P.O. Box 333 Clarissa, Minnesota 56440
I’m from Clarissa, Minnesota, and I’m a retired master
machinist from Chicago, Illinois.
I had never driven a tractor in my life, nor milked a cow. My
friend Dave showed me how to drive one of his many tractors and how
to milk a cow. I expected chocolate milk to come from this nice
brown cow, and was surprised to find it was plain white milk.
After driving Dave’s tractor I became intrigued with the
idea of owning one myself. I spotted an old beat-up Farmall A for
sale in a farmer’s yard. I inspected it thoroughly and found
that all the parts were there, though it was in disgusting shape. I
purchased it and the farmer delivered it to my yard in town. I was
so excited to own my very own tractor, I had all my tools out
before the farmer was out of my yard, and by the time he got to the
end of the block I was already starting to take the tractor
apart.
My friend Dave did some research on the tractor’s serial
number and found that it was built in 1945 in Chicago. My father
worked at that same plant then.
Two days after delivery of the tractor, I had it totally
dismantled. In the encasement between the engine and transmission
the mice had a grand hotel developed. I had them condemned and
evicted in short time.
I ground and filed all the castings as smooth as a baby’s
butt. Then I resurfaced all the machined surfaces.
I took apart the generator, starter, carburetor, magneto,
governor, cooling fan, and all the other small parts, and cleaned
and fine-tuned them all.
The exhaust manifold I painted with stainless steel paint I
brought from Chicago and had purchased from J. C. Whitney. I would
recommend for anyone who does restoring to use this paint, as it
does not burn off, since you brush this paint on and start the
engine and as it heats, it cures the paint. But my engine was still
all apart so I put mine in a hot oven to cure. (P.S. Sent wife on
vacation; can’t cook food in the oven for two months
afterwards.)
The hood, grill, and fenders looked like all the neighborhood
kids had gotten together and beaten all their frustrations out on
this little old tractor. This took a lot of body work and several
tubes of JB Weld to get it back in shape.
Anybody can have a red or green tractor, but not Almine is PINK
gold rims, dark lavender wheels, trimmed in black. Gals, what’s
not to love? Almost makes up for the oven. Three months from the
day I started, my tractor is finished.
Note the battery box is made from red oak, dovetailed corners;
the gear shift knobs I machined out of birch, and other personal
customizing and modifying. It’s uniquely Al’s tractor.
The only things purchased to restore this were piston rings,
engine gaskets, and seals. Any broken parts I made parts to replace
them.
