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JayD-17(NY) 
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: New York
Points: 577
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 Topic: D17D with '38 MM ZTS
Posted: 21 Mar 2010 at 8:59pm |
Started the 17 for the 1st time in 5 months; I can't believe my D17D is a half century old this year...by comparision, it handles like a new ferrari and rides like a cadillac next to the '38 MM ZTS. Got the Z from a widow 6 years ago and finally got it to run yesterday. It was probably a dozen years ago that it last ran. These streamlined tractors were easy on the eyes but hard on just about every other part of the body. After riding on it all afternoon , I've come to the conclusion that it was designed to be operated in the standing position and the presence of a seat was merely there to give your legs a rest once in awhile! Of course, to put it in perspective, with electric lights, starter, rubber tires and a 5 speed transmission; it had to be one of the most modern tractors on the market in '38 - a dream come true to a depression era farmer.
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ToddSin NY
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Joined: 08 Nov 2009
Location: Newark,NY
Points: 1034
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Posted: 21 Mar 2010 at 10:13pm |
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Probly asked you before where in NY? Down by Capt Dana right?
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CTuckerNWIL
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: NW Illinois
Points: 22823
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Posted: 22 Mar 2010 at 12:54am |
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Nice lookin pair there. I used one of those Minnie Moes to pull my Wood Brothers picker several years ago. I had a hard time putting my feet down on the brakes knowing that the PTO shaft was in between them.
Edited by CTuckerNWIL - 22 Mar 2010 at 12:55am
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JayD-17(NY)
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: New York
Points: 577
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Posted: 22 Mar 2010 at 10:03am |
 ToddSin NY wrote:
Probly asked you before where in NY? Down by Capt Dana right? |
Yup - same county as him
Yes, the location of the pto does make you stop and think; You definitely want to make sure your pants aren't baggy and your shoelaces are tied if you use it. Making sharp turns with a pto shaft attached appears out of the question too. I guess I'll have to make some sort of gaurd to place over it. Seemes odd it has a pto and not a belt pulley, usually its the other way around on a tractor this age. The tires are a odd ball tread, they might be nearly as old as the tractor itself. They are Firestones but I think they say made in England somewhere on them.
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Bill Long
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Bel Air, MD
Points: 4556
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Posted: 22 Mar 2010 at 10:54am |
JayD, I noted the tires too. They are closed center Firestones and could well have come with the tractor. They came on new tractors from the 30's to about 1950 when Firestone recognized the problems and developed a curved tread open center tire.
Frankly, they were not our choice to receive - if we had a choice. The closed center would not pull well on hard ground since they would not dig in.
I just took another look. They are curved Firestones which means they were a late model tire. I thought they stopped producing them around 1950.
MM looks great!
Good Luck!
Bill Long
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Brian Jasper co. Ia
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: Prairie City Ia
Points: 10508
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Posted: 22 Mar 2010 at 11:26am |
Nice looking pair Jay. My grandfather on mom's side had a nf Z like that. I'd like to get one of those too one day.
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"Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the government take care of him better take a closer look at the American Indian." Henry Ford
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Unit3
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Joined: 17 Oct 2009
Location: NC Iowa
Points: 5558
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Posted: 22 Mar 2010 at 2:58pm |
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GOYO Day---Get Out Your Orange & Praire Gold day. Thank you for your pictures.
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JohnCO
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: Niwot Colo
Points: 8992
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Posted: 23 Mar 2010 at 12:05am |
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I spent many an hour on a MM "U" and can agree that the seat IS just to rest on after standing for a while. I did like it on the road tho, it would do 30 MPH, great fun for a teenager, great concern for his parents!
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"If at first you don't succeed, get a bigger hammer"
Allis Express participant
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Gary(OR)
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Oregon
Points: 177
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Posted: 23 Mar 2010 at 3:41am |
The old Fords (N series... gasp! ) had a tread pattern like that. Had "Ford" script logo on the sidewall...imagine ol' Henry & Firestone were pretty close, eh ?? The 28" are being reproduced today.
Neat pictures...thanks !
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