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[Toffy]

Hi Everybody
I just acquired a 1948 ? LEADER tractor powered by a Hercules 4 Cly. Gas engine.
The engine is not rebuildable and possibly not easy to find.
What I have is a Continental Red Seal Engine out of a Lincoln welder. My plan is to do a conversion.
What I need is some input of things that i will have to watch for. Adapting Flywheel and clutch housings to the engine etc.
I have a machine shop at my disposal however any help would be appreciated.
Also I would like to hear from anybody with Leader tractor.
Let the Fun Begin:thumbsup:

 

[easygo]

I can offer no info on the rebuilding. I met a collector who owns a Leader tractor. He said it was built in the 40's and is quite rare. What struck me was that the grill was SOLID cast iron. It was an interesting looking machine. Here is a picture.

 

[6011Artist]

Toffy, why do you say your engine is not rebuildable? I had an old timer tell me how to get a stuck engine unstuck, still running it today, never removed the head or pan.

So, what facts are you basing your engine not rebuildable. Block repair has come a long way.

 

[mjncad]

That's a neat picture EasyGo. I see the tractor was made in Chagrin Falls, Ohio; the same town Tim Conway's 'Ensign Charles Parker' in 'McHale's Navy' was from.

 

[CurlyDave]

Might want to check on its value as a collectable before doing major surgery.

 

[Toffy]

My engine is not only stuck it has major damage. In forty years of rebuilding engines I have never seen one this bad.
The tractor is very rare and worth something to a collector.
I just want the challenge of changing the engine and keeping it from the recycle bin.
I have another frame and clutch assembly. Will tear it down and see what I can do to adapt to the other engine. I have searched the net and there is nothing i could find on a Hercules Engine.
By the way besides the cast Iron grill they had no Water pump.
Water was circulated by convection only.

 

[studor]

I think Hough loaders had Hercules gas engines in them too -- might want to look in some old heavy equipment boneyards first. Hercules made a lot of engines for military applications during the war and were eventually bought by Hupp and then White. They used the same blocks etc for both diesel and gas like Perkins did. Look up Hercules Motors Corp rather than Hercules engines -- Hercules engines were only one cylinder.

 

[Coolnorth]

My engine is not only stuck it has major damage. In forty years of rebuilding engines I have never seen one this bad.
The tractor is very rare and worth something to a collector.
I just want the challenge of changing the engine and keeping it from the recycle bin.
I have another frame and clutch assembly. Will tear it down and see what I can do to adapt to the other engine. I have searched the net and there is nothing i could find on a Hercules Engine.
By the way besides the cast Iron grill they had no Water pump.
Water was circulated by convection only.

Hi Toffy,

That's very similar in respect to the no water pump Hercules engine that my Dad has in his 1940's Oliver Crawler HG 42 or HG 46 (can't recall model number) - the head has an odd shaped cast to it, where there is a riser toward the radiator on the head, causing the convection cycle to occur. Hercules were used a fair bit by Oliver. We also had an Oliver OC-3 when I was a kid, had a loader frame on it. Had a Herc 134 Cu. In. Would load up on the back of a 5/4 ton truck, backed on, bucket tucked right down tight to the deck. If I can help you with this, I do believe I have the Herc rebuild manual.

Regards,

 

[rmully]

Look in the classified under private party as there is a guy selling a Gibson that has a Hercules engine in it ..... He may be a great source for good information

 

[easygo]

That's a neat picture EasyGo.

Thank you mjncad.

Now that I read all the posts I remember that I have seen an old military issue welder/genset that also has a Hercules gas engine.