I got this E27n as a young man living in northern New Hampshire, USA. The previous owner had died suddenly at an early age, and his wife was not interested in the "back to the land" lifestyle that was his choice. The tractor had been used for mowing, and in the hilly lands of the region, no thought was given to the lack of engine oil pump. The front main bearing failed for lack of lubrication while working a hill side field. The engine was stuck solid. With the tractor sitting behind the shed, I gave the woman the amount she said was the cost of the recently purchased front tires, and the E27n was mine. I didn't have a clue about what I had just become owner of. There was an old fella in the town of Bethelehem NH were I lived, by the name of George Tucker. I was interested in all things mechanical, and he seemed to have just about every type of mechanical thing in his yard , so I spent a bit of time there. I told him about the tractor. We left his yard with the flat bed trailer within 10 minutes of my telling. Over the winter I obtained what information I could from the Ford Company in Dagenham England. I even subscribed to "The Fordson News", published by "Tracprez", "For the Advice and entertainment of Tractor Preservationists Everywhere". Infrequently, we worked over the engine to restore the melted out babbit.
The resourceful methods of repair were evident as I threw old battery plates into the simmering melting pot in preperation to pour new bearings. A bit of oak as a plug, and a length of cold rolled, cross drilled for a cutting tool, served as the bearing mold and line boreing tool. Much hand scraping and fitting was required. Then there was the radiator which had some of the tubes pushed loose from the top plate by frost. The engine went back together and I painted the whole tractor with some Ford Blue implement enamel. Thinngs were looking good. Just about when things were looking like we were set to run, I was called away, following the work/ career search. My travels took me to the corners of this country. I did not return for almost eight years. When it came time to raise a family, we decided to return to New England. When I returned to Bethelehem NH that fall, I went to reclaim the tractor as soon as I could. Walking into the yard, still crowded with machinery, there was the E27n still looking fine against the white painted shed, though the blue paint and orange wheels were faded again. George wasn't home, but I took a moment to grab the starter crank to give it pull. "Wouldn't budge! My spirits sank as I contemplated the rusted and ruined engine enternals. 'Likely irreplacable. The next day, I stopped in again and Mr. Tucker was in. He hadn't changed a bit over the years. We got to talking, and as I had come back to town with a 1941 Dodge Boyer conversion Fire truck, we looked through some of his many books and references to find that truck listed in his military paraphanalia. George had a fondness for fire tucks. Though mine is a combination unit built, on a 1 1/2 ton commercial chassis, he was as excited as if it were a ladder or pumper rig. Talk turned to the Fordson, and I lamented the frozen engine. George proclaimed it wasn't so!
Though he had not been able to get it to run after I left, He was sure it still turned free, and he regularly give the crank a spin, though he admitted he hadn't done much over the past winter and summer. It was warm and sunny that day, and we went over to the E27n. I grabed the crank, and the engine turned right over. Well what the heck! Back again early the next day, to see if I could get the old gal sorted out, the engine was stuck solid. What the HECK???
A thought about the temperature, and the length of time standing, it dawned on me that there just might be condensed water in the crank or worse, a cracked block. After the day warmed up, I pulled the engine drain. Sure enough, over a gallon of clear water came out the hole before the first drop of clean oil. A good sign. I found an empty garage to work on the Fordson, as George had more than enough projects in his yard.
For the second time in ten years, without ever running on her own, the Fordson was loaded on George Tuckers' flat bed and hauled a short distance.
It turned out the cam shaft was put in about 180 degrees from right when we put the engine together. I guess it was a combination of failing eyesight and youthful in-no-sense. Plus a lack of documents or information. I did a bit of dissasembly as there was a chain fall on an overhead rail. That radiator top tank is heavy! With a complete repaint, the E27n looked pretty sharp once more. She started right up and ran a top. I moved about 100 miles south when we bought a house in Vermont and put the fordson on my own truck for the move to our new home. The Fordson helped clear up the tangle of downed trees that had been left on this small lot. I fitted a scraper that served to move material for the lanscaping that was done as we improved the property and bult the shop. Many large stones and stumps were dug, chained, and hauled by the Fordson over the years. A 3 point hitch mounted snowblower and wheel chains for winter, and a box blade for road upkeep, have been the work a day tools. A 30ft length of 3/8ths proof coil serving the most as "attachments". One year, I drove the old gal to the local fair, and showed her off just because I didn't think anyone had seen one like her. The E27n's weren't brought to the states, and mine had come down from Canada. (A second trip to the fair to an old tractor pull some years later, is a story in it's self and will need to come out another time) A couple of years ago, the bottom end started knocking pretty hard. Not wanting to risk a broken crank, I pulled the engine down, finding too much lead in the drain pan that had been hammered out of the front main. Our repair, over fifteen years earlier, had let us down! I found a specialist in the Boston Area that had experience, and all the right equipment to redo the engine. Many NOS replacement parts were obtained from England. Pistons, rings valves and guides. I spent much to much money, but what could I do? Another re-paint. She looks good, She runs good. This has gone long enough. Just thought you might like a story. Cal
| 
