A Man and His Farmall Tractor

July 20, 2011

I’ve told you before about my friend, Ben, and his love for restoring Farmall tractors. Ben, is only 17, and he has already restored TWO tractors!

He sent me some pictures of the Bridgewater Lawn Party Show and Parade that he and his sister took part in. Enjoy Ben’s narration of how God met many of his needs the day of the parade:

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The trailer we used was owned by a gentleman in Bridgewater who was trusting enough to let us borrow his twin-axle. We were able to hitch the trailer with its half-ton load to our SUV. The owner had customized the trailer so that we could easily load the tractors without a fear of tipping the trailer backwards. He also home-made ramps for convenience.

As the tractor owner, also mechanic, I was touching up paint and adjusting engines all week before the show. The 1945 A nearly missed the show due to a stall during a trial run on Thursday, but once again the LORD provided a solution through an experienced mechanic. Four new spark plugs later, not only the tractor was purring happily; I also found myself ecstatic that the A would be able to attend the show.

Saturday was show day, and we prepared to load the tractors onto the trailer. I planned to take my first restoration, a 1948 Super A, and then return for the ’45 A. We pushed the Super A out of the garage, but the starter motor gear jammed. After a quick repair, I tried the starter again. For some reason, the starter was not registering voltage, so the starter motor wouldn’t turn. Time was draining, so we loaded the ’45 A first, which always starts dependably, and trucked down the road to the show.

This picture shows the crowd’s response to my Pneumatic Lift-All. Those who know Farmall tractors knew that the Lift-All is a very rare piece, and I got quite a few second looks from those who had “seen it all.” In the picture, the two next to the green and red Oliver 77 are studying the lift, while the trio in front are contemplating my signs. Anna reported that many heads were craned all over my ’45 A trying to decipher the mysteries of the Lift-All’s operation.

When we returned for load #2, I was prepared to either dig out my old starter or apply live voltage to my current starter. Half skeptically, I tried to start the tractor again; the LORD is a much great mechanic that I am, since the tractor caught and ran better than normal. The tractor arrived at the show without too much excitement.

Here are the two tractors parked in a row with the two happy drivers perched on the seats. Each of us drove the tractor we were sitting on in the parade. Anna piloted the ’48 Super A, and I drove the ’45 A.

While we were at the show, many tractor owners ran their machines up and down the road systems of the fair. Considering that there was too much John Deere green and not enough Farmall red, I decided to join the fun and drive the ’45 A through the park.

After we returned to my parking spaces, Anna and I posed in front of the two tractors. I have the pleasure of calling your attention to the signs hanging on the front axles; although you can’t see much detail in the picture, they were tastefully designed by my talented sister, Anna. I may be biased, but I personally know that Anna’s signs were the most attractive of all the signs in the show.

 It was 5 o’clock sharp when we received notice from the roaring of other engines that the parade was lining up. With my heart in my throat, I tried to start the Super A. The starter once again refused to work. Thankfully, I had stuffed the tractor’s toolbox with an assorted jumble of tools, and we pulled the starter off for inspection. Obviously, my inspection accomplished nothing since the starter still remained silent. Saying a prayer again, I tried the starter once more and the tractor began to run. After that stressful moment, I was happy to relinquish the driver’s seat to Anna. She was the best tractor driver of the show. You may have already noticed that she was appropriately dressed with a Farmall hat and shirt; she not only looked the part of a tractor pilot, but acted one too!

The ’45 A dependably started, and we managed to get in line for the parade. The parade contained about 150 tractors and steam engines. It was stop and go until we made it out of the show grounds. We finally arrived upon the main road and proceeded through the residential area of Bridgewater. The residential area was not very crowded with spectators. About a mile into the parade, we turned a corner and found the entire parade was standing still. I haven’t discovered what caused the pause, perhaps the antique car parade, but it lasted twenty minutes. I got off and talked with a few other tractor owners; however, it was my turn to be surprised when a group of Farmall owners asked about my Lift-All. I gave a live demonstration and had to repeat it again for another group.

The whole pause lasted twenty minutes. Whatever congested the line thinned out, and the procession recommenced only to grind to a halt again a few feet later. I saw the problem this time; a John Deere two cylinder stalled and wouldn’t restart. I will not comment excessively upon this occurrence; however, I do feel that it is necessary for me to mention that green and yellow tractors consistently exhibit problems like these.

We slowly arrived on Main Street, Bridgewater, and found the crowd was lined three deep down the street. The highlight of the parade was finding my parents with cameras flashing.  Anna is in the lead, and I am waving at a little tractor fan on the sidelines.

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I’m so glad Ben shared this with us! This is a young man that has learned so much about mechanics, tractors and restoration. At 17, he is using his time wisely, that’s a rare thing these days! Wonder what he’ll do next!

As I said earlier this year,

“I hear he has started on a second tractor. In 20 years I don’t think you’ll find this man sitting on a couch vegging out on TV and games for hours on end! He’ll be the one you’ll call to fix your tractor, or truck, or lawn mower… He’ll be the one getting things done, taking good care of a family, running a business and leading a church.”

Are you giving your sons what they need to ‘man up’?

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