I am not going to take on any out side repair work this fall. I will do some emergency stuff but just the run of the mill stuff I am going to pass on. I turned 62 and I am going to start to do the things I want to do not the stuff customers "want" me to do. Still have the livestock chores to do and run the semi a day or two each week also. Plus the normal farm work. So I am not really quiting that much.
The project is a JD 4320. I have always wanted one but just could not justify the price years ago when they where newer. I don't want to pay today's prices for one worn out. It is going to be a complete tear down and rebuild back up project. I will have 500-600 hours of labor in it. It will be as good as new though. I will make sure every single thing is back to factory spec or tighter. Every single nut and bolt will be removed and re-installed. It is going to be parts of 4-5 tractors. I have done this to two JD 4020s and a Ford 981. So I have been-there/ done-that before. I know I could buy a much newer tractor with the time and money I am going to put into it. I think the most fun is the "project" getting done. I started hoarding parts for this 20 years ago.
1) The transmission/rear end is a tractor that had been in a shed fire. The engine burnt so hard it was junk. The transmission still had the hydraulic oil in it. The final drives/axles are junk though. Tires got them hot enough to bend the axles.
2) The engine and front half are the remains of one that a couple of red necks used as a pulling tractor for a few years. They completely ruined the rear end and transmission. I am using the frame rails, radiator, and engine block and head.
3) I have a complete fuel system off of a tractor that had been run out of oil on a manure pump. It ruined the block and the owners had me install a complete used engine out of a salvage yard tractor. I have this already completely re-manufactured. Every thing was taken apart and put back to factory spec.
4) I just found a wrecked tractor this summer that had the transmission housing broken. So I am using the final drives and axles off of this one.
5) The hydraulic system is going to be parts of all of these tractors. I will just pick the best parts and rebuild them.
6) The sheet metal was the biggest hold up. I had a heck of a time finding a good hood. I finally found a NOS hood this last week. I about had heart failure over the price but I have been looking for ten years for a good hood. The fenders and the rest I have several to chose from. So I will just take the best and make them perfect as possible.
Here is a question for you fellows. I have four serial number plates for the various parts tractors I bought over the years. I am thinking about making a plate and mounting all of them on the axle housing just for the fun of it. Kind of like Johnny Cash's One Piece at a Time song. What do you think????
The project is a JD 4320. I have always wanted one but just could not justify the price years ago when they where newer. I don't want to pay today's prices for one worn out. It is going to be a complete tear down and rebuild back up project. I will have 500-600 hours of labor in it. It will be as good as new though. I will make sure every single thing is back to factory spec or tighter. Every single nut and bolt will be removed and re-installed. It is going to be parts of 4-5 tractors. I have done this to two JD 4020s and a Ford 981. So I have been-there/ done-that before. I know I could buy a much newer tractor with the time and money I am going to put into it. I think the most fun is the "project" getting done. I started hoarding parts for this 20 years ago.
1) The transmission/rear end is a tractor that had been in a shed fire. The engine burnt so hard it was junk. The transmission still had the hydraulic oil in it. The final drives/axles are junk though. Tires got them hot enough to bend the axles.
2) The engine and front half are the remains of one that a couple of red necks used as a pulling tractor for a few years. They completely ruined the rear end and transmission. I am using the frame rails, radiator, and engine block and head.
3) I have a complete fuel system off of a tractor that had been run out of oil on a manure pump. It ruined the block and the owners had me install a complete used engine out of a salvage yard tractor. I have this already completely re-manufactured. Every thing was taken apart and put back to factory spec.
4) I just found a wrecked tractor this summer that had the transmission housing broken. So I am using the final drives and axles off of this one.
5) The hydraulic system is going to be parts of all of these tractors. I will just pick the best parts and rebuild them.
6) The sheet metal was the biggest hold up. I had a heck of a time finding a good hood. I finally found a NOS hood this last week. I about had heart failure over the price but I have been looking for ten years for a good hood. The fenders and the rest I have several to chose from. So I will just take the best and make them perfect as possible.
Here is a question for you fellows. I have four serial number plates for the various parts tractors I bought over the years. I am thinking about making a plate and mounting all of them on the axle housing just for the fun of it. Kind of like Johnny Cash's One Piece at a Time song. What do you think????
