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I have been ask to show a few pictures of the machines myself, and my friends collect. Here is a Caterpillar D6E , and the rig I use to haul the over 20000lbs and larger machines. I will be posting more as I am ask. Thanks for the interests in the larger antique machines. Buddy

3 days at the Big Show with friends is the main thing I'm looking forward to...

As I read about our friend Glen Pettit and his recovery from a stroke, I am compelled to fill you in on my recent personal health scare. Back in February, I was awakened by a dull pain in my left side. As time went on it got worse, and having had kidney stones before, I knew what was happening. I ended up in the ER and a CT scan revealed several stones in my left kidney and ureter. Over the next several months, I underwent several procedures that involved long tubes, cameras, lasers and...well I won't go into all the details. Having recovered from this incident, my urologist put me on a medication that interacted with one of my blood pressure medications and I had a brief but scary A-Fib attack. I stopped taking that medication and seemed to be okay. Then on May 8, I woke up to another A-Fib attack. This one was different. My heartbeat was so irregular that I couldn't even take my pulse. My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of my chest. Woke the wife and off to the ER we went. Where I live it is only 5 minutes to the hospital. Waiting for EMS would have taken three times as long. So I was immediately seen and treated as if I was having a heart attack. They loaded me up with drugs and six hours later I was back in normal sinus rhythm. Cardiologist released me but put me on Eliquis (blood thinner that costs $500/mo.) and Cardizem. Yesterday I had a nuclear stress test but have not gotten the results back. So, the bottom line is A-Fib is dangerous. Uncontrolled you are very likely to have a stroke, and seeing what our good friend Glen and others have been through, I am grateful that I am not a victim. As the title of this post says, "You Never Know What's In Store For You".

The kids are stoked! It is the last day of school... We have great weather today and so we took in the GTO. For any of you guys that have kids in the home still, summer vacation feels as good for the parents as it does for the kids. Wow, we had a busy year this year! The purpose of the thread is to see what you guys have planned for the summer. Maybe it is a lot of camping, certainly tractor shows, perhaps a vacation??? I was asked to officiate a wedding of one of my former youth group kids in South Carolina in August. Kelli and I are going to make it into a week long get away and are hoping to rent a car and drive the coast down to Savanna and spend a couple of days there. I’m also hoping to get the kids on a vacation in July to Tennessee, that is where my moms extended family lives. If the bike shop will get my motorcycle done, I have promised my daughter Claudia that I would take he on a long weekend road trip up the great river road on the west side of Wisconsin. In between, I guess I have to work some and finish a few key projects around the house (new roof and deck). What about you guys?

What’s a vacation like?

Thank you for letting me in this group my name is cory,I live in central Wisconsin, Marquette co. It didn't take very long for this group to be of great help to me, a guy that goes by 853 nut found me a set of blades I have been searching 2 weeks for only he found them in 5 min lol. I currently own a 854 a commando 8 and a raider 12. They are all some of my dearest friends....wis I had 20 more lol anyways thanks again for the help!!

About 3yrs ago I acquired a rather sorry '75 Raider 10. A none runner but complete. I got it going but it only ran briefly before stopping and refused to restart. After the usual spark and fuel test, and having no cover on the flywheel I tried to turn it over by hand. Turned one way but locked up the other. Off with the head and the piston was at the top of the bore. Pressed down on the piston and down it went with no resistance. Yes, you've guessed it, broken rod. On stripping the engine I found the sump had quite a lot of sludge in it. When the oil was last change is anyone's guess. So most likely that was why the rod broke. Anyway, the engine has been sitting completely stripped on a shelf and the rest of the tractor stripped and in a heap in a corner. This morning I thought it was about time I did something about the engine. The crankshaft has been checked and is fine. So is the bore. So I did the valves and started cleaning up other parts. Finally the turn of the head. The gasket was still attached and had to be pried off with a scraper. No wonder really, as it was stuck to the head with SILICONE. So out with a piece of plate glass and sheet of 180 grit. The first photo shows the start of fattening the head. The second after about 2hrs. I did bit more after the last photo' and it looks a bit better. There's still a bad patch at the bottom between the two bolts holes, but most of the rest is mainly clear. I'll finish it of tomorrow and order rod, rings, seals and gaskets next week.

I took IRV and my first born out if the barn and took em’ for a ride ! Of course not at the same time . We are in a dry spell as usual here will no rain so cruising is all l can do for now !!!!

Fired up the 1976 C-160 and pulled her into the shop for a hydro service and quick wipe down. She still had the snow thrower attached. It was nice to put that away. This is the WH that it all started with about 15 years ago.

Do you have any pulleys and some rope?

Any big plans..... Stay outta jail?!!

Keep sanding Norm... you'll have her at 12:1 in no time! Hopefully this motor has ACR!

It’s like a trip to Florida!

Sorry I can't like this thread Proff... we have seen some unretrievalable horses in the dump in the past and it sickens me. Only saving grace is what some grease monkeys like you and I were able to save. Let's just keep preying on the ingnorant and trying to save old or even new machinery from a landfill or worse the scrapper. Hate to tell you this buddy but maybe you should stalk her when the "new" one doesn't start either!

Another trip into CT on Tuesday has yielded some more parts. 1969 Charger 12 with a rebuilt K301, a good hydro pump for my GT-14. One more roached out deck to add to the pile. An 8 speed from a 414-8 and a 48" dozer blade. The junk gods are smiling down.

Thank you all for your help, I'll keep you guys posted. I love this forum.

Nice job and good show of determination and patience there Norm. just think. With all the metal you're removing. Maybe you'll get 11 horsepower???

These are great guys! Knowing you guys like I do, I figured that you would stay busy. Anyone willing to maintain and/or restore 30, 40, 50 year old GT’s has more ambition than most. Sometimes the mind even has more ambition than the body does! Another thing on my short list list is to refurbish JackRabbit with @Coulter Caleb this summer. I know that next summer he gets his license to drive and then things are likely to change some. JackRabbit is such a great little tractor that I want to be sure to get a fresh coat of paint on it before life gets too crazy for Caleb. I think he will be able to use this tractor as a primary worker when he gets his own place someday! Eric—sounds like you and Trina are hiking machines. I can’t wait to see the pics from some of those hikes when you take them. Please take me when you post them.... When I was a kid, we hung out annually in Missoula, MT with a pastor friend and his family. We got lots of opportunity to climb and hike around his place. One of the trails that we went on numerous times was this one. It was always fun in the spring because the snow melt runoff was so strong. Here Judge is quite impressed with the raging rapids. Even little Zach got into the action with the big dogs and was loving it until we were about 5 miles back in... Then Uncle Paul had to pick him up and carry him for awhile! This is the re-enactment of a picture that was taken of Paul and I back in about 1993 in this same spot! So cool to be there 25 years later and this time... with my own “tribe”! Moments like this cause me to reflect on how really blessed I am and how great this life is, even when I’m stressed about day to day struggles. Do we Stertz’s like hiking? We do. (Just don’t take enough time for it!)

If his son is as big as me...barreling around can ruin a horse.

Stick around with this group and you probably will have quite a herd of before you know it.

I also have a mid mount, but have never used it due to tractor issues. I cannot wait to do some grading though! It's one of the main reasons I purchased an HY-3 setup as well! Heres one of the main pictures I saved as inspiration for my 704 rebuild.

With only a few weeks to go I'm building a last minute small custom build. Because the show is all wheel horse. Photos to come soon maybe. I'm thinking a 522xi of the sort.

I just installed an LED light bar in the freshly painted hood of my 71 Raider. I have not tested the lights on the tractor, as I am going to give the paint another week to cure before I handle it anymore. I tested the light bar on my truck battery, and nearly blinded myself... It is amazing how much light you can get from 18 watts... Let me know what you think. Danny

I bought 5 horses back in Feb. and finally pick them up at the beginning of May, (long drive, 5 hrs each way and getting a trailer big enough for the haul) plus the time of year, you know how that works. A Raider 10, Raider 12, 953, 653 and 654. Four of the five kick over on starter fluid, the Raider 12 is a no spark right now. As round hoods go I have limited experience with them. Have a Lawn Ranger and Suburban 400. Any hoo, (excuse the ramble) started looking over the 653 and found the motor had been upgraded???? to 7 hp Kohler pull start with an auxiliary tank, lol. Now to the question...... finally....... Is the push button on the points cover what I think it is, "a kIll button" for the engine? Have never seen this before. I haven't taken the cover off yet, wanted to ask first incase there is something I need to watch out for. Thanks. Also sad that someone tried to hide it's true identity. Gonna setup for a better group shot later.

Seat

Here it is! I could not believe how heavy this thing is!! The snowblower alone seems to weigh as much as a 300 series! The tractor starts and drives pretty good. I think the choke cable isn't set right but man, it moves.... Rear tires are loaded, and I'M FREAKING OUT!!!! I CAN"T BELIEVE I FINALLY HAVE A D200!!!!! I paid $1500 for the tractor, the blower, tiller, deck ( a little holey, bless it) and grader. I think that was a fair price for both of us, considering what I paid for the GT-14 I have. I have been watching this since last year (it was $1800 then) and was really tempted because it had all the attachments I would use. I just sold my grader blade and tiller because I didn't think I would need them when I move, but now I have this in the bank just in case.

Couple cool rides at the races tonight...

I'll post some pics tomorrow ...even if it shows a dumb a@@ move on my part...see if I can get SWMBO to be the photographer !!!! I can actually get the drive wheels on pavement so traction should be fine until I run out of chain LOL.... Mike B

I don't have an opinion on the tractor to use but some pics of the operation would be cool, good luck.

Yep,,,what Elcamino Jim said....... low gear...2 or 3rd gear,,,,,,,and its gonna be fun....LET IT EAT,!!!!!!!!! The BIG SHOW is in 3 weekss......come and have a ball. Jim....your coming/????

I would use the 8 speed in low range

Dad came to get Emory for a haircut today. Emory was dying to show him, but I still have a special something to add thanks to our very own Terry, @Vinylguy! More pics to come.

Doesn't do any harm to check all bolts etc every now and then. I bet there's a few doing that after reading this.

I had been rather undecided about my summer vacation, that sounds like a wonderful idea! See you there!

Well as you're all well aware Trina and I have very little idea about how to relax. Soooo our vacation in our sense of the word is working on things around the home instead of getting paid by somebody else to work someplace else. We do have some things planned. We do an annual trip the third week of June to Mount Blue State Park in weld Maine. That's where Trina and I and several members of our little Hiking Pack, as we call it, first came together four years ago. in July we will be headed up to the Owls Head transportation museum annual heavy truck and tractor show. In August we will be going up to the great North Maine Woods to get out as far from everybody and as far away from everything as we possibly can. Rough camping and living in the wilderness isn't for everybody but Trina and I and our hiking compadre and best friend that brings us, we all really love it. September will bring us down to North Berwick Maine for the meet and greet at Jim's place. @JCM In October we are very likely to take a trip down to Connecticut again to the fall meet and greet at Steve's. @stevebo And then there's whatever we can wedge in between all that...... We do have some pretty lofty hiking goals that we would like to try to attain.

Jack (son #2) will be home from New Jersey next week for several days. We haven't seen him since his wedding last year. Unfortunately his new wife had to stay home as she's expecting and Dr advised her not to fly. Were renting a condo at the beach and the other 2 sons, wives, grand kids will come down so we'll all have some time together.

Like Kevin said, the engine won't know what name is on the carb. as long as it is about the right size. has lots of new aftermarket carbs at reasonable prices.

@8ntruck keep looking they do come up on here for sale. You just have to keep looking. @pullstart In time my friend in time. I just wonder how much of it I can salvage? The blade Looks good on there, that patina somewhat fits right in!

Welcome @Nathan! I recently tossed a Kohler carb on a Tecumseh and it runs pretty good!

Tank wet sanding has begun! I’ll need to re-cut the hole for the throttle cable too. I pulled the head off tonight and am concerned about the slop the piston has. I’ve got a running 12 horse Kohler but I have a feeling it won’t shoehorn into Frank’s engine bay very well.

I know exactly what you mean, if I hadn’t been in the right spot at the right time this one was destined for the scrapyard the very next day

Frank smokes. I thought it started clearing up, but maybe I was imagining things. I had a spare head gasket, so tonight I pulled the head to inspect things. The crosshatch is gone, it’s a nice smooth glaze. With the slop you can see in the video, how long does this mill have before it lets loose? If I keep it topped off and take it easy, are we good for a few months of Puttin’ around?

Few of ours (the 753 had only been washed - I actually started on it today):

Either one. I test all my Sundstrands and Eatons by chaining them to a tree and let them dig. The heaviest tractor with the best tires will be the best stump puller. You need traction. Do not get a running start. That's how frames get separated from the transmissions and skulls get cracked by flying rigging and stumps.

Naw I think he is making a diesel out of her!

My cardiologist has had me on Eliquis for several years.I guess it helps but I ended up bruising very easily.Just scratching a mosquito bite makes massive splotches.They had me on Tikosyn for years to control my A-fib and eventually it stopped working.The first dosage level made me so dizzy I could not walk a straight line.It took 3 months before I could get the dose lowered.What I wasn't told about Tikosyn was that you have to be admitted to a hospital for observation for 3 days and most pharmacies don't stock it.If you run out, you go back to the hospital for observation again.It ain't cheap either.I hope everyone heals up.

Impressive for sure. Imagine if you parked that rig in front of somebody's house and put some cones out and placed some flags in the ground and left it there for 2 days???

Incredibly that is a common occurrence around here with snowblowers. I have gotten more than 10 like that. People buy them, use them once or twice in winter , then just forget them. Then next winter, of course they don't start. Most don't have a way to take them somewhere to fix, if they do they charge about $150.00 just to look a it. That plus an average of about another $150.00 for the repairs along with the fact that they do not have the snowblower when they will need it, is the deciding factor. Buy another one and to the curb with the old one.

Got the decals and seat on. Here’s a before and after shot.😁