Yes, the new tractor project lives. In the last entry I mentioned that the carburetor was not installed when I purchased the tractor. Not knowing its condition, I proceeded to take it apart. It was clean inside but some bits were not tight, so I just put the thing back together and tightened up anything that was loose, then installed it on the tractor. I didn't feel comfortable putting gas in the tank yet since it hadn't been cleaned, so I just squirted some gas into the carb inlet, hooked up a battery, and let 'er rip. Here's a video of the process:
The video says it's a 1956, but I've concluded it is a 1955.
After getting the tractor running, I set about to clean up the wiring, as it was in sad shape (as most old tractors are). Before realizing the tractor is 6-volt positive-ground, I messed around with the voltage regulator to put out 12 volts so my battery could get charged. I'll need to change it back to the 6-volt configuration when I ever get a proper 6-volt battery.
In the process of accessing the wiring, I took the dash loose from the tractor. In the process, I noticed the sheet metal where the throttle lever bolts to the dash was broken out, so that the throttle lever felt mushy. I welded it up with the MIG welder.
The starter pushbutton was broken, so I looked online for a replacement. I didn't want to pay 40 or 50 dollars for one, so I thought why not try to fix this one.
My first try at fixing the switch ended badly. I used epoxy. Let me rephrase. I used too much epoxy. After it set up overnight, I tried pushing the button and it didn't budge. Hmm. And I noticed a drop formed on the outside of the housing. Yep, too much. I was able to pry things apart, cleaned out all the excess glue and then I used superglue to hold the main guts into the housing, then applied epoxy around the outside edge very sparingly to help hold things in place. It seems to be holding up well. We'll see how long it lasts.
A somewhat major issue still needing help is the 3-point hitch. When the tractor runs, the hitch goes up, irrespective of where the position control lever is. And the hitch slowly drifts down when the tractor is turned off. It is supposed to stay in one spot. The internal cylinder seals are probably shot. That's not a trivial job.
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