magazine

Steel Wheels
MAGAZINE
Issue 1
IHC Titan 10-20
www.steel-wheels.net
E-B show report
2012
Cub Junior restoration
Welcome to Steel Wheels magazine, a brand new publication devoted to veteran (pre‐1930s) tractors. If you would like to contribute an article then I would be very pleased to hear from you – you can email me at david@steel‐wheels.net If you have any corrections, comments or suggestions then please get in touch too, as I plan to include a feedback section in the next issue. Hope you enjoy the magazine! David Parfitt
Contents: Page David Parfitt 3 In Depth International Harvester Titan 10‐20 hp Rumely advertising – Part 1 “Rumely Reese” Groshong 9 21 David Parfitt 23 Union Tool Co. “Ideal” and “Sure Grip” David Parfitt 26 Kent McMakin 29 David Parfitt 32 David Parfitt 35 Oliver & Austin West 43 Saunderson restoration – Part 1 Geoff Parfitt 51 Photo Archive Images of early IHC tractors at work Tractor Trials Switzerland 1918 Orphans & Oddballs Out & About Featuring… Emerson‐Brantingham Massey‐Harris gathering in Devon Little Casterton Working Weekend In the Workshop Restoring a Wallis Cub Junior Cover photo: IHC friction‐drive tractor transporting wool bales in Queensland, Australia. [State Library of Queensland]
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In Focus International Harvester Titan 10-20hp
By David Parfitt More than 70,000 IHC Titan 10‐20 hp tractors were produced during an eight‐year production period, which explains why they are such a common sight on the show field today. To the casual observer, one Titan probably looks pretty much the same as another, but there were a number of subtle modifications made to the model over the years as IHC tried to improve on deficiencies in the original design. The International Harvester Company’s Titan 10‐20 hp tractor was introduced in 1915, with production based at IHC’s Milwaukee Works in the US state of Wisconsin. The tractor was fitted with a two‐cylinder horizontal engine of 6.5 inch bore and 8 inch stroke operating at a normal speed of 500 rpm, and running on petrol (gasoline) or paraffin (kerosene). The crankshaft throws were side by side, which provided a power stroke each revolution and gave the Titan its distinctive exhaust note. Two forward speeds and one reverse were provided, with exposed chain final drive. Thermosyphon cooling and force‐
feed lubrication via a Madison‐Kipp mechanical lubricator were employed. Serial no. Year No. built TV 101‐107 TV 108‐2353 TV 2354‐11397 TV 11398‐29072 TV 29073‐46306 TV 46307‐50235 TY 50236‐67810 TY 67811‐75539 TY 75540‐78464 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1920 1921 1922 8 2246 9044 17675 17234 3929 17575 7729 2925 Total 78365
Titan serial numbers were stamped on plates attached to the front of the crankcase and the inside of the left fender on the TV series and early TY series. In late 1920 (around serial no. TY 60000) the serial plate on the engine was phased out, with the number being stamped into the right‐hand side of the crankcase instead (in behind the flywheel/pulley), although the plate on the inside of the left fender was retained. 3
In Focus With only eight tractors built in the first year, Titan production did not really get going until 1916. Notable features on the very early Titans are the long gear lever, lack of towing “eye” on the vertical plate fixed to the front of the chassis, separate hot and cold air inlets on the mixer with no air‐cleaner, and high‐bar magneto (later replaced with a more compact K‐W Model TK). Nevertheless, the overall appearance of the tractor remained almost unchanged for the first three years of production. The very first Titans had a high‐bar magneto, longer gear lever than clutch lever, separate hot and cold air inlets to the mixer and no towing eye on the chassis. This example is TV 1680 built in 1916. (Photos: Reynolds‐
Alberta Museum) 4
In Focus The form of the Titan most familiar to British eyes. The majority of the 3200 or so Titans that came to the UK were imported between 1917 and 1919, and so featured the short narrow fenders. This tractor is TV 12560 built in 1918. Note the special “strakes” (flat pads) on the rear wheels and bands on the front wheels, which enabled the tractor to travel on the road. The close‐up below shows the K‐W Model TK magneto, Madison‐Kipp Model 50 lubricator, funnel‐style air cleaner and small reservoir from which the water feed is taken to the mixer. 5
In Focus In the first half of 1919 (somewhere around serial no. TV 33500) the Titan received its first significant change, with the introduction of full‐length mudguards/fenders (though still the same width) and a wooden operator’s platform. The seating position on the Titan places the driver up high out the back of the tractor with his/her feet dangling in mid‐air and the original foot rests do not seem to have been designed for normal human legs – the platform therefore made it a bit easier to climb onto the seat and also offered the option of standing up while driving. Towards the end of 1919 (some time before serial no. TV 42500) the fenders were changed again, this time by increasing the width. The bottom outside corners of these were still square, as on the previous design, but the front corners were now rounded off and there was a thick rib running down the edge of each fender. (These were similar in appearance to those fitted to the 10‐20 Titan’s bigger brother, the four‐cylinder Titan 15‐30 hp.) A larger steering wheel with rounded rim also appeared around this time. In early 1920 IHC gave the Titan design a major overhaul with the introduction of the TY series. The engine speed was increased from 500 to 575 rpm, the tractor was fitted with a smaller‐diameter ▲ Titan TV 38497 built in 1919 showing the long narrow fenders and pulley and the funnel‐style air‐
wooden driver’s platform. This beautifully restored tractor is owned by the cleaner filled with wool was Harris family and was photographed at the Yorkshire Vintage Association Rally at Newby Hall in 2011. It was imported into the UK several years ago, replaced with a water‐bath type and before that resided in a collection in Pennsylvania. similar to that fitted to the 8‐16 (Junior) tractor. Instead of the amount of hot/cold air being adjusted before entering the air‐cleaner, now only cold air passed through the air‐cleaner, while a separate vertical heater pipe circulated hot air from the exhaust into the air‐flow just before it entered the mixer body. 6
In Focus ▲ The final form of the Titan with the wide fenders, larger water tank, upward‐pointing exhaust and smaller pulley clearly visible. This tractor carries serial no. TY 78293 and was built near the end of production in 1922. For a brief period in mid‐1920 IHC seems to have experimented with directing the exhaust out of the top of the heater pipe. Changes were also afoot with the mixer, and around this time some tractors had a separate water bowl on the mixer to replace the primitive water valve used on earlier tractors. These modifications foreshadowed the introduction of a completely new fuel system in 1921 (around serial no. TY 68400?). Gone was the mixer, to be replaced by a brass Ensign Model JTW carburettor. A fuel compartment was added to the small water reservoir in the pipe that connected the water tank to the cylinders – both fuel and water were fed from here to the carburettor, which now had a separate water bowl. Cold air entered the carburettor direct from the air‐cleaner, while hot air came from the exhaust manifold, which was now situated on top of the cylinder heads. Other features of the later TY series Titans include a larger‐capacity water tank at the front of the tractor, and a pressed steel seat to replace the earlier cast one. 7
In Focus Two more views of Titan TY 78293, built in 1922. The brass Ensign Model JTW carburettor, with fuel bowl at the top and water bowl underneath, can be clearly seen, as can the connections to the combined fuel and water reservoir located just in front of the exhaust. The exhaust manifold is now located on top of the cylinder block with the exhaust pointing vertically upward. Notice also the large steering wheel with rounded rim. Titan wheels also deserve a special mention, or more specifically, what was attached to the outside of the wheel rims. On the majority of Titans the rear wheels were fitted with either small angle cleats the same width as the rim, or wider large angle cleats that extended beyond the rim, while the front wheel rims had angle iron “skid rings” fitted. However, most Titan tractors that were exported to the UK and Ireland (and also possibly New Zealand?) were different – they had flat metal bands on the front wheel rims and special cast metal pads or “strakes” riveted to the rear rims to allow them to be used on the road in those particular countries. Such strakes had already been used for many years on steam traction engines, and there was still room between them to allow extra lugs or cleats to be fitted if necessary. All text and images in this article © 2012 David Parfitt, unless otherwise stated. 8
In Focus RUMELY ADVERTISING
In the first of a two‐part series, “Rumely Reese” Groshong presents a short advertising history of the Rumely Products Company, which operated from 1912 to 1915. Meinrad and John Rumely formed M. & J. Rumely in 1853 as a foundry, and moved into threshing machines and corn shellers. In 1882 Meinrad bought out his brother John and incorporated M. Rumely. Soon they expanded into steam traction engines, plowing equipment and developed their first OilPull tractor in 1909. Following several acquisitions in 1911 and 1912 (Gaar‐Scott, Advance Thresher, Northwest Thresher, American‐Abell), the company was reorganized in September 1912 into M. Rumely as the manufacturing business and Rumely Products Company as the sales arm. From this point on Rumely started offering an ever larger array of products in addition to the steam traction engines, separators, plows and gas tractors that M. Rumely had offered. Among the products that Rumely advertised and sold were steam traction engines (two lines), threshing machines, gas tractors (two lines), stationary engines (three different lines), electric power plants, oil products, trucks, cream separators, plows, water and fuel wagons, power hoists, saw mills and more. Rumely Products either bought companies or entered into selling agreements. Some of the companies that Rumely entered into agreements with were Olds‐Seager (which became Rumely‐Olds engines), Falk engines (which became Rumely‐Falk engines), Northwest Tractor (whose “Universal” tractor became the “Gas‐
Pull”), Watts Sheller, and so on. They were also one of the most prodigious advertisers of the period, advertising in all the leading magazines and papers. The success and expansion did not last long, as in February 1915 Rumely Products Company went into receivership, and by October 1915 the companies were reorganized as Advance‐Rumely Thresher Company, combining the old M. Rumely and Rumely Products back into a single organization. [Email Reese at: [email protected]] © 2012 Reese Groshong
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Photo Archive A selection of photos of early International Harvester tractors from around the world: ▲ IHC friction‐drive on trial at Bourges, France. ▲ IHC Type C Mogul working with a binder on the Daniel farm near Emerald, Queensland, Australia ca. 1915. (Photo courtesy of State Library of Queensland)
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Photo Archive ▲ IHC Titan 45 hp ploughing in the Chaouia region of Morocco, ca. 1914. ▲ IHC Titan 25 hp at a demonstration in France. 22
Tractor Trials SWITZERLAND~1918
Switzerland is not a country normally associated with building tractors, except perhaps for the world‐
famous Hürlimann brand. So it may surprise you to learn that over the years there have been more than 120 Swiss tractor manufacturers! Many of these produced machines with a low centre of gravity and small turning circle that were particularly well suited to steep Swiss fields. These specific requirements of the country’s farms, coupled with the patriotism of the Swiss, meant that outside manufacturers have often found it difficult to get a foothold in the country. But the Swiss haven’t always had it all their own way, as these photos from a tractor demonstration in 1918 show. The event took place in two sessions: from 14th‐16th February at Witzwil (a prison, which includes the largest farm in Switzerland) and 2nd ‐4th April in the Kloten area. As well as the Swiss entrants, there were machines from the USA and Sweden. © 2012 David Parfitt ▲ Berna was a Swiss company founded in 1902 to build cars, and later trucks. They began producing tractors during the First World War – a May 1918 brochure for their “T3” model, which looks very similar to the tractor in the above photo, indicates that it was rated at 40 hp, weighed 4500 kg and was capable of pulling a four‐furrow plough. 23
Tractor Trials The Schweizerische Lokomotiv‐ und Maschinenfabrik (SLM), or Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works, based at Winterthur in the far north of the country, entered this motor plough. Its two‐
cylinder “heavy oil” engine developed 18 hp. The company produced a range of interesting and unusual tractor designs over the years, beginning with a steam‐
powered rotary cultivator for use in Egypt.
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► J.V. Svensons Automobilfabrik was founded in 1901 at Augustendal near Stockholm, Sweden. They built two‐
stroke hotbulb engines under the “Avance” name, and these would subsequently be used to power the company’s early tractor designs. The first Avance motor plough appeared around 1912, and had a fixed plough frame at the rear with three hinged bodies that could be raised or lowered using a cable. ◄ The Stella “automobile plough” was the brainchild a pair of Italian engineers named Galardi and Patuzzo, who patented their design in 1916. It was actually built by the Landwirtschaftliche Maschinen‐Centrale AG of Bümpliz, now a district of the Swiss capital Bern. Power was provided by a locally‐produced Felix two‐cylinder 6 hp petrol engine, which could be easily demounted for stationary use. The operator walked behind and controlled the machine via two long handles. It was not a great success and only a few were ever built. 24
Tractor Trials ► The Allis‐Chalmers 10‐18 tractor was marketed in France as the “Globe”. It was entered in the Swiss trials under this same name by Fritz Marti of Bern (Marti would later become the Swiss agent for Cletrac crawlers). Allis had already had links with Switzerland though – their first venture into agricultural machinery had been a self‐
propelled rotary cultivator built under license from Motorkultur AG of Basel. ◄ The Moline Universal Model B, sold in Switzerland by Ammann of Langenthal, had a two‐cylinder horizontally opposed engine. It evolved from a design developed by the Universal Tractor Co. of Columbus, Ohio, which was bought out by the Moline Plow Co. in 1915. The Model B can be distinguished from the later Model C by the semicircular shape of the right fender. ► The International Harvester Company’s Mogul 10‐20 hp tractor was very popular in Europe, especially in France, Italy and Scandinavia if surviving photographs are anything to go by. The Mogul in the Swiss trials was entered by IHC’s Zurich branch house. [N.B. Case 10‐20 and 12‐25 hp tractors also took part in the trials, but these are not pictured here.] 25
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The town of Torrance in Los Angeles County, California was established as a planned community in 1912 and named after the man behind the project, Jared Sidney Torrance. Key to the success of the venture was the decision by the Union Tool Company, a subsidiary of the Californian petroleum giant Union Oil, to expand its operations into a brand new $800,000 factory at Torrance. Union Tool Co. was initially set up to provide tool manufacturing and repair facilities, but went on to build an array of products including a range of stationary engines for oilfield and other applications. These engines were sold under the “Ideal” name, which was also used for a number of the firm’s other products. ► A stationary oilfield engine built by the Union Tool Company in 1912. This four‐
stroke unit was rated at 30 hp and designed to run on natural gas, which was a by‐product of the petroleum industry. The engine is displayed at the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum in Vista, California. All text and images in this article © 2012 David Parfitt, unless otherwise stated.
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Orphans & Oddballs With the establishment of the new factory, work also began in earnest on a tractor design, and the finished product was announced in late 1915. The “Ideal” tractor was a tricycle unit with the right‐hand rear wheel replaced with a track, and had a mid‐mounted engine, presumably built in‐house. The design must have proved less than ideal though, as when the next Union Tool Co. tractor, the “Sure Grip”, appeared around 1916, it was a more conventional half‐track machine along the same lines as most of the other California‐built tractors of that era such as the Holt, Best and Yuba. The “Sure Grip” Model D had a four‐cylinder in‐line engine and was rated at 8‐12 hp on the drawbar and 25 hp on the belt. Judging by the scarcity of information in the literature on Union Tool Co. tractors and the number of surviving examples (just one?), it is likely that only a very few were built. It must have been hard for the company to gain a foothold in a marketplace already dominated by several established manufacturers who were building quality tractors tailored specifically for the Californian market. The “Sure Grip” was listed until the early 1920s, by which time the Union Tool Co. had become the largest oil tool machinery manufacturer in the world, with a workforce that had grown from around fifty employees in 1914 to more than a thousand in 1921. It seems the company had decided to stick to what it knew best, and the “Ideal” and “Sure Grip” tractors became just a footnote in the history of Californian tractor production. ▲ Advertisements for the Union Tool Co. “Ideal” tractor from 1915/16. [California Digital Newspaper Collection, Center for Bibliographic Studies and Research, University of California, Riverside, California ‐ http://cdnc.ucr.edu] 27
Orphans & Oddballs ◄ Union “Sure Grip” tractor with a two‐bottom plough at a demonstration staged by the Traction Engine and Implement Dealers’ Association of Southern California. The event took place between the 17th and 22nd of September 1917. Probably the only surviving Union “Sure Grip” tractor, pictured at the Best Show on Tracks event at Woodland, California in 2008. The serial plate describes it as a Model D 12‐25 hp. 28
Out & About Featuring...
Emerson‐Brantingham Kent McMakin reports on a couple of events in the USA in the summer of 2012 that featured Emerson‐Brantingham tractors. The Emerson‐Brantingham Implement Co. of Rockford, Illinois. The name doesn’t exactly conjure up a big thrill when it comes to steel‐wheeled tractors as compared to Rumely, Avery or IHC. Other than the Big Four 30 prairie tractor of the ‘teens, the smaller and lighter E‐B tractors that succeeded it remain somewhat of a mystery, even to those who have a strong interest in early farm tractors. Emerson‐
Brantingham is not exactly a catchy name. Sounds more like a law firm. But during the early part of the twentieth century, the E‐B company was said to be the fourth largest farm machinery manufacturer in the world. Yet the gas tractors the E‐B firm produced are today a rather rare breed and seldom seen at tractor shows. The survivors are few and far between, with a modest number of restored or operational examples to be seen by the public. Three examples of E‐B tractors were available for viewing this past summer at two Upper Midwest tractor/threshing shows. The Union Thresheree in Symco, Wisconsin displayed two E‐B tractors, both owned by the Larry Werth family ‐ the Model AA and Model Q (both with 12‐20 hp ratings) were acquired by Larry Werth many years ago. Though not presently in operational form, it was nice to see them parked together outside in the sunlight. ▲ The Werth family’s two Emerson‐Brantingham tractors ‐ the Model Q (right) and late‐style Model AA (left). 29
Out & About The 12‐20 Model Q was built in 1917 and 1918 and the Model AA produced from late 1918 to 1926. The Werth AA is the later of two AA versions produced. The featured tractor company at this year’s Symco show was the J.I. Case company, with many Case tractors on display. The collection of Case tractors owned by the Werth family is very impressive. The presence of the two E‐Bs was rather appropriate as well, as the Case company acquired the E‐B farm implement business in mid 1928, and continued to produce some of the E‐B line of implements for several years. ◄ Another view of the later‐style 12‐20 hp Model AA (serial no. 33562), which shares some features with its successor, the 15‐25 hp Model K. These include an improved manifold and ribbed fenders/mudguards. ▼ A rear view of the Model Q (serial no. 24152) shows the exposed bull gears inside the rear drive wheels. 30
Out & About The featured tractor at the Sycamore Steam Show in Sycamore, Illinois this year was one tractor, an E‐B Model L 12‐20 hp owned by Warren Paulson. The show paid tribute to Warren, and his tractor, in appreciation for his involvement in the preservation of antique farm tractors and machinery. Warren created Paulson’s Agriculture Museum of Argyle in Caledonia, Illinois, just north‐east of the city of Rockford (see the museum’s website at www.paulsonsagriculturemuseum.com). This museum contains the largest collection of Emerson‐Brantingham farm machinery to be seen anywhere, and also contains an E‐B Model AA. The E‐B model L was Emerson’s first step into building a small gas tractor in 1916. Its three‐wheeled design, with a wide drive wheel and conventional front, was not widely accepted and they were only produced in modest numbers, although it still helped set the tone for later E‐B designs. Although Emerson‐Brantingham didn’t make any great advances in gas tractor design, the implements they produced were very popular for a period of more than 65 years. All text and images © 2012 Kent McMakin ▲ Warren Paulson’s Emerson‐Brantingham Model L, serial no. 21690, on display at the Sycamore Steam Show in Illinois. The tractor was purchased from Colorado and given a full restoration. Warren also owns an E‐B Model AA, serial number 32712, which was a recent purchase from Minnesota and can be seen on display in his museum. 31
Out & About Massey‐Harris gathering in Devon
In September 2012 the village of Broadwoodkelly in mid‐Devon hosted a gathering of early Massey‐
Harris tractors that was a first for this part of the country. Local M‐H enthusiasts Tony Folland and Andrew Davey brought out several steel‐wheeled machines from each of their collections to show how the U‐frame design inherited from Wallis evolved during the pre‐war period. All text and images © 2012 David Parfitt ▲ Massey‐Harris 12‐20, serial number 106602.
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Out & About ◄ Close‐up of the engine in the Massey‐
Harris 12‐20. This model was built from 1929 to 1935, with some tractors having the Wallis name on the radiator and others Massey‐Harris. ▲ Massey‐Harris GP, serial number 302506. The four‐wheel drive General Purpose or GP model was introduced in 1930 and was available in several different widths. This example has a tread of 66 inches. 33
Out & About ◄ This Massey‐Harris unstyled Pacemaker, serial number 109644, is a recent import from Canada. The Pacemaker incorporated many improvements on the 12‐20 design. Obvious differences include changes to the steering, front wheels, radiator and gear shift. ► Massey‐Harris styled Pacemaker, serial number 120665. The model has received more modern styling and a change of colour to red with yellow wheels. On later examples the front axle was moved further back to reduce the turning circle. ◄ Massey‐Harris styled “25”, serial number 85160. This 25‐40 hp model was the successor to the Wallis 20‐30 and was the most powerful tractor offered by M‐H in the 1930s. The nice original example pictured was displayed at the event with a M‐H two‐furrow disc plough. 34
Out & About LITTLE CASTERTON 2012
The Little Casterton Working Weekend regularly provides the best display of working veteran and vintage tractors in the UK. This year’s event was no exception, with several tractors making their first appearance after extensive restoration work and others having recently arrived from overseas. Here is a selection of photos that hopefully capture some of the atmosphere of this fantastic event. ▲ The working field at Little Casterton, and in the foreground, two very different designs of single‐cylinder tractor: the IHC Mogul 8‐16 hp and German‐built Lanz 12 hp HL Bulldog. 35
Out & About Nelson tractor, built by the Nelson Furnace and Blower Co. of Boston, Massachusetts, and featuring four‐wheel drive/steering. This tractor is a recent import to the UK and was previously part of a private collection displayed at Prairie Village in South Dakota. It is believed to be one of only two in existence. 36
Out & About This Samson “Sieve‐Grip” is another recent import, one of a pair of Sieve‐Grips that came to the UK after being advertised on Ebay in California last year. It looks to be an S‐25 model, perhaps built not long after the takeover of Samson by General Motors Co., but maybe a reader can confirm this? No serial number could be found as the cast serial plate on the front of the chassis appears to be a replica and the plate on the side of the engine was also missing. The tractor is shown pulling a very interesting USA‐built Dempster corn planter with lister attachment. 37
Out & About An Allis‐Chalmers Model L 15‐25 hp, serial number 21362, built in 1925. Only 1705 of this model were produced and this is thought to be the only one of its kind in Europe. The Model L features a Midwest engine of 4.125 bore and 5.25 in stroke. 38
Out & About ▲ A Rumely Model W 20‐30 hp, serial no. W827, built in 1928. The tractor is fitted with extension rims and is shown pulling a set of J.I. Case disc harrows, which feature some kind of mechanism that allow them to be changed from transport to working position. Maybe one of our US readers can shed some more light on this? ▲ Richard Sturdy puts his Rumely 6A through its paces. This 1931 tractor is one of the last of this model built, carrying serial no. 1300, and features French and Hecht wheels and electric start. Richard imported it from Michigan in 2011. 39
Out & About ▲ An Austin tractor built around 1919 at Longbridge in England. This particular Austin is serial no. R131, and may be the earliest left in existence. It spent its working life in Tasmania and this was its first outing after an extensive restoration. ▲ Another British‐built machine is this very rare Alldays General Purpose Tractor Mk 2, serial no. 402. It was built by the Birmingham company of Alldays & Onions, which was established in 1885 and also manufactured cars and motorcycles.
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Out & About ▲ Peterbro tractor built by Peter Brotherhood Ltd of Peterborough in the east of England. Introduced in 1920, it was heavily influenced by the Emerson‐Brantingham Model AA, but used an advanced Ricardo petrol/kerosene engine. ▲ Crawley Agrimotor manufactured at Saffron Walden in Essex. It was designed to be used as either a conventional tractor, as seen above, or a motor plough via the removal of the front wheel and addition of a plough frame at the rear.
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Out & About Although Little Casterton is mostly about the tractors, there is also a diverse range of implements on show. Some of the unusual ploughs that appeared at this year’s event are shown below. The first is a French‐built Melotte reversible and the second a Canadian Cockshutt, but can anyone identify the manufacturer of the last one? All text and images © 2012 David Parfitt 42
In the Workshop R
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Wallis Cub Junior
Oliver and Austin West tell the story of how their family acquired an original‐import Wallis Cub Junior tractor, and describe the progress made so far with its restoration. It has been said that all good things come to those who wait. This is true with our desire to own a Wallis Cub Junior Tractor. Having visited the Stapehill Abbey Museum in Dorset, England whilst in the area for the Great Dorset Steam Fair, we had seen their 1916 example parked in the yard display, open to the elements and deteriorating. This tractor, along with all the others in the museum had been known of in the vintage tractor movement since the 1950s, when they were first collected for preservation by some of the earliest collectors. The Wallis Cub Junior was distributed in the UK by the Ancona Motor Company Ltd of London. This particular example, serial no. 13159, was originally part of the famous “Power Farmer” collection in Bedfordshire, and later moved to the Hunday Museum in Northumberland. When this museum closed and the collection was sold, the tractor moved again, along with most of the other exhibits, to Stapehill. When we wrote to the museum in 2002 to ask about the possibility of buying the Wallis to restore, they declined, indicating their own intention to restore all the tractors. Several years passed and in 2006 rumour spread of a possible auction of all the exhibits. Now was our chance to own the Wallis! 43
In the Workshop October 2006 came and luck went our way. Looking at the tractors on display, it was obvious that the Wallis was in one of the worst conditions of all. However, when purchasing a wreck there can be no surprises when you strip it to find worn out and broken components. Due to other projects ongoing at the time the Wallis had to wait in the queue until December 2010, when the tractor found its way into the workshop (see main photo above). During the Christmas holiday period the engine and gearbox were removed and stripped to reveal worn out gearbox bearings and engine components. Once in pieces the assessment of what needed to be done could begin. ◄ The cylinder head removed for the first time – things don’t look as bad as expected! ▼ Lifting the engine out 44
In the Workshop ▲ View of the clutch and gearbox from below, showing corrosion and worn bevel gears. ▼ The underside of the engine. 45
In the Workshop ▲ Corrosion to the chassis near the gearbox. ▼ The exhaust manifold and heat exchanger after being heated in a fire to free things off. 46
In the Workshop ▲ The underside of No.1 and No.2 cylinder liners, showing an unusual clamp around No.1 liner. ▼ A broken big end bearing. 47
In the Workshop It was decided to concentrate on the engine parts that needed specialist attention, starting with the replacement pistons. After a few enquiries came to a dead end it was decided to cast new pistons. Good friends working in the right trades helped to get these made and machined, supplying new rings and pins as well. A few enquiries were then made to find an engineering company to regrind the crank and repair the block. Thurston Engineering in Ongar, Essex was contacted and was able to do everything that was needed. ▲ A broken piston. ▼ Three of the old pistons and one new piston casting before machining. 48
In the Workshop ▲ The reground crankshaft. Six months later the engine had new crank bearings and cleaned out liners 40 thou over size, allowing us to make the new pistons slightly bigger to compensate. The cylinder head was also overhauled with new valves and repaired guides, with a skimming of the gasket faces to complete things. ▲ New crankshaft main bearings and white metalling.
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In the Workshop ▲ Rebored cylinder liners and skimmed face of cylinder block.
Now that work on the engine was well underway attention could turn to the gearbox. This will require new Hyatt roller bearings and bevel input gears. Repairs will also be required to the frame and axle shafts, and the tractor will need new tinwork (sheet metal), but that is a story for another day. All text and images © 2012 Oliver & Austin West 50
In the Workshop Saunderson Model G Restoration Geoff Parfitt describes the restoration of his Saunderson Model G “Universal” tractor, which he acquired in 2008. In the first part of the series he details the purchase, recovery and initial assessment of the tractor. I had always wanted to restore a Saunderson as my grandfather owned one many years ago, and it’s one of the most iconic British tractors. Unfortunately it’s also one of the most desirable, and so whenever a nice complete example came up for sale it was always out of my price range. The only option was to look for a more affordable “basket case” tractor and undertake a major restoration job. I actually knew of a very rough Saunderson located just a few miles down the road from where I live in Devon, and had tried several times to buy it over the last thirty years, but the answer was always that it was not for sale. ▲ The Saunderson in its resting place amongst the bushes.
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In the Workshop ▲ Another view of the Saunderson – a saucepan had been placed over the exhaust to prevent water entering the engine.
The tractor belonged to a local threshing contractor, who at one time had four or five Saundersons, and used them up until the 1950s, breaking several for spares to keep the others running. Eventually he was left with just one, which at the end of its useful life was parked up outside in the spot where it would remain for the next fifty years. I thought it was worth one last try to buy this tractor, so in May 2008 I set off with my son David to visit the owner. He seemed more receptive than on previous visits, so I made him what I thought was a fair offer based on the condition of the tractor, and he said that he would give it some thought. I didn’t really expect to hear any more about it, but a week or so later came a phone call: the offer was accepted and the tractor was mine if I still wanted it! My thoughts then turned to how to transport the tractor, along with the large quantity of Saunderson spare parts that were also part of the deal. The only realistic option was to use my 1962 Bedford TK lorry, so at the first available opportunity we loaded up the ramps and headed the few miles down the road to the farm where the Saunderson stood almost completely hidden in the undergrowth. The owner was ready for us with his Minneapolis‐Moline UDS tractor, which he still used occasionally to winch other vehicles out of trouble. This made extracting and loading the Saunderson an easy task, and it was soon up on the bed of the lorry. 52
In the Workshop Extracting the Saunderson with the help of a Minneapolis‐Moline UDS tractor.
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In the Workshop ▲ The Saunderson and spare parts loaded on the Bedford TK lorry and ready for the short journey home… Locating the spare parts for the tractor was not quite so simple. Although a couple of extra radiators were close to hand in a nearby shed, most of the other parts were either partially or completely buried in the ground outside the farmer’s workshop. The reason for this was that most of the parts were badly damaged, so they still lay where they had been discarded many years before. Thankfully the farmer had cleared some of the undergrowth that had since covered them, but we still had to make several return trips with a variety of tools to extract all the spares. We loaded everything that we could for this trip though, and set off home at a snail’s pace with our precious cargo. ▲ …and safely back in the yard. 54
In the Workshop Once home we could properly assess exactly what we had taken on with this restoration project. As we started to strip the tractor down it became clear that some parts of the tractor had survived half a century of exposure to the elements without too much damage, while others were beyond repair. The engine, for example, was internally in pretty good shape, as the owner had periodically poured oil into it to keep it free. The chassis and wheels, however, had not been so lucky – the damp British climate had really taken its toll on them, and it was obvious that some major rebuilding work was going to be necessary. The other issue was that the tractor was rather a “bitsa” – it was actually made up of several different Saundersons of different ages, for the reason mentioned earlier – but this was all part of its history, and any Saunderson was better than no Saunderson at all! ◄ Removal of the cover on the front of the crankcase reveals that the internals of the engine are nice and oily and have been well preserved thanks to the previous owner pouring oil into it now and again. ► Side view of the engine showing the cover for the timing gears. Behind the engine is the gearbox with the top cover removed. On the side of the gearbox are the remains of the home‐
made band brake. 55
In the Workshop The tractor had also received several home‐grown modifications during its working life to overcome deficiencies in the original design. For example, an extra brake had been added as the original was not really adequate to cope with the hilly country in these parts – in fact several local people recall this tractor running away out of control while descending a hill many years ago. The decision was taken to remove these “extras” during the restoration and return the tractor to original specification, as many of these added bits were incomplete or damaged anyway. ▲ Rear view of the Saunderson, showing some of the previous owner’s modifications, including a home‐made winch anchor and extension to the brake pedal. The winch drum can be seen inside the right rear wheel. Note that the seat is non‐original and is from a horse‐drawn implement. 56
In the Workshop The cylinders were removed without too much trouble, as thankfully the pistons were not stuck inside them. The timing gears were a bit more difficult to free up though. 57
In the Workshop ▲ The crankshaft is revealed after the top of the crankcase has been lifted off.
▼ The last major component, the gearbox, is removed with the help of a David Brown Cropmaster tractor The next part of this series will look at some of the work that was undertaken on the wheels and chassis of the Saunderson, which involved some major welding! © 2012 Geoff & David Parfitt 58