You All Are My Friends I Need Your Help

I FINALLY GOT MY 966!!!! Whoopie!!!

They loaded the old beast out at the owner’s farm on a tilt bed and hauled ‘er into town.

When they were unloading it, they tilted the truck bed up, put the tractor in reverse and let ‘er roll. When it was movin’ good, they popped the clutch. The engine came unstuck! Had it running within 15 minutes of putting on a battery charger and givin’ her a little ether.

Every blessed thing works as it should. T/A, all hydraulics, everything. The cab has a bad door and I just don’t like cabs so it has got to go to be replaced with a set of flat-topped fenders. ‘Almost new’ radial 18.4x38 loaded tires and tri-ribs up front.

Hasn’t been run in 5 years and of course, had some blow-by; I just told ‘em to do an in-frame while it is in there, ‘cause I don’t want any problems later down the road. Only other bad things I see are cosmetic.

1975 Black Stripe serial # 033614 with 4509 hours. Bought ‘er for $3500 and couldn’t get my checkbook out fast enough!!!!

Boy! Am I ever in a good mood today!!! :>)

Allan

Yep, we are in the process of gettin' another place just to go out and scratch around on & raise a few cows; sometimes, I think I'm too old for this! :>)

The fellow who owns the shop works with his two sons. He had nothing to do with the tractor on this last go around other than talk to the owner on the phone, because the two sons made all of the service calls trying to get her started for the owner.

When I went by there today, there sits this nice looking old 966 with a new loader on it, so I'm thinkin' to myself, "Wonder if that's the stuck one" and promptly go inside.

Only one of the sons is there 'cause they back off a little on the workload on Fridays. Anyway, I get to talking to the guy and ask him if that is my tractor....He says yes, that's it and that "Boy, dad sure made us look like a couple of fools."

I ask him why is that?, and he said that he and his brother had tried every trick in the book to get her to turn over while out on the farm, even to the point of using a pipe wrench on the engine. They just couldn't move it, nothing had worked.

And, that after it had got into town on the truck, dad had unloaded the thing and had the tractor running in about 15 minutes, but that it has a lot of blow-by and that the oil was full of anti-freeze.

About this time during his story, the owner of the shop walks in and asks me what I think of the tractor, etc., etc.

We get to talking about the darned stuck engine and this is when he just shrugged his shoulders, rubbed his head and said "I don't really know, "I could feel that T/A fightin' herself coming down off the truck and then she broke free. I'm thinking it was the weight of the tractor or something".

So, your guess is as good as mine. Anyway, they will be checking it out next week to see what all it needs.

And the best part is, I really don't care 'cause now I finally gots my 966 back that I've been waitin' on for the past 20 years! Stuck or not stuck. :>)

Allan

Their business was growing and finally they needed the space this and several other tractors occupied. They told Sandy to make them an offer. Sandy said he would like to hear it running before doing that. They said it wouldn't start. Sandy responded," Any 4 cylinder gas Farmall will tow start in about 50' or less." The older of 3 brothers said," while your towing it take it to the bush and leave it." With that Sandy called me, my responce," offer scrap price." He did and they accepted. He called back come quick with a trailer, before they change their mind.

A neighbor and I went with fresh gas, good 12 volt battery, points, condencer, plugs, rotor, cap, etc. In less than 5 min we had it going and on the trailer. Was it a cheap tractor? No, the entire electrical system had to be replaced. Tractor had been left all those years half full on coolant, thus top half of rad and water pump were a mass of rust, toast in other words. The pto would not go in gear, I expect the sliding yoke is stuck from all those years of no lubrication. Since I don't need to use pto, I'm thinking that may free up. Have bought all new tires, and rear rims. Valve stems had been leaking chloride all those years as well. Carb needs a kit. So when we're done it will be $150. per hp same as the 966 will cost you. Allan; we may not get it all right on forum, but at least we don't sit around dreaming about buying $25. hp in an old tractor.

Right, I've never had any illusions along that line and have never had a desire to have some old, rusty hunk setting in my yard that would not do exactly what it was designed to do when it was new. I just can't imagine that.

I know as sure as I'm setting here that I'll probably end up with $10K in this old monster before I'm thru slappin' the new decals on 'er.

But, that is cheap to my way of thinkin’. Try to buy that much horsepower in a new version these days; it just ‘taint a gonna happen.

I've always thought that if I could get 'em up to snuff for the same amount of money that they cost new (or less), then I'd be right on track; same way with the machinery. And so far, it is working out about that way. Each project is coming in at right around or just under that original new price.

The real benefit of this whole endeavor is that now I have a purpose and I'm not just settin' around here like an old man waitin’ to die.

I’m not the kind that likes to ride ‘em downtown in a parade either, ‘cause it is just not my style; gimme some earthworms or a bucket-calf to work with. :>)

Later,

Allan

The guy told me, "I know the T/A is good in it, 'cause I pulled the lever back when she was coming down the truck and I could feel it holding back against itself "

Further, "And I'm pretty sure this is why the engine broke free on accout of the weight of the tractor against it"

Exact quote.

Now, Maybe I misunderstood him in some way, but I've known this guy a long time and he is just as straight as they come. You couldn't pay this guy to lie.

Heck, I dunno, like I told the other fella, this has been on my mind all day too.

Allan

I've been wondering about that all day long. I'm just reapeating what the shop guy told me and I haven't heard it run.

I remember tryin' to start one of those old gals one winter by pulling it, it wouldn't work at all; can't remember if it was the clutch or what the deal was, but we couldn't start 'er.

I dunno....

Allan

But after I'm done with all the celebrating, then the real-world reality starts setting in.

Right off the bat, I'm looking at a $6K tractor minimum, just because of the thing probably needing an in-frame; then, the little stuff starts nickeling and dimeing me to the edge of exhaustion. :>)

But I've always said tho, if after all the dust settles and I'm bouncin' around that $10K mark for a like new 966, I'm still one happy old sap.

And so this old iron story goes,

Allan

Yep, that's the stinker. Been waitin' for 2 months now for them to finally get her hauled into town.

Now, if everything just holds in place as it should. I don't want the guy backin' out on me for some darned reason.

Bob said he already sold that loader and it is coming off on Monday, then they will start in on whatever it takes to make the tractor right.

He knows how picky I am about my tractors, so he probably likes seein' me walk thru his door. He knows darned well that before it is all over with, that he'll more than likly have $10K of my money :>)

It needs little things like that cracked grille, rubber knobs on some of the handles, etc., etc.

Thanks for the hollar,

Allan

How are you coming on your project? Makin' any headway? Have you got that woman on the end of that pitchfork yet? LOL!

Allan

I'm beside myself today; walkin’ ‘bout 3 feet off the ground ever since I laid eyes on ‘er. The last twenty years of agony is slowly washing away when something like this happens.

I knew there was something else about that darned engine that wasn’t right and I finally remembered it. The thing has antifreeze in the oil.

That screams in-frame to me. I’d rather have it overhauled anyway. :>)

I’ll get some pictures just as soon as I can get back in there.

Allan

Glad to hear you finally got it. I also would like to see a picture of it.

Personally, I can’t believe your luck, buying something for junk price that is stuck, and then bouncing it off the truck to get it loosened up, for crying out loud! (I guess I better not say too much, I bought a locked C about 20 years ago for $500.00 from an IH DEALER that had given up on getting it loose. Took the plugs out, dropped in some penetrating oil and started rocking her back and forth in 4th gear when ever I walked by it. In a week I had her running!) :-)

Good luck with you new toy!

Aside from marryin' this woman, this is the first time I've ever had any luck!

I'll try to get back in there this afternoon with my camera.

Allan

Darned if I know.

The serial number was way high and I just went by what the serial numbers on this site said for the 966 model..... there is no mention of the '76s on that list either.

This story is gettin better by the minute. Kinda helps make up for the bath I took on the last one. :>)

Allan

scotty

Sure. I'm pretty sure the back glass is okay. This is one of those old "Heniker" cabs, if that helps.

Actually, overall I guess the cab isn't all that bad; but darnit, I just don't like cabs very much.

I'll let ya know,

Allan

FP

I sure will, next time I go into town. I didn't take the camera with me this morning.

They are going over it with a fine-toothed comb 'cause they know that I don't do well with junk. They will be making any recomendations early next week and perhaps they will tell me it doesn't even need an engine, I dunno.

But, if they think it needs it and they wanna put an engine in 'er, I don't care, let 'em have at it. Already got the quote on that and I'll just have them do an in-frame there.

Whew, three down and just one more tractor to go.

Thanks for the hollar,

Allan