When my grandfather bought his land in northern MN, he did so with a friend who also happened to be a minister. Walter Snell was his name and he brought in this unstyled Model B. Walt passed away a number of years ago, and I am sure this tractor has been sitting idle for at least 20 years in the same spot it it was last parked.
Over the course of a few years, I repeatedly asked the new owners of Walt's property if they were interested in selling the tractor. Last fall they told me I could have the tractor; perhaps because they wanted to stop my nagging them.
I had been keeping the cylinders filled with oil. However, the exhaust stack had been uncovered for years and the engine was frozen. It did free up rather easily though (That's what a 4-ft pry bar will do!), and since then the exhaust has been covered.
If you look closely, you can see "John Deere" readable in the rust on the sheet metal.
Apparently, the exhaust pipe had failed, and this metal water pipe was fitted into the exhaust manifold. The sheet metal was punctured and a u-bolt was installed to hold the pipe in place. That is the only blemish I can see in the sheet metal.
The radiator appears to be sound but I have not poured water in yet. The fins are all straight. The shutters are frozen, but intact.
It's a jungle in there! 20+ years of shrubs, trees, and weeds have grown up all around the tractor. An alder brush is gradually growing its way AROUND the rear axle. I plan to cut it out this summer (2000) and move it up to our cabin (next door) so I can begin working on it. I'll pull it with Gramp's AW as soon as we fit the new tire on that tractor.
Here's a good shot of what I'm up against. I may have gotten myself more than I bargained for - but the price was right! I removed the magneto last winter and it was full of mud and sand. I'll use it as an exchange core on a rebuilt unit. The clutch is tight.
The tires all around are shot. One rear is a 10x38, the other is a 10x36. The 36" rim is also rotted, so that may be a blessing in disguise (I've had a tough time finding good used 36" tires). I'll replace it with a 38" rim.
The tractor is very straight. It'll take a lot of work, but body work will be the bulk of that; I believe she is sound mechanically. I'm really excited to get started on this machine.
