[Bob Carriere]

Well we did get the first one, the WC running just fine, it is not a healthy engine in my opinion with one valve so loose in the valve guide it doing the rock and roll.....but it runs fine, sheet metal painted the AC flaming Orange.

The second one is a more complex issue. Had to buy a replacement valve rocker assembly which is now installed. We then found out that most of the adjustment on the individual rockers were getting past the thread. So instead of having the adjustment nut above the valve rocker we had to instal them below the rocker arm. That meant shaving off the corners of all the nuts on the lathe using a file so that they would turn without binding on the lower part of the rocker arm.....so far so good. I am cannibalizing parts form two other tractors.... seats.... floor panel.... man is the sheet metal ever thick on these...about 14 guage.

Grant did miracles fixing up the steering tube... using the only one that was not in two piece he spent a day taking the bends out of the tube with the hydraulic press.... he made some wooden saddle blocks to get the pressure at the right spot..... used an old torsion bar as an insert to remove the dings and I now have a very functional solid and straigth tube. We also rebuilt the steering box using bits and pieces from the other tractors. I now have to weld the vertical steel pipe/ steering support of the tube into the cast iron body of the torque tube....plans are to heat up the cast iron to a pale cherry and go at it with the Mig. Got a new exhaust manifold, generic small tractor muffler, new oil pressure gauge, new temp gauge, rubber boot for the shifter, swapped the best oil pump from the other tractor and using my recently acquire CMP engine crank turned the engine enough to get oil into the filter. Found out the inverted oil filter was near full when I removed it to instal the spark plugs into cyl. # 4. A bit of magic Gibbs oil and Grant had the original louvers/shutters in front of the rad working again.... no thermostat on this model.

Two major isssue remains..... now that I will be installing the proper steering linkage the old alternator will not fit.... I am on the hunt for a small Oriental 12 volt alternator from a rice burner. The next is one rear tire has a slow leak..... hoping it is only the valve which I will pick up tomorrow. The recent AC model CA I purchased has freshly redone sheet metal so will cannibalize that as well. We found a spare seat.... cast iron.... will not be original but will be real cool when installed.... real deep dish all scalloped.....

In the spare time I have been painting the cab 11 pieces with POR, then self hetching primer now ready for the OD green.... and shooting Allis Chalmers Orange on the tractor parts.

I am using Volvo rims on the front end but will migrate to the proper AC 16 rims when I can scrape the $$$$.... need to hear it run first.

Life is real hard when you are retired....so tomorrow we are off to the coast of Maine for the Lobster festival in Rockport back late next week.

Bob C.