I picked up another SMD today, Stage II, live hydraulics, factory IH accessory hydraulic hitch with the "Stockton" tag still attached, wide front, and power steering. It isn't anywhere near as clean as the other one, but after you look at it, mostly cleanup & paint, and undoing a few examples of "field engineering" LOL. It was starting to look like a parts tractor at first, hadn't been started since August, up against the fence, no radiator cap, flat rear tire, and was priced pretty cheap. The old guy insisted it ran really well, he was a ferrier ("I ain't no mechanic, never claimed to be") and had used it to disc up the horse pasture for his grandkid's horses, and picked up a Ford 600 as he couldn't climb up on the SMD any more. So I haul some gas and a battery down there, trace down the somewhat modified wiring, check the points, and bump the starter- free as a bird. Put a little fresh gas in it, turns over twice and starts on gas, a little smoky at first but cleans right up at the switchover, and runs really sweet- pegs the oil pressure guage, temp good, fuel pressure good, had antifreeze in it, and the oil's clean, no water or metal in it. Hydraulics & steering, clutch, disc brakes, everything works great, just a couple minor leaks, and the tire held air- valve stem's leaking- some parts tractor. Cost me the princely sum of $1000- the old guy and his granddaughter/assistant were so sweet I couldn't bear to try and beat him down on it
And I beat the scrappers to it...
And I beat the scrappers to it...
