JD 520 about 1958 or so. I would have been 5. Cousin John bought it brand new. Mom could hear it coming 1/2 mile away and would tell us kids; "Here comes Dear John on his John Deere". We'd run out to the road and he'd stop and talk with us. He always carried a few peppermint candies in his shirt pocket and would give them to us kids. The tractor was HUGE and new and shiney. It vibrated a lot and the tires would shake. He'd let us climb up on it and turn the steering wheel. It had power steering and was easy to turn. We could always tell when he was working it hard as that old 2 banger would really bark. He had cultivators on it and when I was older spent a Lot of time riding on the axle hanging onto the cultivator lift handle. Sometimes one kid on each side. John was a great singer and could yodel real well. He'd sing along as he was plowing and we could barely hear him over the tractor. But when I'd ride along we'd sing together and it was a fun time. I remember about 10 years later the tractor sucked a valve. Valve turned over and imbedded the stem into the top of a piston. He had it rebuilt and the old pistons were laying on the ground by a tree. I had learned about engines by then and was amazed at how huge they were compared to a Briggs or Kohler. And thinking about the force required to shove the valve stem into the piston at high speed. John was very kind and gentle. He loved me and my father didn't. So I spend a lot of time with him. Would sneak over to his farm and help him which made my dad angry even if I had already finished my chores. He was never on time in his life - for church or meetings or anything. But he always had time for people. John had that tractor till he passed away in 95 or so. He had sold the milk cows long before that but still cut wood and sold it. Used the tractor for hauling wood. Dear John on your John Deere, I hope you rest well as you sure earned it working hard all your life. I still have an association between John Deere 2 cyls and peppermint candy.
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Today's Featured Article - Restoration Story: Fordson Major - by Anthony West. George bought his Fordson Major from a an implement sale about 18 years ago for £200.00 (UK). There is no known history regarding its origins or what service it had done, but the following work was undertaken alone to bring it up to show standard. From the engine number, it was found that this Major was produced late 1946. It was almost complete but had various parts that would definitely need replacing.
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