I thought I would inherit it......

[Daren Todd]

Add social media into the mix with a bi-polar My wife had to un-friend my step mom. (At my request) you would have thought it was the end of the world!!!! My wife would like something or tag something, and the women would flip out about it. Then dad's calling and complaining because "She's upset" and did I check out what my "wife" posted? They were driving me nuts!!!!

 

[RCW]

UPDATE:

For newcomers, you'd need to read the thread to get the backstory.

The tractor has not been a topic of discussion between my father and I since he gave it to my sister December 2015.

Tractor still sits at his house.

Fast forward December 2016 - by text message, thanked my sister for the venison she and BIL gave for a Christmas dinner appetizer. It was great!

She immediately said they can't afford to have tractor hauled 125 miles to their farm. The family typically uses older Internationals, and they have several to do the work.

She would suggest Dad sell it, and Dad would keep the $$. She said Dad wouldn't be happy...

I told her I can get it to my place, but didn't want to get in the middle.....

TONIGHT:

Call my dad - normal weekly call thing. Out of the blue, he asks if I had talked to sister about tractor. Told him yes, by text last month, and the scoop.

TRACTOR IS MINE!!!

Will likely wait 'til spring to pick it up, so we don't tear his lawn up - - - but WOO HOOO!!

DAMN, I'M SO HAPPY ABOUT THAT!!

I'll stop yelling now.......woo hoo....

skeets - I'll get pictures!!

 

[skeets]

I'm happy for ya man!!!! Sometimes thing come around like they should

 

[RCW]

I'm happy for ya man!!!! Sometimes thing come around like they should

Thanks so much my friend!

Many would have no idea what something like that means - to have a piece of your heritage - I know you and many others here at OTT do.

 

[William1]

Congrats! One mans trash (old tractor) is another mans diamond (your memories)

I have a few things in my home that to a passer by, are nothing special but priceless to me.

My dad is 88. We have our weekly phone chat. The talks are better now than they were 40 years ago.

I am happy to hear the old girl is going to loving home.

 

[Tooljunkie]

And you are happy. I would be stressing myself out over this. This is a great thing.
Gonna name him george?
https://youtu.be/ArNz8U7tgU4

 

[procraftmike]

It was nice to see a happy ending to this thread. Many items that have sentimental value to us are priceless. Congrats. I hope your dad knows what it means to you.

I have an old rocking horse that my grandpa gave me when I was a kid. He passed on a few years later. It seems like just and old toy, but it is so much more. That rocking horse will be with me to the day I die.

 

[85Hokie]

"I'll stop yelling now.......woo hoo...."

sometimes you gotta yell.......and never make a noise!!!!

Funny how fate works!

I have a friend that sold his MM ......wow - what a machine!

 

[Tooljunkie]

I have my handy little kubota, and my 1952 cockshutt 40 with a loader, that one is like driving a bus. Anything else i can grab a machine from many friends that are farmers. Birrowed a big green one a while back to move a little house, it idled away like there was nothing behind it.

That MM is a great deal, but a little far for me.

 

[Lil Foot]

Glad to hear it worked out for you!

 

[RCW]

Thanks for the kind words, guys.

This MM is an early 1950's ZAU; not big, about the size of a Farmall H, and about 30+hp. 4 cylinder gas, 5 speed, with only a hand clutch, and narrow front-end.

http://www.tractordata.com/farm-tractors/003/7/6/3760-minneapolis-moline-za.html

My Grandfather bought it used - Dad thinks it was only a couple years old. We also had a MM Z WFE.

For as hard as it's been worked, it's in very good running condition. It was overhauled 35 years ago, and had an okay paint job 25 years ago - not a major restoration.

 

[RCW]

Been a long time coming, but I have to update my thread.....

I didn't bring the 'Moline home last year, since I had too many house-related projects to deal with here, along with graduations, etc....

Dad was okay with that, because he knew I was busy. He said "it's not hurting anybody where it sits.."

She's coming home this year...or else!!

I brought home a bunch of extra parts, fluids, plugs, workshop manual, etc. on Easter Sunday.

Now I've got everything but the tractor! Oh, the carport too...so much looking forward to it...

Took a couple pictures...it's a 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU. The way it sits, with loader frame/blade, wheel weights (I think 520 pounds each?), and loaded tires, guessing it's about 7,000 lbs +/-. 32 horsepower, 4 cyl gas. It had trip forks/bucket, but that's long since gone.

 

[skeets]

Thats a sweet heart, somehow I get the feeling as nice as she looks, when you get her done, it will showroom condition

 

[Kurtee]

I gotta say thanks for stirring old memories. Dad had a Z on the farm in the early 60s. My older brother by 1 year learned to drive it at 6 years old and was mad when dad traded it on an Allis CA. I was driving the CA by 7 and did lots of work with it. The hand clutch on the Minnie Molines made it easier for a little guy to operate Also had a U in the mix. My buddy got a Z from my wifes cousin when we were in high school which he fixed up and used. We pulled silage wagons with it. I have retained the place where my folks were living and kept the Allis 200 that dad bought new in 1975 and his 632 Bobcat. The memories are deep. Again thanks for the trip.

 

[bearbait]

Glad everything worked out for you RCW, that is one sweet tractor.

 

[Yooper]

That tractor is in really nice shape! Glad this story had a happy ending.

 

[W7AX]

I must say, I am feeling good about RCW's saga on the tractor. A very good ending to say the least. My father was a very cruel individual and it forced me and my brother to run away from home when I was 15 and he was 14. I went one way and he went another as we left at different times. I never saw him again. In my travels of hitchhiking around the country I ended up working on a wheat ranch in Northwestern Colorado. My job was to learn how to run the tractor and plow. The tractor was an old Cat30 on tracks. I remember so many times of filling the priming cups up on top of that engine and then hand cranking it. Fortunately, it usually started easily. Then after the start, you had to close those cups . The ground was too rocky to use a moldboard plow so we used a huge disc plow. Lots of memories from that time with that old tractor. I could be wrong but I believe the tractor was made in 1935 or so.
Thanks for sharing RCW.

 

[RCW]

Gotta do another update....



Was scheduling a local farmer to pick the tractor up with his equipment trailer......about an hour away.



Dad went out to start it couple days in advance, darn thing starts screaming/racing.



Dad shut her down, got pissed and pulled the governor out. He hasn't been happy with it since putting a rebuilt one in 15 years ago. For as long as he's run it, got to trust him there.



He told me come and get the governor and make it right.



Had a former engine shop buddy look it over. Most is good, but for linkage back to control arm. Working on parts... or rebuilt.....MM was bought by Oliver, then White, then MF...so we're an AGCO now, which is where I can still find parts books..



If anyone has suggestions on rebuilding governors for a 65 year old 'Moline, glad to hear them!! I did join a MM Tractor forum today..they seem to be a great bunch like you guys/gals!



All is good, just another chapter in the saga.....

 

[RCW]

Thanks for sharing RCW.

W7AX - Didn't see your post until now.

I can't say my relationship with Dad was great, but it hasn't been bad either.

I'm sorry you boys had to do that, but you knew what was best for yourselves many years ago.

Can't say much more other than those experiences change the person you become for the rest of your life, and normally for the better. I'm willing to bet you took the better path!



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[RCW]

One more update and a good one!

The governor has been a challenge. Rebuilding parts are not available.

I found a complete used one in Manitoba Canada, with the help of the MM forum I joined. Great guy to deal with.

It’s in great condition, and hopefully......we’ll get the old girl running Saturday.

It’s the one on the right in the photo.

I’ve already talked to dad about leaving it there this winter, but we gotta get it running well first.

Wish me luck!!

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