I'm here you can start the party. :)

mddorange · Mar 4, 2018

I know what you mean about assignments. I was stationed at Lackland AFB, TX, Amarillo AFB, TX, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam, Sheppard AFB, TX, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, Offutt AFB, NE, Shaw AFB, SC, Yokota AB, Japan, Offutt AFB, NE, Tyndall AFB, FL and Elmendorf AFB, AK.

Compact Driver · Mar 4, 2018

You certainly got around. Yes, I did go to Lackland AFB in Texas for Basics as well. I'm glad I was able to bypass half of it. Well, here's the reason I showed up here.

I don't know what year yet, but I have the serial number and it's under 1000 so I'm guessing a very early tractor. What's strange is parts of it are like new, and other's will really need work, but that's why I'm trying to save it. No better introduction than the reason for being here, right?

mddorange · Mar 5, 2018

Very RIGHT!

So where did you find the tractor? Any documentation on it? Does it run?

Compact Driver · Mar 5, 2018

Why I'm here now.

No documentation and no idea exactly how old it is. I found it on Craig's List. I was told that it runs, but there was a problem with high revs, so the former owner bought a carb kit for it. He also took the starter out to "clean it up" because it was running away after starting, but I have a little trouble believing that. I guess there's no reason not to tell how much I paid except for embarrassment. I got it for $600.00. I figured I couldn't go too wrong unless every part was complete trash. The Sickle mower has to be worth half the price?? Here's one of the pictures from the ad on Craig's List.

Here's a picture I found on the Internet of what I want it to look like when I'm done.

I know that's a lot to ask for and I have read the the original decals are unavailable, so I may have to settle for good enough. I want a working tractor that looks like it should and not a patched up clunker. There's nothing wrong with a well used tractor looking the way it does from work, but this tractor has obviously set for some time in the tall grass if you look at the wheels that are toast. There is a definite line in the wheels where the rust took over while the rest of the wheel was pretty much new. I think this should probably be taken over to the Satoh area now as my explanation of what I'm doing is running into how I'll be doing it.

Oh, I'll try to get over the the Kubota area as well and post about my B8200.

Al

Compact Driver · Mar 5, 2018

Just a side note because you all may fine it amusing. When we got to the property to pick up the tractor the yard was a mud bowl, but not all that bad as I would find out. This was the squishy mud that is on the surface of a frozen yard, so we didn't have too bad a time lining up and getting the tractor on my trailer. (Look at my post in the Mitsubishi\Satoh area.)

So, we decided to set up our GPS to drive home away from the town because that stinking sickle bar was drooping more and more it seemed. I never expected to go travel over a dam on an access road inches wider than my trailer, or on a "Dirt" back road that was half thawed. The real mud bogging had begun and the sickle bar was uncomfortably hanging off on the side of the trailer. I got out on the side of the road and removed all the bolts needed to lay the sickle bar down and finished the "quick" route back to the interstate for the last 110 miles back to our house.

Overall a 244 mile trip with my 2004 F-250 Super Duty with 6.0 Turbo Diesel. The longest trip that truck and trailer have ever undertaken together. I was glad to be back alive, but I'm convinced that a GPS will try to kill you if it can. Our trailer is still covered in back road mud.

kthompson · Mar 5, 2018

Welcome to TBN. On Decals, if you can get pictures of what the decals look like you may find a sign person that can make them for you. I have a friend who makes all kind and have used them on mail boxes, post and signs.