Farmall. At that time we were using old cars for hay sweeps.
It seems like they were always broken down, so my Dad took the two
F-20’s to a machine shop and had them reversed by putting the
ring gear on the opposite side of the pinion and putting all
appropriate parts facing the other way. With a 12 to 15 mile an
hour gear you could sure sweep the hay!
After spending two years in the Navy I was back to the hayfield
until going into partnership with two brothers. From that time on I
managed the hay crews and did all my own shop work which brings me
to the last of my story.
I always used from three to five sweeps at one time. In order to
keep them running I went to farm sales and bought extras. I might
have owned 15 F-20’s at one time. I think I only had two
accidents with F-20’s in all that time. Once when one of my
nephews was cranking the tractor it kicked and I had to take him to
the emergency room for stitches. The second accident was while
changing motors I got a hand caught between the motor and the
frame. More stitches in the fingers.
While going to farm sales I got interested in old engines and
tractors. At one time I owned over 60 tractors and still own over
90 engines. So you can see I am hooked! But-that’s another
story.
