WWII Farmall H

[bbranstetter]

I guess I'll open a thread for my H. Mine is a war era H 42 I belive. It's taken a lot a patients to get the parts I want for it. Been trying to turn it back into a distillate machine, or at least in parts and apperance. I've finally found a solid manifold that looks like its workable but I've got to replace all the studs and repair the flap. I have access to a machine shop so I thinking that this shouldn't be impossible just time consuming. Any one that might have some detailed picks of a distillate manifold I'd love to see them. I've thought of having the manifold jet hot coated after the machining portion is done, has anyone ever done this before? I don't know know a whole lot about the process so any input would be apprciated. Ya, I know its probably a waste but it the details that make ya Ohw and AHhh at the tractor shows, right.

I need to get a camera so this makes a little more sense to the rest of the world, if that's even possible.

Its always great to talk tractors (and Cubs) let me know what you've got!

 

[jgeorg]

Brian, my father in-law has a distillate H that is in decent shape. I could take some pic's of something if that would help.
John

 

[kweaver]

I watched a RFDTV show , I think it was titled Red Power 4. A guy on there had his father's tractor either an H or M. I can't remember now witch, I'd have to get out my recording and see. Anyway he said that during that time tractors weren't being produced in quanity because of the war needs on the material. He said he was about 10 years old and he remembers the tractor being delivered at the farm at midnight and they kept it hid for about 3 months.

 

[kweaver]

Brian - what is "Jet Hot Coated"?

 

[bbrigham]

I've been into street rods and hot rods a long time and alot of guys have there headers jet hot coated. They spray molten aluminum on heated pieces so the aluminum sticks well. Makes for a nice appearance and helps to keep heat in the exhaust, not so much radiating off it. Quite a durable finish. I think it ads around $150 to price of headers, but tractor manifold shouldn't be so much, I think it would be worth it.

 

[kweaver]

okay , I've bought those before - the rough coating that was on my Hookers (ad said "aluminum coated") was good for peeling skin ! It was nice not having them rust.

 

[bbranstetter]

John--

I would love to see any pics you've got of it. I'm especially intrested in the heat riser adjustment on the manifold and heat shield that goes over it. Measurement of the heat shield would be a huge +++. Thanks. I just bought a digital camera so I can post pics of my 'baskets of parts' tractor.


K--

Some of the 'Jet Hot' coatings that I have seen were really nice. I think the really heavy coatings are some sort of ceramic baked on coat but its been awhile since I've been to there web site. They have different finishes depending on what your looking for, there's a flat black 'stock looking' finish that might look ok for a resto job but you can get them in silver, high polish, dull, textured and that sort of thing.

 

[jgeorg]

Brian, I don't have any pictures of it, but will take some next time we are there. Probably in the 2 weeks or so. I'll post a couple of the most interesting ones here when I get them. It threw a rod through the block in it's early life and the patch is still holding fine. No, it wasn't JB'ed back together!

 

[bbranstetter]

John--

Glad to hear she's still runnin'. My project has a broken block as well but from the looks there's no hope, it's been brazed with brass several times by the looks of it. There's a donnor motor out at the farm so there's no sense putting a ton of money and effort into a broken casting, or at least for this project.

 

[bbranstetter]

Well here it is, or at least whats left of my tractor. Unfortanetly the only thing that I've really accomplished is getting the motor tore down not to mention purchasing a crap load of parts that I've got stored all over Gods creation.

 

[kweaver]

Like the old dog said sliding down the sidewalk ... ruff! You've got your work cut out looks like for the next decade. Good Luck. I want to see her when she's all dressed for the prom
Are you sure that's an H and not an M ? I thought only the M had the raised section in the hood where the steering entered. I'll have to do some looking around. I know my grandfather's M had that raised portion but I don't remember my great uncles H having that.

 

[digger]

Here's a purty H.

 

[bbranstetter]

Aw nuts, some of my pic didn't make it. Ya I know its an H. The Serial number is FBH 134178 and I've seen most of the original documentation for it. My gradparents never threw any thing out. Thank God!

I know, its hard to tell but this machine has been the conerstone of my passion for all things IH. When I was a little tike I would spend hours on it just wondering what it must have been like when its new.

 

[bbranstetter]

Well, it's taken me awhile to get to this but here it goes.

April 10, 1923- April 30 2007
Phyillis Jane Branstetter,84, of Jonesville went to be with here Lord on Monday, April 30, 2007, at Borgess Medical Center in Kalamazoo, Mi. She was born to Charles Ellsworth and Bernice (Mann) Butler. She was married Nov. 26, 1942, in Jonesville, to Arlo L. Branstetter and he preceded her in death in 1982

Thats my Grandma, my grand parents are partially to blame, or commend, on my passion for all things IH. They had the old H and an ol cub cadet for as long as I could remember, not to forget the IH chest freezer or the IH cream seperator....Well you get the picture. I still have the H and the folks still have the cream seperator but this are still just 'things' which will never replace the joy and happiness that is only found with the people that you care most about.

I promised that old H would be restored to it's former self, just sorry that I couldn't make it in time for the prom.

 

[bbranstetter]

Hey!

Anyone out there know where I could go to find technical pictures or prints to an (all fuel) kero/distilant manifold. Tore into the guts of my manifold tonight and was wondering just what the flap was supposed to look like. I'll post some pics of what I got when I get this computer straitend out. Thanks in advance!

 

[dfrisk]

BRIAN - I wouldn't be too worried about that flapper valve inside the exh. manifold for pre-heating the intake charge for the engine. When You run the engine on gasoline You don't need any manifold heat. Dad had a '39 H that He traded in on the Stg. II Super H I have now back in May '68 and That old H had been converted to run on gasoline MANY years before I was around.

If You read the very fine print in the old Operator's manuals the kerosene & distillate engines had their own set of problems with oil dilution due to raw fuel blowby, lower HP, knocking due to very low octane, etc. Hard to build compression in them also since the heads have such huge combustion chambers so they run right on gasoline. The Gasoline starting tank on the kero. & dist. engines do make a nice aux. gas tank IF You can still find the correct fittings & fuel lines.

Do a search on "O.E.M. Tractor Parts" in Chenoa, IL. They're probably the best source for LOTS of repoduction parts it looks like You'll be needing. I've bought stuff from them and while it's not cheap they quality is Good!

 

[bbranstetter]

Believe me I understand the issues with the system. My goal with this project is to do something that very few have and that is to take every last detail to the n'th degree. I have a small tank, shutters, manifold, nos head, yada yada, yada. You get the idea, i just need the pics of the inside so i can reproduce the missing baffle. How many of these have you ever seen done to that level? I think it will be pretty sweet all done up, just a matter of time.

Thanks

 

[rmorgan]

Nice to see the pictures of the Farmall H's, even the really rusty one.
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I have a '51 W-4 here - apparently mostly the same tractor. It has mostly oil and grime all over it, not so much rust.
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It has a big oil leak. I suspect the main oil seal in front, or the oil seal at the water pump. There's also some coolant in the cavity below the fan pulleys. Looks like I should have the front end of the thing all apart. But it's soo cold here!
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Here's the link for OEM Tractor Parts:
https://secure.oemtractorparts.net/default.html
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Roy, near Ithaca NY.

 

[bbranstetter]

Well I just have to update this thread a little. Now that I have a job in my area of study again I've started to become interested in my projects again. Probably won't have the time I want to work on it but I can get back to collecting parts and pieces to get things moving. To get things started I bought a heat shield for the manifold, a major part that I was debating on. I wasn't going to make it a distillate tractor unless I found it. Also plan on making a shopping list over at Binder Books here in the near future and get all the documentation for the H, not a real big deal but it needs to get done. Next month I plan on making a few trips to pick up some wheels, rims and tires to get it up off the ground.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Brian,