1938 B beginning resto

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   Hey all,
First off thanks so much for having me. I got lucky finding y'all. This first post will be lengthy as I feel there is no such thing as too much information.

I am the proud owner of a 1937 B (serial # B4442) that is mostly original. The mag has been modified to use a 12v battery and an automotive coil with a resistor. If the tractor came with radiator shutters they are long gone.

My father-in-law owned the tractor and gave it to me. The B sat in his shed for 27 years without running one time. He rebuilt the engine in either 1961 or 62. We poured gas in it and it fired off on about the third crank of the handle, and purred without a tappet rattle or rod knock. That was a little over 6 years ago. Recently I have started the restoration process. I had to replace the water pump as the original was leaking when we started it a few years back. We got lucky to make it run as the tank is rusted like mad inside. Apparently we sucked debris into the carb (Zeinth). After taking the carb apart today I found what looks like tar coating every surface with a layer of rust in the float bowl. I will need to either replace the carb or rebuild it. Attempting to start it today it would pop and try, but not take. I bent the fuel line and dribbled gas into it to fill the float bowl. Don't laugh. It worked.

I will need to replace both rear rims as they are beyond all hope and rusted to nothing over huge swathes. The front rims seem sound. The seat is nonexistent, and the steering wheel is bent and the shaft doesn't seat in the down tube properly. Every inch of the sheet metal and drive train will have to be repainted. The radiator is suspect, but didn't leak during the short run we did. Here's to hoping it holds when it eventually reaches operational temperature. The crank handle burrs, or dowels, are worn and barely engaged the crank pulley. The manifold has two gapping holes in the exhaust portion, and that needs replaced before any extended run time happens. I sure don't want to warp any valves! There is no muffler now, and the pipe no longer locks into place.

I have already knocked the rust and dead paint off the hood (3 hole) and repainted it with Krylon "Pumpkin Orange" which is close enough to the original color for me. A cup wire brish on an angle grinder does miracles! I have also done this with the tank, but it needs an internal rust remediation badly. My plan is a hand full of drywall screws and water, shaking, rinse and repeat until clear then a phosphoric acid treatment follwed by a neutralization and then a coating to stop further oxidation. An aftermarket inline fuel filer will be added upon remounting.

I am recently retired and have far more time than money, but I have worked on every kind of gas birning engine imaginable. Aircraft engines, cars, trucks, motorcycles, outboard and inboard marine, lawn mowers and even a few glow plug kerosene burners. I am not intimidated by any part of this project, but I will no doubt have many questions along the way. I have never been too proud to ask for help, or too arrogant to assume to know all there is to know.

If I could figure out how to attach an image I would, but every time I try I get a message that I am inable to place the image at the current location.

Roger

Edited by theropod - 28 Sep 2017 at 8:02pm

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