The Doe

[BearCreek Majors]

OK so I figured it’s about time I officially start a thread for the Doe.
So of the four tractors I brought home a few weeks ago I will use the two units with the nearly identical serial numbers, the pile O parts, and the unit with the loader that I now have running.






Tonight I stuck the original tombstone and front ax back under the pile o parts, rear wheels and after some pushing and tugging got the rearend to turn. I have it in the shop but only to get it out of the rain and the rear lid on it. Off to the barn it will go till there is snow on the ground
The tombstone is perfect for a Doe as it’s already broken where the axle pin goes.

[county654]

Good decision Pat,

I will sit right up front, popcorn and a beer right next to me, to watch the show

[Kiwi Kev]

Good decision Pat,

I will sit right up front, popcorn and a beer right next to me, to watch the show

Yep, just moved the recliner up to the computer to follow this thread.
We will all be with you in spirit willing you on.
Don't forget to look after granny on this project. ( Just show her some more adds of Doe's for sale, to remind her of your life insurance )
Standing by
Kiwi Kev

[ford5000y]

Sorry for not being "noisy" for some time, I am busy making our project in school and I have finished it,just.

Looking at all those pictures makes me wonder, how many more fordsons were abandoned out there, most of them has features worth drooling about.

Also, looking at those pics makes me envious... again

Another tip:if your tractor is broken but your unsure if you can repair it, don't open it to fix it, especially if you're going to open it in a wide open space!

[BearCreek Majors]

I had to get the back half of the Doe ready for winter, it was 27°F when I left for work this morn and this tractor still has straight water in it! I got it out of the barn this evening and took the finish mower off, she has been working fairly well for the last few months mowing the grass once in a while. Took it over to the shop and proceeded to drain the block and the radiator, and noticed the distinct smell of mouse piss. I then pulled the thermostat and found a lot of …..stuff in it. So I back flushed everything out real good, had some chunks of …..stuff come out, and eventually got it to drain out clean and clear. Got some antifreeze in her and now she should be happy all winter.

Pat

[ford5000y]

Took it over to the shop and proceeded to drain the block and the radiator, and noticed the distinct smell of mouse piss. I then pulled the thermostat and found a lot of …..stuff in it. So I back flushed everything out real good, had some chunks of …..stuff come out]

Probably that's the former owner's attempt to make an "organic antifreeze"

Good tractor, though, again I'm getting envious!!!!

[BearCreek Majors]

There was no radiator cap on it when I brought it home, those little bastards will get in anywhere. I was in the barn looking for some pipe fittings later last night and found a 1 1/2" elbow packed full of corn.

Pat

[super6954]

Hi Pat
Nice looking tractor , Personally I think this should be called the 6cyl turbo discussion . she would look nice a foot longer and with a chrome pipe up the side of the hood. would be a quicker project off your list to .
knowing how you work when you get going started Wednesday, running Saturday and painted/ in the tractor shed done on Monday .

On the subject of Mice , they are starting the winter migration into the house here . Had one in the basement last week.
It was either hungry or suicidal . saw it put the trap down with peanut butter on. then stood and watched the mouse go right in the trap, and get a sore neck .

Did you ever here more from the guy thinking of wrecking that other tractor by any chance while I think of it.
Regards Robert

[BearCreek Majors]

Hey Robert, You’re going to get me into trouble talking like that! I really need to get the County Super Six done before I dig into any other projects.

I did talk to the guy with the tractor but his prices were a little to steep even for me, he wanted $400 for the set of front wheels and I’d still have to pay the shipping on them. He did tell me that there was no three point on it but there may be other parts that you need, I’ll PM you his contact info shortly.

Pat

[BearCreek Majors]

OK, its been a long busy summer but I am getting caught up on a few things.
We had a little bit of a setback on the Doe project, the rear half has been my good utility tractor for the last few years doing everything from mowing grass to skidding logs from the woods. but just two days before Marcs wedding I was mowing grass with it running along fine, full throttle and under load, no knocks, rattles or tics, and the poor thing just up and trashed itself. it merely crunched a few times and it was done, before I could shut it down it was already blowing antifreeze out the stack. As far as I can tell it dropped the head off the valve, and it ruined the majority of the engine, broke the piston, sleeve, head and the block. Needless to say we had a wedding and a funeral at the same time and I was quite an ornery prick for a while.
As bad as it is , its probably a blessing in disguise as i will use the other running Super Major that came with this lot of tractors, and just use the engine from the one that was slated to go up front to replace the wrecked one that was to be the rear tractor...... In other words I will be using two running tractors rather than one running and one that needed a LOT of work.

Pat

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOn1R5yqg4A

[oehrick]

Oh C@*p Pat what a bummer Its made a mess of that block, still thats the risk of using and enjoying them over bulling up and keeping stuffed & mounted.

Cut the serial number out (are they on the starter flange on the Supers ??) mill it into a round ended key shape and then mill a keyway through the one on the replacement block to suit and let it in and pound some cast iron swarf to dust and either mix with loctite (or some sal ammoniac for a rust joint) and it'll wirebrush up near invisibly (pssst if you don't tell anyone I won't)

So anyhow, will Granny or you be riding the front unit ??

Had you seen the chap over here who had boosted his Doealike ?? put another one behind the back unit, some people need help.

Hope you can get over the problem, will the 3 wheeler manage as your yard tractor now ??

What about the Peeters Rowcrop ?? upside you only need two wheels, downside you need 4 skid units to stick either side of them

OK I'll get me coat

[Brian]

You mean a bit like this Rick? Sorry about the colour, they are powered by Perkins 6.354s.





Pictures from Barry and Dawn, FTCofA.

[Bensdexta]

.... As far as I can tell it dropped the head off the valve, and it ruined the majority of the engine, broke the piston, sleeve, head and the block. .....

Pat,
Sorry about your set back.

Guess it's a risk we all run with our oldies.

What would cause a valve to drop its head like that

[BearCreek Majors]

You guys are correct, it is a chance we take running these old girls, but to me they aren't worth having if they are parked inside and never used.

Rick, it almost sound like you know what your doing when a serial # needs to be changed

I'm thinking I'll be teaching granny how to run the Doe from the rear tractor!

And yes I did see a few pic's of the "triple major Doe", interesting but not quite what I am interested in.....however, now that my original plan has somewhat changed I have been daydreaming about a Doe with 6 cylinders front and rear!


Ben, as far as the valve head falling off, I'm not 100% sure this is what happened, but I feel I'm about 99% correct. I expected to find rust pits in the stem as this unit had been sitting outside for several years but the stem looked fine. I do believe I read something once about Ford having a metallurgy issue with some of the valves in the Super Majors.

Pat

[oehrick]

I was meaning like the Listowell & Ballybunion steam monorail in Ireland Brian, which had a boiler either side of the rail - of course Pat would need a huge inertia flywheel to keep it upright and a couple of fold down legs for parking.

I've just bought a couple of secondhand back tyres off ebay (hope my delight continues after I see 'em) so with three more major's I could try one myself, other than I do a bit of beltwork with the bench and that would upset the dynamics.

Pat I suppose there's no reason against having a seat on the front unit, if you fitted a dummy steering wheel as well you could run driving days for old folk who are no longer able to handle a tractor but would pay to think they were - it would give Granny a hobby away from the kitchen and the 'crowd funding' could pay for the next project - BTW I think V8 would be nicer than straight 6 - how close / far a fit is a Pilot lump ? and with gas at 50 cents a gallon