Let’s see your 2025 Project!

If you have a tractor project you’re trying to get done for any of the 2025 shows, post a picture and a story if ya got one.. or three. Feel free to send updates as it comes along.
Here’s mine to start: The same 1922 Holt T35 (25510) as I’ve posted before. After a little more digging, I found a crack at the back of the cylinder block and all the head studs were loose. This was why the head was bouncing off the block as it was trying to start. After pulling the head, there’s another crack about 10” long next to the cylinders in the coolant passages. We pulled out my donor engine and we’re getting a template off the housing to mount on our big engine stand. But in better news, the side mount air cleaner base got repaired. Someone welded it shut, so I plasma cut it out and cleaned it up with a flapper wheel. The mag has HOT spark, so I half pulled it apart and painted it up. Looks brand new. The radiator had a new core some time ago, but some mice found out there was free real estate in the top tank and had a small nest. So the tanks came off, and it got flushed, all good to go. Now it has the correct holt sides and a good flowing core. After the engine gets put back together, then it needs the turning brake pedals loosened up. Probably just stuck from sitting. The rear had a hydraulic pto on it (which might be for sale soon after I do a little more research on it) and that came off for my pto. That got sandblasted and primered. I need to buy a sleeve for the shaft to mount a pulley and fabricate a lever/engaging mechanism. After that, it needs some gas tank repair, and then it’s all cosmetic. It probably won’t be painted by 2025, but the goal is functional. Paint is pretty but doesn’t make the tractor run. Once done, it will be the only restored side mount air cleaner t35 that I know of. There’s a few restored ones that I know about, one being in elkader, and the other being a veerkamp tractor. But none of them a side tank. So that will be kind of neat. Hope to see y’all’s projects in person next year!
        

Yours looks to be too involving. Lol. My 2 Ton just lacking a good air cleaner and needs the magneto and wires(already sourced). Keep us posted. Thanks, JM.

Socalcatman  looks like you are making good progress on the Holt. 
keep you’re  nose to the Grindstone as they say you’ll be done soon. 
I am working on the Best 30 when I have time. Today I am working on the fenders. I have one inside piece straightened up pretty well took some time on the press, but it is progress!   Skinner 

Yep. Any progress is good progress. Yesterday I got the head pulled on the donor and the block is really good. The engine is oil stuck I believe from sitting for a couple decades. But everything so far seems to be in good shape. I’m jealous of the 30! I could’ve bought one that had a stuck engine but overall decent shape, for 3k. But I was a young teenager when it was for sale with no where near 3000 to spend on that. A couple years later when I could’ve gotten it, the guy had sold all 3 of his 30s. 1 best, 1 wide thirty and 1 swamp special with a canopy. He said some guy came in and bought them up. Good luck with your project! 

Here is pt4748 when I first saw it in person and what most of it looks like now .

Td-Allen, looks good. I always thought tens looked good in a wide gauge. But what Cat doesn’t look better either wider or taller. I noticed your pretty d5 radiator in the background. Do you have the rest of the tractor? 

Yes I have the rest of it as well . Still working on it when I get a chance

td-alan, I'm the middle of doing the same thing to a Fifteen transmission but I took the gears out completely and put in all new bearings. Haven't gotten to the engine yet but I doubt the top deck cam be saved as long as it was sitting out in a field without the head on.
What happened to the final drive you show a close up? Did you have it welded up and re machined?

Heres mine - just acquired 1942 D4, got pony going, flushed main tank and new lines, got main engine to turn and working on radiator and getting main to fire (i think 1 fuel plunger is stuck) - but both motors had clean oil. Sat for 30 Years yet pony fired RIGHT up!!!

Here is my VERY AMATEUR Home video of me tinkering!

https://youtu.be/9Fq151hZR4I

Side seat , I removed the transmission and put all new bearings on it as well . The ring gear bearings were in excellent condition so I left them . The reason for the final drive work is at some point the pivot shaft brackets came loose from the studs on the finals , and wiped out the mounting surfaces . I believe they were then swapped to opposite sides so that the pivot shat had something solid to attach to , that left me with 2 bad mounting surfaces . So I bought another tractor that had 2 decent castings but one had a bearing bore that had spun so I hired my good friend to cut the bore, build a sleeve and I pushed a new race in it now I have 2 good final drive castings to use . I am still looking for a set of pivot shaft brackets for a wide tractor

[quote]I hired my good friend to cut the bore, build a sleeve and I pushed a new race in it now I have 2 good final drive castings to use . I am still looking for a set of pivot shaft brackets for a wide tractor[/quote]
After looking closer I sorta figured you just sleeved it. 
Good luck on the wide gauge castings. May have to try to get by with narrow gauge and add spacers.
I have a wide TEN torn down too and the pivot shaft is bent. Not sure if I should try to straighten it or just make a new one.