The Mabel Mae Project- A 1936 John Deere BO story

 There is, at all times, an inverse relationship between time to do a project and the parts being available. I finally got all the parts but now being called into work on the weekend (harvest season) plus Cougar football season means my time will be precarious We'll see how it goes soon  

 As someone who's job relies around selling John Deere Equipment let me tell you the shortages, backups, and slow downs has been an experience.    After going into the John Deere parts look up, using the eye chart that is them just scanning the old parts manuals into the program (a 1930's 8.5 x 11 binder now in a 4 x4 pop up) and squinting I sent my parts guy a list of parts. This was my first of a long series of emails back and forth  before we realized he didn't have at least half my parts.  (More pictures of the leaks) Striking at the iron #2 I found https://www.yesterdaystractors.com/ which seems to have most (not all) of the parts that I'm stabbing in the dark to think I need to clean up the fuel leak.   They also had some rust prevention liner goo for the fuel tanks.  I figured ounce of prevention is worth not having to listen to nuts and bolts in the tanks again.  Uncle Bob also reminded me I probably need to check the radiator for leaks too but since I'm get

 

  "Well I  hate to tell you this, but there is rust in the gas tank" THANK GOD I have my Brother in Law.  To him machines are breathing, engines are second nature,  and I would have never thought for two seconds to even look in the tank.  WHY? Because I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I AM DOING.  Thankfully I had both a Brother in Law and a  book. "How to Restore Your Farm Tractor: Choosing a tractor and setting up a workshop - Engine, transmission, and PTO rebuilds - Bodywork, painting, and decals and badging".  He said to do... exactly what my brother in law had already told me to.  So you know $14.50 or listen to him.  Luckily I also had the watchful eye of my Nephew.  He is ready to roll, but we still needed to clean the tanks.  A few handfuls of nuts & bolts, lots of shaking later, we were able to knock most of the rust clean.   It was the cocktail shaker that I never knew I needed and made me very much crave a on the rocks margarita. But alas, the cocktails must wait! 

 

 On July 23nd I got the phone call from Uncle Bob. "The Tractor is on it's way" Good Good... this works.  I back calculate that it should be to my sister's farm Monday.   I can plan to be at the John Deere dealership that day that is nearest by to allow me to come accept the deliver.  This also allows my sister and her family to get back from their trip to the Northern Half of our state.  This was going to be ideal.   I had these imaginary minds view of the family of us sitting there, holding hands like the who's in whoville as the tractor is lowered slowly amongst cherubs (fun victorian cherubs, not scary Book of Ezekiel cherubs) and singing.  11:00 a.m. on the 24th... I get a phone call.  The truck will be there at 5:00. My family won't be home until the 25th.  I called them frantically.  "What do I do" "Break and enter into our house" What started as the whoville ends in a little light B&E.   Yes, that tracks with my lifestyle.  So I

Meet our new project! The what: 1936 John Deere BO Now the long story: A couple by the names Orin and Mabel Mae moved from OK to CA during the dust bowl. After he spent some time earning up money in San Francisco they purchased a small farm in Winters, CA.  IN 1936 they ordered from John Deere, straight from the factory this tractor. It was delivered by rail and was a part of the family including pumping water from the well. They raised hay, they raised chickens (selling up to 25 dozen a day) and raised several kids and grandchildren on that farm   This is my GREAT GRANDPARENTS TRACTOR!  It's a project I know that is going to be a steep learning curve for us but words can't describe how excited, nervous, and grateful I am to be adding to her history with my nephew. Welcome home lil John Deere. You've got a family that is looking forward to loving your steel lil heart!