It’s not a Kubota......

[Papadiver]

It’s my 1951 Oliver Crawler HG-68. My family bought this brand new in 51. I am in the process of restoring it to first class working order. Not show quality. I have rebuilt the motor. Years ago I converted it to a distributor system. I have just converted from 6V positive ground to 12V negative ground. Got it started on last Friday. It’s doing great! It will have an easy life now. At 70yrs old it will pull logs for firewood, pull a drawbar mower and a lot of sunday afternoon tractor rides!
If my pictures work the first one is before I started. The rest are during the rebuild process.

Ron

 

[Crash277]

That thing is pretty sweet

 

[Desert Kubota]

That is too cool. Wish I possessed them skizzles to complete a project like that. I mean I could get it apart but back together would be a lifetime project. Looks great!

 

[chim]

I really like that! I went to look at one for sale near here many years back.

 

[Papadiver]

Thanks guys! Dad let me start driving it when I was 10. By the time I was 12 I was plowing the garden and bush hogging by myself. It has a 4 cylinder Hercules motor. Anderson made an after market 3 point hitch for it. It was braced off of the transmission case and we continually broke bolts. I’m not putting that back on but I am installing the hydraulics. I have a tank and pump that goes behind the grill. The valve is attached to the right front side panel. I anm going to add a cylinder to my draw bar mower to raise and lower it. UpNorthMi posted pictures of a farm dump trailer that operates off of the tractor hydraulics. That would be sweet on the hilly property that I own!

 

[bird dogger]

Way to cool! Nice work. I like your roller stands for moving it about in your workshop!

 

[BAP]

Nice job! I have a Cletrac K-20 that I want to get restored some day.

 

[Papadiver]

Nice job! I have a Cletrac K-20 that I want to get restored some day.

I believe those are from around the 1930’s. Do you have any pictures? My great uncle had a model W 12-20. Those came out in 1918 and sold for $1385. I have the book for it and the radiator. Dad said it was wore out when he bought it. Dad remembers playing on it when he was a kid.

 

[MOOTS]

This is awesome. And I'm sure the kids/grandkids love it!

 

[skeets]

Outstanding,, Tractors are like bikes, it really dont matter what color they are as long as you are in the wind

 

[Lil Foot]

That is really cool! Can't wait to see the finished product.

 

[GeoHorn]

I have a fond place in my heart for anything Oliver. It has a nutty beginning for me... When I was 10 years old my Father took the family on vacation to Lake Travis Lodges for a week, and one of his fellow-electricians brought his family and boat. I remember seeng Dad get up on his first ”try” behind that boat with the green outboard motor.... it was individual chrome raised-lettering...
I can remember the vision stuck in my brain to this day of the brand-name-placard on the side of that motor.
For many years after adulthood I wondered what ever became of the “Olive” outboard motor company....

 

[Magicman]

It's nice to see love and sweat being breathed into that old gal. Awesome!!!

 

[Papadiver]

GoeHorn those are some nice show tractors! I would be afraid to go into the woods and pull a log with those! I am restoring mine to what I call first class working order. Mine was 6 volt positive ground. You can’t jump it. A winch would be very expensive and you are limited to what lighting you can use. I converted it to 12V negative ground. I have the original lights and I have restored them but I am putting LED bulbs in them. I took the 6 V generator to a local electric shop and they are converting it to 12 V I will put a 12 V regulator on it and that part will be finished. The next thing I am going to do is take the power take off off and flush the transmission put new sterring bands and seals and close it back up and put fresh gear oil in it. When the weather breaks I will do more painting. My buddy is going to help me with body work on the hood and side panels. The track rollers, tracks and final drives are very good shape and just need cleaning and some tlc.
I am having a blast doing this! And I am going to have a very usable tractor! There is a company that specializes in olivers. Zimmermans Oliver & Cletrac in Ephrata PA. Has everything you need to rebuild one of these.

 

[Henro]

It’s my 1951 Oliver Crawler HG-68. My family bought this brand new in 51. I am in the process of restoring it to first class working order. Not show quality. I have rebuilt the motor. Years ago I converted it to a distributor system. I have just converted from 6V positive ground to 12V negative ground. Got it started on last Friday. It’s doing great! It will have an easy life now. At 70yrs old it will pull logs for firewood, pull a drawbar mower and a lot of sunday afternoon tractor rides!
If my pictures work the first one is before I started. The rest are during the rebuild process.

Ron

Great post!

Thanks for sharing. I wish I had your energy and talents!

 

[BAP]

I believe those are from around the 1930’s. Do you have any pictures? My great uncle had a model W 12-20. Those came out in 1918 and sold for $1385. I have the book for it and the radiator. Dad said it was wore out when he bought it. Dad remembers playing on it when he was a kid.

Unfortunately I don’t have any right now. It is buried in the back of the barn at my moms house and can’t get the doors open because of all the snow.

 

[Sophie]

It’s my 1951 Oliver Crawler HG-68. My family bought this brand new in 51. I am in the process of restoring it to first class working order. Not show quality. I have rebuilt the motor. Years ago I converted it to a distributor system. I have just converted from 6V positive ground to 12V negative ground. Got it started on last Friday. It’s doing great! It will have an easy life now. At 70yrs old it will pull logs for firewood, pull a drawbar mower and a lot of sunday afternoon tractor rides!
If my pictures work the first one is before I started. The rest are during the rebuild process.

Ron

wow that is a great piece of machinery .. looks like you got the 12 volt conversion done really nicely

 

[Papadiver]

I got the 12V conversion done. I had the original 6V generator rebuilt and converted to 12V then I replaced the voltage regulator with a matched 12V one. I have the original hydraulics for it. I am rebuilding that now. I am going to put rear remotes on it. A friend picked up the body panels to rehab and paint. When I get those back I will post more pictures. He has a CNC plasma cutter. We are going to build a custom grill guard for it.

 

[BAP]

Do you have a blade for it? I always wanted to own a JD MC or 40C with a blade and Gearmatic winch on it to putter around in the woods. Or even an equivalent vintage Oliver, Cletrac or IH.

 

[Papadiver]

Do you have a blade for it? I always wanted to own a JD MC or 40C with a blade and Gearmatic winch on it to putter around in the woods. Or even an equivalent vintage Oliver, Cletrac or IH.

No I don’t have a blade. Oliver endorsed a couple aftermarket companies that made blades and buckets and 3 point hitch attachments. I have an Anderson 3 point hitch attachment for it but the design is not to good and it stressed the transmission case.

My great uncle bought the tractor new in 1951 interestingly I have a letter, envelope and all sent to him in 1951 thanking him for visiting there booth at the KY state fair and enclosed is a brochure for a new Oliver Cletrac with a Ware blade. Dad said my great uncle always wanted a blade for it.