A 1948 Case DC-3 comes back into the family

Well I have a nice story to share: A person that I know approached me about a week ago wanting to know if I wanted to buy back my what had originally been been my father-in-law's Case DC-3 tractor which he had used for a couple decades on his 60 acre hobby farm. Apparently my father-in-law sold away this tractor to this gentleman way back in 1982 for an almost next to nothing purchase price because he really liked this guy. This gentleman was fresh out of high school in 1982 and he had just purchased a small farm so he was flat broke, but needed a tractor. So my father-in law sold him this one for almost nothing as he no longer needed it.

I did not really need the tractor, but decided to ask what he wanted for it and he said the same small amount that he bought it for - which was a really small amount. He stated that he really appreciated my father-in-law helping him out during his time of need back in 1982 and that he would really like to see the tractor go back to the original family verses selling it for a lot more money to anyone else. He said that he had not even used the tractor in almost 9 years and that he would like to free up the barn space. Furthermore he had seen first hand some of the vintage implements that I had purchased and refurbished for my own personal use so he thought it was something that I would like to play with.

Once he told me the amount, I immediatly said that I would take the tractor and assured him that I would be keeping the tractor. Or in other words that I was not simply buying the tractor to resell for a substantial profit because I thought what he was doing was very admirable deed. The even better news is my wife remembers operating this tractor herself way back in the 1970's as a young girl so she was happy to bring it back into the family as well.

Well here is a pic: It does need paint but it is all there except for the temperature control shutters. The sheet metal is not pitted or dented so it should be rather easy to paint it up a little. I plan to install a thermostat anyway so no big deal regarding the temp control shutters. I had it running in less than 3 hours. It needs one rear tube as it is leaking around the valve stem brass so it is unfixable. Water pump leaks so it needs either rebuilt or replaced and the radiator needs taken apart and rodded as it is real nasty looking inside. Oh and more good news is that the tractor was totally rebuilt back in the late 70's by my father-in-law with M&W's and should put out close to 48 hp.

Hope you enjoyed the story as I feel it is nice to always hear stories about good deeds and the good people of the world.

Thanks for sharing your story. You should also share it with one of the editors of the Case tractor magazines, Old Abes News or Heritage Eagle.

What a great story. Enjoy every minute on that old family member and think of how proud the early owner was to have that machine. Don

I strongely agree with Don and "C",this was a great thing that happen,and its something for this person to "pass on" this old friend for what he did.I give him my respect.Sure enjoy the history also.

Not sure if this "DC" had a thermostat,you might want to have the radiator removed and cleaned and rodded,I know mine was very dirty and it runs like a "top" now.

Good luck with your family friend.Would love to see pictures when you get her painted and maybe a family portrait!

If it had shutters, it did not have a thermostat and there is no way to put one in.

The world needs more people who appreciate someone helping them out and remember it. As for the thermostat, remove the cast iron neck from head to rad., I like to machine a small step into the end that goes to the rad. to fit a small block chev. thermostat and drill a small hole in the fixed part of the thermostat for air to escape when refilling, so yes one can be put in and it will help keep pieces of rust out of the rad. and an engine with good circulation will cool better with a thermostat.

(quoted from post at 03:30:58 07/11/09) The world needs more people who appreciate someone helping them out and remember it. As for the thermostat, remove the cast iron neck from head to rad., I like to machine a small step into the end that goes to the rad. to fit a small block chev. thermostat and drill a small hole in the fixed part of the thermostat for air to escape when refilling, so yes one can be put in and it will help keep pieces of rust out of the rad. and an engine with good circulation will cool better with a thermostat.

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Yes, this was my exact plan as well regarding the thermostat. Glad to hear others have done it. I had read where others had machined the casting to accomodate the thermostat used in the 1952 and newer DC models, but that newer Case thermostat looks extremely long and I bet it is pricey. I was thinking the small block chevy stat would be the cheap way to do it and i was going to drill the small hole in it as well.

Also - glad you all have enjoyed the story.

I sure would like to find my Dad's 53 SC that was sold in Center Point, Texas in the early to mid 80s. Dad's name was same as mine, James K. Garner. He went by his middle name, Kern. I spent many hours on this old tractor in my childhood and would love to bring it back to the family for my grand children and me to ride on (when I have some one day).

I have a DC grill you can have if you pay the shipping I can get you a pic if you want just let me know

Stewart

(quoted from post at 22:56:03 07/11/09) I have a DC grill you can have if you pay the shipping I can get you a pic if you want just let me know

Stewart

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Thanks for the offer on the grill, but I do have the grill it is just not in my picture. Being made out of cast iron it is rather heavy.

I am missing the flat belt pulley as it was removed somewhere along the line as the tractor originally had a front end loader on it when my father-in law owned it. I am guessing the pulley was removed for clearance issues with the loader. The man who purchased the tractor in 1982 removed the loader and scrapped it. (Even my wife who operated this tractor back in the 70's hated the loader on it as it was an old trip bucket and made the tractor steer quite hard so I am told). I will never operate any flat belt equipment so I really do not need the pulley, but I guess you never know.

Unfortunatley my father-in-law has been gone since 1994, but I did get the chance to meet him two times back when I first started dating the girl who would eventually become my wife.

As for the above mentioned missing temp control shutters - I will be doing the thermostat modification and would probably do it anyway even if the shutters were there.

I even have the hand crank to hand start it as the tractor has a mag, but I only use the battery.