1956 RJ-35 Resto

[WHX?? 55,182]

A project long time coming. First you must endure a little history. 

 

My main man @Rp.wh scored this bounty quite a few years ago now and I (may) have since taken custody. He's pretty much worthless  but has this uncanny knack for finding desirable tractors so we keep him around. 

 

Since Ryan came from her fruit of the looms  Cindaaddyy assumed illegal ownership and pyrated it as her tractor.  Yah guess who gets to rehab it tho.

 

Although I had several lucrative offers for it including @Shynon flashing obscene amounts of cash. Since it was so called "marital property" I would just sell my half. I did not cherish the thought of bringing it back to life given the amount of labor  & pieces of eight it would take just for a show piece.

 

That did not go over well  so after threats with the frying pan AND rolling pin would she not let me sell it so buried back in the corner of the warehouse it went... until now ... after threats of a lashing with the cat-o-nine tails and walking the plank it came in the shop.

 

I been into pirate things lately can you tell?? I have no idea why ... too many episodes of Black Sails me thinks ... but can't wait for @rmaynard 's talk like a Pirate day... 

 

Nearest we can figure is it started out life as cable steer.

For those not knowing early RJs were built with a cable and spool steering of sorts similar to a short chute snow blower and vintage steam engines that used a chain type steering system. 

The Ponds quickly realized that there was a better mousetrap and offered a drag link type of steering  as a dealer fix for the  troublesome cable. This one was converted. 

There are threads here where guys contemplated, or accomplished,  converting back to a cable steer for factory for as factory purposes. 

 

This one sat evidently out side for many years and the front end was brown welded solid as well as the cast AL steering wheel wobbled out. I managed to free it up and bush the steering for ease in moving stalls over the years. 

 

The before pics. She was highly POed but mostly there. The hood & gas tank was lifted on wood blocks and the hood cut. That will not get repaired as this is a mechanical resto. Adds character is my only offer. 

 

Ok 'nuff sitting around in my knickers typeing ... time to get to the shop get the TV out there fired up... 

Lordy it's great to be retired ...

Edited January 2, 2025 by WHX??

[rmaynard 16,884]

@WHX?? Said: "but can't wait for @rmaynard 's talk like a Pirate day... "

 

Plenty of time to practice. Next episode is September 19th...matey.

[SylvanLakeWH 30,629]

[Shynon 7,543]

2 hours ago, WHX?? said:

time to get to the shop get the TV out there fired up.

Oh it's nap time, where's my shop recliner

[bassJAM 94]

OMG you kicked off some nostalgia!!

 

Growing up in the 80's Dad had some type of old garden tractor that didn't run in our side yard.  I spent countless hours sitting on that thing pretending to drive it, messing with the pulleys and levers and tugging on the rope start!!!  We moved away in 94 and the tractor stayed with the house.  Dad can't remember what type of tractor it was, other than it ran in the late 70's and he tells a story of Mom sitting on the hood while they were pulling something to keep the front wheels on the ground!

 

As soon as I opened up your thread I got that exciting kid feeling in my chest.  I spent the next 30 minutes looking at google images and watching youtube video's to confirm that Dad's little tractor was some sort of rj35 variant.  So thank you for the memories!

[rjg854 12,859]

You say it sat outside, that sheet metal looks mighty nice 👍 if that's the case. Where has the hood been cut? The only thing that jumped out at me was around the steering shaft 

[WHX?? 55,182]

On 1/2/2025 at 4:50 PM, rjg854 said:

 around the steering shaft 

Luckily that's all Randy .. also a nice sized dent right in the front. 

 

On 1/2/2025 at 3:55 PM, bassJAM said:

So thank you for the memories!

Your more than Jam ... 

 

I haven't had time to work on it lately between honey do, those stupid 702s and teaching that recliner a lesson... 

Edited January 6, 2025 by WHX??

[Achto 31,100]

 

 

Edited January 22, 2025 by Achto

[Shynon 7,543]

[WHX?? 55,182]

Finally felt well enough to work on it today. PTO was coming off come hell or high water. 

@Shynon says the reverse drive friction wheel was made out of brass and we wondered if early ones weren't made of rubber this one was. 

 

Finished taking the motor apart. and on the hunt for parts. 

 

Guy's gotta wonder if these were old school snowmobile bogie wheels & used by the Ponds. Sure do look like them. 

 

Edited February 11, 2025 by WHX??

[953 nut 64,255]

13 hours ago, WHX?? said:

Shynon says the reverse drive friction wheel was made out of brass and we wondered if early ones weren't made of rubber this one was. 

I know the Baird Beaver predated the Wheel Horse and used a rubber friction wheel for reversing. Could be someone replaced the Wheel Horse one.   

[Pullstart 68,928]

You need any good reference pictures (other than cable steer stuff) I’ll climb the ladder, walk the plank, whatever you need cap’m!

[WHX?? 55,182]

On 2/11/2025 at 8:24 AM, 953 nut said:

Could be someone replaced the Wheel Horse one

Very possible ... Tom says the brass ones made a heck of grinding noise when you slap it in reverse. 

[WHX?? 55,182]

Slowly but surely getting at this. Motor is being real fun since parts are hard to find. Magneto coil was toast so it seemed a Briggs one would work with some slight mods. Fit the laminations pretty well but not much room to route the spark plug lead.

 

Front end apart for deep cleaning and paint rims. Sure is different working on three piece rims. 

[SylvanLakeWH 30,629]

I forget now... was this started before or after The Colossus??? 
 

 

Perhaps @ebinmaine can recall?

[ebinmaine 77,495]

Just now, SylvanLakeWH said:

I forget now... was this started before or after The Colossus??? 
 

 

Perhaps @ebinmaine can recall?

 

Oh... Jim is  WAAAY ahead.  

[WHX?? 55,182]

Was hoping nobody would would mention the molasses thing! Need to have a throw down with KP @kpinnc and his 701 project see who gets done first. 

[kpinnc 17,256]

13 hours ago, WHX?? said:

Need to have a throw down with KP @kpinnc and his 701 project see who gets done first. 

 

Oh Lawd no he didn't! 

 

Not gonna lie- the 701 just needs the hood, fenders, and beltguard finished and painted. And the fuel pump rebuilt. I've been a bit scared of painting it since I had so much trouble with the V14 paint job. I know I'm gonna have to get another spray gun and practice. And I'm NOT good with sheetmetal repair. 

 

I should be able to get back on it in a couple weeks. 

 

...Maybe. 

[Easton Rich 1,029]

22 minutes ago, kpinnc said:

Maybe. 

That really means 2 or 3 years

[kpinnc 17,256]

Just now, Easton Rich said:

That really means 2 or 3 years

 

Hope not... but maybe. 

 

 

[Easton Rich 1,029]

I’ll get around to finish making those dash plates if you still need one.

[kpinnc 17,256]

35 minutes ago, Easton Rich said:

I’ll get around to finish making those dash plates if you still need one.

 

Heck yeah! Gonna put one behind that flimsy plastic plate on the 701. No rush  of course. 

[Easton Rich 1,029]

I better get on it then!

[Retired Wrencher 6,471]

On 1/2/2025 at 10:53 AM, WHX?? said:

A project long time coming. First you must endure a little history. 

 

My main man @Rp.wh scored this bounty quite a few years ago now and I (may) have since taken custody. He's pretty much worthless  but has this uncanny knack for finding desirable tractors so we keep him around. 

 

Since Ryan came from her fruit of the looms  Cindaaddyy assumed illegal ownership and pyrated it as her tractor.  Yah guess who gets to rehab it tho.

 

Although I had several lucrative offers for it including @Shynon flashing obscene amounts of cash. Since it was so called "marital property" I would just sell my half. I did not cherish the thought of bringing it back to life given the amount of labor  & pieces of eight it would take just for a show piece.

 

That did not go over well  so after threats with the frying pan AND rolling pin would she not let me sell it so buried back in the corner of the warehouse it went... until now ... after threats of a lashing with the cat-o-nine tails and walking the plank it came in the shop.

 

I been into pirate things lately can you tell?? I have no idea why ... too many episodes of Black Sails me thinks ... but can't wait for @rmaynard 's talk like a Pirate day... 

 

Nearest we can figure is it started out life as cable steer.

For those not knowing early RJs were built with a cable and spool steering of sorts similar to a short chute snow blower and vintage steam engines that used a chain type steering system. 

The Ponds quickly realized that there was a better mousetrap and offered a drag link type of steering  as a dealer fix for the  troublesome cable. This one was converted. 

There are threads here where guys contemplated, or accomplished,  converting back to a cable steer for factory for as factory purposes. 

 

This one sat evidently out side for many years and the front end was brown welded solid as well as the cast AL steering wheel wobbled out. I managed to free it up and bush the steering for ease in moving stalls over the years. 

 

The before pics. She was highly POed but mostly there. The hood & gas tank was lifted on wood blocks and the hood cut. That will not get repaired as this is a mechanical resto. Adds character is my only offer. 

 

Ok 'nuff sitting around in my knickers typeing ... time to get to the shop get the TV out there fired up... 

Lordy it's great to be retired ...

Lordy it's great to be retired :::::: I can’t agree more. So much time on our hands. This means take our time to just enjoy the project.