I just bought an antique farm tractor

[rcavictim]

I recently chanced into a unique position I could not pass up.  I was offered a super deal on an antique Case Model "S" farm tractor in pretty good shape considering the age.  I believe it to be a 1952, the last year of this model that ran from 1941 to 1952 IMIIC. The PO was using it only as a driveway ornament. It had not been started in several years.  When I pull started it, it started cleanly and as though it had been run recently, exhaust was clean from the get go BUT I got showered with rust particles out of the muffler!  That provided useful information about the condition of the engine. Has both a belt pulley PTO as well as the more modern rear output shaft PTO.  Both work. No 3 point hitch.  All the transmission functions are AOK and the engine runs like a top.  Only rust repair needed is on the fenders.  I got a new unused and supple spare tire for the front to replace the one that is badly weather cracked.  I was able to drive it home about 20 miles last Sunday on backroads in high gear.  I had to repair the 6 volt starter motor and the generator needs service as it is not charging.  That's not so bad because the engine has magneto ignition.  Not a wisp of oil smoke in the exhaust and oil pressure is a healthy 35 PSI hot. No nasty sounds coming out of the engine block.  Sounds tight.  Tires are good enough to go on the road.  Needs a minor front axle repair and a paint job and it will look great.

I desperately need a bush-hog and snowblower around here so this will be very useful for me.  Now I'm actively looking for these accessories.  I may rig a push blade for the front as well.

It would have been nicer if the engine was a diesel but I can't really complain at all.

Here she is.  

[rl71459]

Sweet.... You are going to love having that tractor. Sooo many things they can be used for.

[vdubnut62]

Well, I think you got a great little tractor there, congrads!
Be careful with a bushhog on that thing, I'm not familiar with that model Case specifically, but many tractors of that vintage do not have "live"
PTO.  The PTO is connected to and powered from the final drive, the bushhog will act like a giant flywheel and it'll push the tractor long after you disengage the clutch. It has plenty enough stored energy to overpower the brakes, causing you to run over stuff and run into stuff, possibly
causing serious injury to one's self.
Yes I did learn the hard way . The good news is , an over-running clutch is available that mounts on the PTO shaft, then your implement connects to that.
If you already know all this, then as Miss Emily Litella(sp?)used to say on SNL "Nevermind".
Ron

[rcavictim]

Well, I think you got a great little tractor there, congrads!
Be careful with a bushhog on that thing, I'm not familiar with that model Case specifically, but many tractors of that vintage do not have "live"
PTO.  The PTO is connected to and powered from the final drive, the bushhog will act like a giant flywheel and it'll push the tractor long after you disengage the clutch. It has plenty enough stored energy to overpower the brakes, causing you to run over stuff and run into stuff, possibly
causing serious injury to one's self.
Yes I did learn the hard way . The good news is , an over-running clutch is available that mounts on the PTO shaft, then your implement connects to that.
If you already know all this, then as Miss Emily Litella(sp?)used to say on SNL "Nevermind".
Ron

Ron,

Thanx for the tip and the explanation.  No I did not know about that but I can certainly check and see. I've never owned a real tractor before with any sort of PTO.  I have a Case 444 garden tractor but that isn't quite the real deal but it sure beats most lawn tractors hands down and is a good puller for it's modest size.  I put a hitch ball on the back and it can pull pretty good. It is not able to cut the 3-4 foot high grass that now happens on my front and back lawn around the house!  On that one the mower deck is on a friction clutch lever control directly to the engine and the motion is via hydraulic pump always spinning on the other side of the engine and a control valve lever for F & R and speeds in each direction.  I do not have time to manicure this place like a neatly groomed country club.  If I can cut the yard twice a season with a brush cutter I'll be fine.  I have to spend all available time on my wind turbine until it is finished.  After that I have plenty of other projects way more important than a pretty lawn to tackle.  When you get old and have to spend most of your time in bed you have to choose your battles.

I know that I am going to enjoy and appreciate this machine.

Yes I remember Roseanne Roseannadanna.

[squarebob]

Yup, without an overrun coupler, you can get in trouble real easy. They cost about $30.00 and well worth every penny. Don't ask how I know.

Google "pto overrun coupling"

[rcavictim]

Yup, without an overrun coupler, you can get in trouble real easy. They cost about $30.00 and well worth every penny. Don't ask how I know.

Google "pto overrun coupling"

That looks more like $230.00 where I live.  Thanx for the picture.  Now I know what to buy if I sell my house.

[vdubnut62]

Yup, without an overrun coupler, you can get in trouble real easy. They cost about $30.00 and well worth every penny. Don't ask how I know.

Google "pto overrun coupling"

That looks more like $230.00 where I live.  Thanx for the picture.  Now I know what to buy if I sell my house.

Aw, just be a good boy and maybe Santa will bring you one for Christmas.
Ron

[getterdone]

that tractor will come in real handy. you sound like me. using a bushhog to mow the lawn. i'd like to know how does any one have the time?
tooooo many projects. new blades need carved for the windgenny, the charge controller needs hooked up,the house needs finished.,food plots for the deer,are the rifles sighted?,the neighbor needs help at her house,veggy oil needs cleaned,racoons are in the mellon patch,get that electric fence hooked up,water the fruit trees, spray them, and so on. how did i ever hold down a real job? mowing ain't in my scope of things that need done.   when i lived in town they would come and mow when they thought it needed it. just had to go to the court house to pay the bill.

[Tom Reed]

Congrats on the tractor deal! I've got a '63 JD 1010 industrial with a front end loader that I've been working on this summer. Just got it painted pretty green and yellow and put a rebuilt head on it. Amazing how handy a front end loader is to move things around.

[rcavictim]

Congrats on the tractor deal! I've got a '63 JD 1010 industrial with a front end loader that I've been working on this summer. Just got it painted pretty green and yellow and put a rebuilt head on it. Amazing how handy a front end loader is to move things around.

Oh yes, a front end loader is as good as a forklift but much more versatile for sure!

I have had an old Hough wheeled loader with a nice large 3/4 yard (?) bucket now for over a decade which has been very handy in summertime as a device to lift and move heavy stuff or excavate topsoil and move gravel.  With an extension out from the bucket (see pics) we had a light duty crane that facilitated putting some telescope dish antennas together in the field with some of my students from U of Waterloo back in the early 2000's.  That polar axis antenna mount I'm moving weighs 1800 lbs.  No way I could do stuff like that around here without this machine. The engine has such a loose bottom end I run really thick oil and won't even try to use it in winter temperatures.  It has it's place here but snow removal and lawn care aren't on it's to-do list.

Even without front end loader attachment the *new* Case tractor is going to be a very welcome workhorse here!

[Derb]

Hi Boss. with many of these old tractors the brakes are pretty ordinary. I have seen one clever bugger who ran a car disc rotor off the PTO shaft (live drive) and had a hydraulic disc brake set up on it. Is useful if you are intending going on vintage tractor rallies with a small caravan on behind. Cheers.

[rcavictim]

Hi Boss. with many of these old tractors the brakes are pretty ordinary. I have seen one clever bugger who ran a car disc rotor off the PTO shaft (live drive) and had a hydraulic disc brake set up on it. Is useful if you are intending going on vintage tractor rallies with a small caravan on behind. Cheers.

Splendid idea!  I don't attend vintage tractor rallys though.  The Case will be used very soon to haul a tandem axle trailer a couple of miles locally to fetch several tons of firewood in one go.  Fortunately it is flat all the way and I have electric brakes good enough for that trip on the trailer itself.  I'll mount a car battery on the trailer A-frame and a push button on the tractor.

[Tom Reed]

Man that Hough looks like it was whumped with an ugly stick. The case is much nicer looking.

[Tom Reed]

Here she is.

[rcavictim]

Nice looking tractor Tom.  You can come work on either of mine anytime.

The old Tough Hough may be fugly, but it has character!     This machine was built by IHC and has a really long stroke 4-cyl gas engine which is almost the spitting image of the one in my Case of similar vintage, just substantially larger.  From the pan to the valve cover it is really tall.  I'm pretty certain both engines were made by IHC.  I know that some Ontario municipalities used these on their fleets in the 50's.