The first tractor I ever drove

This D17 SerIII was the first tractor that I ever operated. My father put me on the seat and climbed onto a hay wagon behind. Pull that lever and drive in a circle. He threw hay off for the cows as I creeped around in 1st low. I thought I was a king !!! 4 maybe 5 years old. I can remember arguing with my mother about kindergarten. I can't go to school, who is going to help dad feed the cows,?
Well the tractor has seen better days . My father gave it to a good friend of his . He has passed and the family is trying to clean up. Motor was pulled 20 years ago and crank was past tolerances. Can't find the block anywhere. I will grab what's left .I at least want the front end and tin. Rear rims are shot. Who knows,,,, I may try to find a donor ser3 and bring it back to life. Right now I will save it from the scrappers.

I have my grandfather's WF (still in pieces but making progress) that I was first allowed to really do anything on my own, rake hay. I had a couple warnings; don't stall it (because it had to be cranked) and go straight. 

Pat you are the lucky one!! get at it!!

Nice history. Yup save it, bring it home

That's good history , ya gotta save it !

Awesome story, Pat. When you get that back to life, it'll look good at Hutchinson with the all crop that you saved
Darrel

Reminds me when I was a youngster dad had a D17 gas narrow front end I hadn’t started school yet dad had made a 2 wheel wagon out off wood probably had a front end from a truck for an axle and he would haul silage from the pit up to the feed troughs with it. I remember him letting me drive the first time by myself we had fed the cows and was going back thru a few gates so he decided to let me drive so he wouldn’t have to get off and on and needless to say the first gate met with disaster I guess I forgot what he told me to stop the tractor by putting the power director in neutral made it thru the gate fine but the barbed wire fence wasn’t good. Tore the fence down in 2 places went thru it the first time then turned and came back thru it at a different place pops was not happy
On another note dad made side money by picking corn for neighbors and I would go with him ride the tool box on the fender it just amazed me when you put the pto lever in gear that it would start the 2 row new idea mounted corn picker and all those chains and fans would be running on what seemed like a humongous machine
Ah those were the days life was simple then. God bless ya all and have a Merry Christmas

My uncle put me on this one when I was six with pretty much the same instructions ("Point it that way") while he threw hay off the wagon behind it.  The restoration brought back a lot of good memories for me.

The first tractor conversation got me thinking "I wonder where pawpaw's MF235 is now". Last time I saw it was at my uncle Harold's place in Mississippi. That's been about 25 years ago. Had my aunt message Harold's daughter in law to see if it's still around. I guess we'll see. I've got another aunt that has pawpaw's Ford 2000 and we've had a conversation about it but that's been about a year ago. I've seen her several times in the past year but nothing has been mentioned. Her husband bought it from pawpaw sometime in the early 80's I think. Since I was born in 82 I don't remember that one at all but I certainly do remember the Massey. I guess we'll see what they say.

Hey Pat, first thing you should do is get a seat on it. Then sit in the seat and hold the steering wheel. Bet you'll have to fight back some tears

Edited by thendrix - 18 Dec 2022 at 7:44pm

Hey Pat, be sure to keep us updated on this project.  Nothing better than finding a family tractor!  Even if it is a project.  Like you said, get yourself a shop built, and then the fun can begin.  Doesn't even need to be a huge shop, you've seen what I can accomplish in my tiny shop, LOL! Congratulations! 

I'll bet many of us that had a father, grandpa,uncle or whatever that had a WD or 45 have permanent indentations in our butts from riding the tool box with the latch open. They were known to pinch on rough ground! I can relate to your pain but please don't post a selfie to prove it.

We had an early AC B, no iights, starter or pto.  My Dad's cousin bought it when we moved to Colorado. He or his son still has it and uses it, I wanted to buy it back but that doesn't look like it will happen.  The first one I drove was a Ferguson,borrowed from a neighbor,  probably a TO 20 or 30, my dad put me on it at 6 to drive forward while he put boxes of peaches on a trailer.  I couldn't reach the clutch on the B but could pull the brake lever on my side when we rode it together.  Something I still remember clearly after 68 years!