I would guess some of the old fellows back in the 1930's just felt better with piece of leather in hand rather than steel. From stories my dad had of some neighbors here if they could of had voice activated tractors, that would of been best. One was cutting hay on steep ground, and the Ford N series got to sliding faster than the wheel were going. All he knew to do was yell WOO damm you WOO. But the old boy rode it to the bottom and lived to 90, or there about.

Ray54, that is a great story. My Granddad was born in Scotland 1882, and when immigrating to Canada his papers said TEAMSTER, he worked at a horse hospital in WW1 and then immigrated to California. One of my memories of my grandfather was coming up to an intersection in his 49 Plymouth and hearing him saying :WOO, WOO. Fond memories. Grant.

Mike, that’s a neat piece of history you have there with the rear controls, I know there are folks that like to return tractors back to factory, but quite frankly destroy history in that move. It’s one thing to repair bubble gum welds and questionable midnight let’s keep it going repair work to make it look more professional and presentable.

However it’s kind of insulting to rewrite history like you find on some of the small run speciality shop modified tractors, when quite frankly these shops received tractors from the factory in crates.

Hi, Mike.
I've just hadda chance to look at your photos of the remote controlled 22 - interesting. The 22 that my parents had had pipe pieces welded over the steering levers with chain links welded to them to take the control ropes or any sign of them having been there. The lever for the foot clutch was mounted to transmission cover bolts. I don't remember any 'apparatus' on the back of the seat to support the ropes.

Just my 0.02.

I agree 110% cr, I will definitely be keeping these tractors as original as I safely can, they will not be painted, but they will be 100% good internally, the only new thing you will see is a seat cushion, but even then I need to find a way to create aged and slightly distressed looking, but comfortable seat cushions for these old girls, maybe I should try and find some old canvas.

I've painted a couple of old Cats I've dragged home, but I will not paint any more because I really like that working clothes look, plus I like to give my old Cats a good flogging when ever I can, spending days pulling a plow or big logs, or even the hay trailer, and if the paint is all fresh and new, you are too scared to use them as they need to be used.

The big challenge I have is when I need to use new sheet steel to create replacement fenders, or seat boxes, or track frame covers, and not being able to paint that new steel, and yet create that real 100 year old weathered steel look you see on these old Cats. Cat sheet metal is a very interesting type, it seems to have a spring steel feel to it, like old creases and dings are hard to remove, and while it does surface rust, it takes really tough conditions for old Cat sheet steel to actually rot right through, like you need to be near the ocean.

Hello Deas, I've seen a couple of old Cats with the remnants of some of the remote drive hardware on the seat back, and those rope clamps on the steering levers, but not the whole shebang like this one, it is definitely a time warp machine.

I would think if running a harvester ( from my upbring) combine (most of north America) header ( for down under), you're working from higher up so routing of ropes would different than running a grader or maintainer.



Just paint the new steel with cheap paint. It will go bad before you know it. I really need to relearn the emoticons on here, add them in your mind!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!