New Addition to the Family

Our son bought his first tractor and we took delivery yesterday. He's been working at YT since he was 16 and mostly socking away his income, not given to frivolous endeavors. He was having a bit of trouble lifting old growth stumps with my stuff, he could dig them out, but couldn't haul them off, so he decided to finally get his first machine. He wanted something big because I sold my industrial equipment last year (something I regret but with YT taking my time, I didn't have time to keep them up). "Scott WA" had this for sale and he decided to pull the trigger. It's a '65 Oliver 1950 FWA. It was great meeting Scott, he has an amazing Oliver and Massey collection. It's always nice to meet a fellow YTer.

I'm nagging my son to restore it in precise Oliver trim, but he's hearing a different drummer so we'll see what happens. He wants to customize it more like a hot rod. I can't fault that even though it's not my reason for being into tractors, and that concept might bring more young people into the hobby. It needs a seal in the 2 speed case and I don't have a crane large enough to pull the DD 4-53 given the height of it, so it's at the local diesel shop for a couple of weeks where they have a large overhead bridge crane (I told him I won't bring a leaking machine we can't repair onto the farm until it's fixed). He's already chomping at the bit to get started restoring. Both Kim and I are proud of him for spending his money this way, this machine will be useful and may turn out to be a good investment.

We are tossing around the idea of next year, keeping it down at our secondary warehouse in town during part of the parade season and running it in the local parades with YT's banner. Should be one of, or the, largest ag tractor in the county and people don't get to see larger tractors here. It has a nice original 3-point and drawbar. Everything seems mechanically sound. All the sheet metal is there and straight, it has the fender tanks, and has virtually no rust. It is frankly, in better condition that any tractor I've ever bought.

We've been trying to ID the loader and haven't figured that out yet. Possibly an "Art's Way" though the bucket doesn't look right.

I can't identify the loader,but he's starting out with a machine that a lot of us are envious of. Nice!

Nice tractors! The loader looks like a
Koyker to me. What I can see of the bucket
looks custom made.

It's made me envious too. I always wanted a D-21 or 220, but it seemed too irresponsible. Now I'm wondering if I shouldn't keep up with my son .

I am not an Oliver fan. (A 220 would excite me also) But, what a unit! Detroit Diesel, front wheel assist, fender tanks, wheel weights, and a monster loader! Congratulations.

There are some similarities, but I couldn't find the company history to see how long they've been in business. We're going to stop by today and check out the welds on the quick attach mounts just to see if the bucket mount welds look factory. I also want to get a few shots of valves to see if we can trace some history on them.

Ya , I could make shed space for that one. Loader
reminds me of the Swarts that was on my Ford.

Yeah, that's some tractor for sure! He may want to revvv things up a bit, but still much better hobby than some of the other things kids like to do nowdays.

The bucket looks like it's off a Case industrial loader/backhoe. That's quite the machine!

I'll second the Case bucket design, it looks just like the one on my 580D loader/backhoe.

I had a 1950 back in the 90's my advice is to get the boy some ear plugs and earmuffs

I would guess Schwartz, seems they made the Oliver loaders along with Ford and Minnie Mo and a few others.

I would like to thank you guy's for a great site and glad to see another Oliver saved. It's only a hobby for me now and glad to see the young people interested.

Wow, came home to quite a response on this thread, I guess I'm used to our Site comments threads .

We just went over it and I think it is probably a Ford made by Schwartz as people noticed. The bottom paint on the loader arms is Ford blue. The mounts are hacked together with some pretty rough welds so it certainly didn't belong on this tractor.

People were right on the bucket too, it is indeed a Case 580B-E TLB bucket. Someone did a reasonable job of mating the bucket to the loader so it can be removed quickly while leaving bucket stock.

Son was showing me the tilt steering wheel. Pretty cool feature for 1965.

I'd be more comfortable if he had a ROPS but I doubt there are any around now.

Thanks for all the replies. It's definitely fun to get a new tractor. Motivates you. We'll get him to start a journal when he starts working on it.

Wow! It's a beast!

Great to see another young person interested in tractors/equipment.

If he can't decide on new paint...
he could always sandblast it and let it rust.
Everything always looks good in rust. LOL

Here is a company that makes a ROPs for the Oliver 1955. That should directly bolt on the 1950.

http://www.laurin-inc.com/products/ID/365/categoryId/90/Roll-Bars
Laurin Inc.

Believe it or not, he told me that was an option he'd thought of, if it had had the original paint and rust to preserve. I respect Rat Rods, but am partial more traditional restorations myself. But I'll be supportive if he goes with chroming and an interesting paint scheme, I've seen some beautiful tractors done that way.

Thanks, I just saw those myself after I posted that. We used to sell ROPS in the early 2000s, but the manufacturer went out of business. I sent them an email and will see what they say. I noted they only list the 1855 and 1955 now but I'm thinking those should fit. I'd be way more comfortable with that. It's hilly in this part of the country.

That steering wheel telescopes too. Turn the knob in the center of it and you can pull it out or push it in.

That's a very sweet tractor to have. Very cool that your son got it. They only have original paint once so I guess it doesn't matter how he paints it as long as he doesn't have it up. It can always be put back to original. With any luck I will have one when I grow up. Would like to see your parade. When and where is it if you don't mind me asking?

YT your almost one of us! Now it is your turn to get the bug (tractor), back?

Good looking rig! Congratulations to your son on his tractor and family interests!

CONGRATULATIONS

Please keep us posted on the renovation/restoration

He tried to break the knob loose today, but it wouldn't budge. Probably have to wait till we get it here to figure that out.

There a quite a few parades up in town (Port Townsend) and that is where our warehouses are. It'll be next year before we are ready. I'm going to get one of mine back in pristine shape before then.

I haven't stopped being a user, but yes, I need to get back into restoring. I should put a computer up in the shop since I'm stuck at it all day anyway. As far as getting the bug, found a nice looking D-19 diesel in the ads... that might suffice.

Yes, Kim wants him to document the entire thing on a journal. I'm starting my D-14 engine rebuild journal tomorrow so I'll egg him on to get in and do it too.

Kim,
Look at caterpillar's ROP. They use a cage. Grand
kid's go-cart has a cage. My Kawasaki mule has a
cage. I'm alive because my Terramite has a cage. I
was moving a heavy pipe with front loader. Pipe
slipped off, landed on one end. Then fell back at
me. I would have gotten hit on the head without a
cage protecting me. You need to consider what will
happen with just a roll bar when something you are
lifting with loader rolls back at you. Driver needs
front protection too. Get a cage.

You also need a seat belt. You can't be too safe.

Very true. You never know how much damage Geo's head could have caused to that poor pipe! :shock: :wink:

Tip it up and pour some light oil in around the shaft. There's no seal at the top of the column,that's just a dust cap. Fill it right up and let it sit.

Thanks, We'll try that when we get it here.

We went in and talked with the mechanic this morning. Fired it up and tested the air cutout to shut it down, comforting to know it works. It barely smokes given what I'm used to with diesels, but they are going to check out the number one injector and cylinder anyway which Scott listed as one of the problems with the tractor. He's an expert diesel mechanic so I'm sure if he says it's bad, it's bad. Since they've got to pull the engine to get at the 2 speed transmission, it's the time to find out what's wrong there if anything.

I also looked at the mount areas for the ROPS. It's bothersome that the tank fenders take up all the room where the ROPS baseplates would connect. I'm thinking that they are mutually exclusive or a custom ROPS is required. If we did a custom ROPS, it could then be a cage like Geo mentioned. I had a full cage on my AC 816B, and that was very useful in the woods even if you don't flip it.

Indiana has many Saturday night dirt racetracks. Many
good fabricators make roll cages to fit inside their
race cars. Their roll cages are designed to meet
racetrack specks. I would find a fabricator at
racetrack that has experience, the right equipment,
pipe benders and welders.

kcm.MN
Are you replacing Larry and Loren as head pot
stirrer?

All jokes aside, I saw the pipe fall off front
forks, Stand up on ead, the fall back towards me. It
was like in slow motion, but fast enough I had no
time to move, would have been a direct hit in the
head. That made me a believer in a cage.

Think about it, newer tractors have a cab which is a
cage with windows.
geo