Found a Cub Under a Pile of Stuff

[Iplayfarmer]

I bought an auction lot a few weeks back. It was "everything under the loft area" in a large workshop on a farm. There was all kinds of stuff in that pile, and underneath everything were two tractors. One is a Farmall A that is in pieces. I think I have most of the pieces spread out in various boxes that I brought home from the auction. The other is a Farmall Cub that looks to be mostly complete. As near as I can tell all I'm missing is the muffler and the carburetor, and I think I have the carburetor in one of the boxes of parts that was included in the pile of stuff.

I'm planning to just part out the A, but I'd like to get the little cub running. I've always thought it would be fun to have a cub. I have a very small place (~1 acre), and a cub seems like it would fit in nicely. As with any project I do, I'll likely need help, encouragement, and advice as I go through the process of resurrecting this old tractor.

The cub is serial number 547. If I have things figured out right that makes it the 47th cub ever built. That also makes it 70 years old this year.

I've included a few pictures below of the cub on the trailer when I brought it home. I also have a picture of the serial number plate taken by flashlight last night. I'm open to any corrections if someone can tell me that there are two more digits somewhere before that serial number that I don't see.

 

[Thomas]

Good find on 547 Cub :thumbsup: ...heck of winter project.

 

[stuckmotor]

Nice find. Does the cub have a hydraulic lift?

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Nice find. Does the cub have a hydraulic lift?

Yes. I have no idea if it works or not, but the pump is there and the little rocker arm that raises and lowers.

 

[Spanner]

No, no... You don't want to keep those cheap Chinese-made imitation 'old' tractor things.
I'll dispose of them for you in a jiffy!

 

[stuckmotor]

Yes. I have no idea if it works or not, but the pump is there and the little rocker arm that raises and lowers.

The hydraulic lift is a big plus in my book.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I did a little tinkering this weekend and found out that the engine is seized on the cub. That may change the calculation. I may fix up the A first. I still haven't decided. I think ultimately I'd rather have the cub, but half the work is done on the A since it's already torn down.

It's nice to know that I'm not committed to anything yet. I can do it however I want.

 

[fried1765]

I did a little tinkering this weekend and found out that the engine is seized on the cub. That may change the calculation. I may fix up the A first. I still haven't decided. I think ultimately I'd rather have the cub, but half the work is done on the A since it's already torn down.

It's nice to know that I'm not committed to anything yet. I can do it however I want.

Get yourself a quart of "Kroil", and pour it in the the cylinders of your frozen engine.
If you cannot find Kroil, a cheap substitute is ..... ATF mixed with laquer thinner... 50/50.
Kroil is amazing stuff, and is used by aviation museums to free up frozen parts.

 

[rjok]

Another good source of information can be found at Farmall Cub .com
Rick

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Get yourself a quart of "Kroil", and pour it in the the cylinders of your frozen engine.
If you cannot find Kroil, a cheap substitute is ..... ATF mixed with laquer thinner... 50/50.
Kroil is amazing stuff, and is used by aviation museums to free up frozen parts.

I'll have to find the Kroil stuff somewhere. Right now there's about 3 tablespoons or so of ATF in each cylinder. I dumped some in there before the test just in case it started to turn so that there'd be some level of lubrication for the pistons that I hoped would move. I may have a can of lacquer thinner in the cupboard somewhere. I guess it wouldn't hurt to mix up some magic potion and pour it down the cylinders. I won't make it worse.