Ha! It LIVES!!!

Special thanks to Tom Bonnell.  Mom had called Tom for a phone number of someone who had offered to help me.  Not knowing the phone number we desired, Tom offered his help instead.

I am not sure when Tom left the farm for the business world, but the way he zipped around that tractor it must have been yesterday.  He went straight to the fuel system with a can of carb cleaner and had the valves loosened in minutes, all the while pointing out the little tips and tricks an experienced tractor owner takes for granted and a novice like me repeats over and over hoping it sticks.  We then hooked a tow strap up to his Subaru and pulled started the A.  That little all-wheel drive 4-banger went right down the field, no slippage.

Again, Thanks Tom!

Here is Mom taking it for a spin.

My son Zane getting his first drive...

 

and my daughter Audrey on her first turn.

Much to their mother and grandmother's disapproval both kids took a solo drive too.
Remember to look for it at the Northern Indiana Power from the Past show in Winamac starting this Thursday July 14.

The Winamac Power Show and Dad's 1937 Model A John Deere

The Winamac or Northern Indiana Power from the Past show is celebrating 34 years this year.  For most of those 34 years Dad has had a 1937 John Deere A.  My 2 brothers and I always wanted to put the tractor in the show, but many years we were on vacation that week.  Dad was always reluctant.  I never have figured out why.  He passed in '04 so unless he said something to mom...
My younger brother, Kole, and I put up the shed in the background in the fall of 2003.  Older brother, Kirk, was there for the tear down and clean up of the old shed.  I think we got the new one up before he was able to get back down here to help.  (Kole says that is why it went up so fast and square.) I think we finished late October, so Dad had 3 months to enjoy it.  I was planning on pushing him on the A that following year because now he had no excuses.  That sucker showed me.  Anyway, and I think I speak for Kirk and Kole here, those events increased my determination to get that tractor running and into the show.
I pulled the tractor out of the shed on Saturday night and went back yesterday (Sunday) to drain all of the fluids.  Here is the transmission fluid.

For added effect - here is the video:

Right now I am researching the best way to clean out that sludge.  Any ideas would be appreciated.