4H Super A (pictures)

JRSutton · May 23, 2012

Kids have made fantastic progress with the Super A.

Said I'd post a picture, so here it is as it stands now.

It's not 100% yet - we've got some touch up work to do - still need to add a few parts, paint the steering wheel center, the generator, get a breather cap, etc.

But we got the carb issues worked out - timing is perfect - engine starts easily, runs perfectly.

So we made the parade deadline we were scrambling for.

A HUGE thanks to everybody here - your help was invaluable.

Unfortunately my son Chris's lung collapsed again earlier today while he was just sitting in class.

So we're back in the hospital now -this time t hey need to do deeper surgery - scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.

He'll be ok, but he's scared. I'm with him as I type, but he's out from all the heavy drugs.

I'm pretty certain this will keep us out of the parade this weekend.

Of course that doesn't really matter to me, but he's pretty bummed out about it. He really wanted to show off all that hard work properly. He really busted his butt on this project.

All the kids put in a good effort, but my son obviously had much more access to the tractor, and really put a LOT of time and effort into it.

But as I said to him, getting recognized for your hard work is great, but the best reward will come when you're older and you look back on it and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing what a good job you did - whether anybody else saw it or not. I think he'll understand that some day.

Thanks again for everyone's help!

gold1456 · May 23, 2012

very nice!

Badger bob · May 23, 2012

JR we all hope that the boy will be ok. and thats a nice A. thay can all be proud of. Bob

The Red · May 23, 2012

I tell you what, they were not that shiny out of the factory. Fantastic job! Where is your 4H unit at?

Bruce from Can. · May 23, 2012

Tractor looks sharp!! I am not a no it all but, I think the A with a mag on it rather than a coil is a standerd A and not a Super A. Though I could easy be wrong. Sure looks Super any way. Bruce

Anonymous-0 · May 23, 2012

Great job!they can all be proud. When your son is better he can put on a one man parade let us know we will all come. God Bless to everyone

JRSutton · May 23, 2012

Sad but these days you just can't go posting pictures of kids on the web (or at least other people's kids). Not that I really think it'd be a problem, it is one of those club rule things.

JRSutton · May 23, 2012

Oh it's definitely a 1948 Super A. They came with mags - but that's a Wico mag. It only recently came to my attention that Wico's are aftermarket mags.

Had I known earlier in the process I probably would have tried to find an IH mag to swap it with.

But for now it works, and we'll just keep it unless we happen across a really good deal on an IH one.

It's not intended to be a show tractor - it's going to be used by the club - mostly with a sickle mower and pulling a rake - and some light plowing.

JRSutton · May 23, 2012

Just occured you may have meant that more literally - we are in Sutton Massachusetts.

CNKS · May 23, 2012

Very nice. I have 2 suggestions, get rid of the oem gas cap, and get the taller one. The factory one leaks like a sieve with a full gas tank and will ruin the paint. It will also blow gas into your face out of the vent in road gear. After doing all that work and getting the correct decals you left the IH symbol off the hood. Also missing is the oil cap, you probably know about that one, maybe the IH too. Nice tractor, a lot of work pays off.

CNKS · May 23, 2012

My dad had a late 47 new H with a mag. I believe the transition began in either 48 or 49, but they were not all done at once. I do have a 48 C with a distributer, but I don't know if it is original. I had a 47 M with a distributer, but that one replaced a mag, as many did.

Athol Carr · May 23, 2012

The 1948 parts book for the Super A does NOT have distributors listed, only the H-4 magneto. As far as I know the distributors became standard with an option for magneto ignition sometime in 1949. I presume that they worked out that most tractors had batteries and starters hence distributors were cheaper plus the advantage of being able to have the ignition advance as the engine speed increased.

kopeck · May 23, 2012

Did you ever get the rake finished up? Maybe I missed it but I was looking forward to seeing the finished product.

I had my lung collapse twice, once in college and once after I graduated. Not a lot of fun, never needed surgery, hope it stays that way. You never how handy two are until you loose one.

K

Mark W. · May 23, 2012

Congratulations to you and your son. If you need a newer style gas cap, I would be happy to send you one. Prayers for your son and his surgery, Send us a picture of him on that tractor as payment. You are doing amazing work for these youth and your son. As a teacher and a father, I appreciate and admire you and your son!

JRSutton · May 23, 2012

Interesting point on the gas cap. Always wondered what the deal was with those taller ones. Plus the original one is very badly rusted on the inside.

You said the IH symbol on the hood - did you mean the one on the grill? If so - we have it, just haven't put it on yet.

And I'll be picking up an oil breather cap soon.

Lot of little detail things like that to complete, so a bit premature to post a picture - but close enough. It'll all get done.

blunted · May 23, 2012

so verrrry nice. thanks for keeping the A,s alive.

Dennis K (WA) · May 23, 2012

Very good JR and with the proper hood decals (we wrote about that in earlier posts). Good education for the kids and job well done.
Wish the best for your son.
Dennis

Royse · May 23, 2012

Best of luck to you and your son.
Those kids (and you) should be very proud.
It looks great!

Dennis K (WA) · May 23, 2012

JR, if you go to 'ihcgascap.com' and fill in the form they will send you the tall updated gas cap free provided your serial number has not been used before.
Dennis

JRSutton · May 23, 2012

You're right there - certainly appreciate having two lungs now!

We had to put the rake on hold in order to get the tractor done for the parade, but it's REAL close. Hopefully we'll be putting it into use next time we get some sunny weather.

I'll stick the latest pictures in here. (but all the teeth are now on, rear wheels are on - pretty much just need to put the strippers back on.)

The most frustrating part about the rake was trying to get the colors right.

We did a lot of research on the colors and went largely on what little paint was left under bolt heads, etc.

End results look pretty gaudy to me. Not so sure we got it right, not that it REALLY matters.

(it IS a little more toned down in real life -camera makes the colors look a lot brigher).

Very little reliable info to go on. I only found one original color picture, but relying on an old picture for a color tone is pretty useless.

But again - doesn't really matter - just kind of bugs me a bit. Wish there was reliable source of color data. I'd just like to see exactly what one looked like new.

kopeck · May 24, 2012

I think you got the colors right. Back in the 40s and 50s contrasting colors seemed to be the thing. Go look at the plows IH produced during that time period, it's the same exact color scheme. Not to mention you do have that picture to work from. The only thing that doesn't look "right" is I think the paint they sell as IH blue is lighter then to original stuff. I have a few items that are still sporting the original blue and it's darker then what you have in the picture and what I've seen in other pictures.

I hope you're son surgery goes well. He wouldn't happen to be tall and thin would he?

K

JRSutton · May 24, 2012

Agree on the blue. I can see some of the original, but the stuff they sell as IH blue is definitely lighter.

and that's my point - it's very frustrating not knowing for sure. You'd think anybody selling IH blue would at least make it IH blue!

Yes, my son is tall and thin. Apparently the lung collapse thing happens mostly in tall thin boys. I come from a large family of tall thin siblings, and I'm very surprised I never heard of it before.

sflem849 · May 24, 2012

Are you sure that the blue doesn't appear darker from age? Can paint darken with time or only fade? The reason I ask is the paint that is left is in hidden areas that are usually full of dirt. That is what makes me wonder if it could darken.

kopeck · May 24, 2012

(quoted from post at 07:08:11 05/24/12)
Yes, my son is tall and thin. Apparently the lung collapse thing happens mostly in tall thin boys. I come from a large family of tall thin siblings, and I'm very surprised I never heard of it before.

I didn't know about it either until it happened. It does tend to strike tall, thin boys though. I'm not so much a boy anymore so I hope that nonsense is behind me! If it's any help you can tell your son that after I got over my second round it never came back to bite me. By surgery so you mean something to fix the weak spot or a chest tube? I had the tube on the first one, not fun. The second time they just had me rest and everything worked it's self out.

It's going to look sharp behind the SA when everything is said and done. I don't know if you've pulled one around yet but they feel HUGE back there. I've pulled plenty of trailers and equipment but mine almost got me stuck between two buildings. It's the way the back end swings, it's not quite like anything I have ever pulled before.

K

The Red · May 24, 2012

I was thinking if you were close, which you are not, I have an M that would make a very good 4H project.

kopeck · May 24, 2012

(quoted from post at 07:23:22 05/24/12) Are you sure that the blue doesn't appear darker from age? Can paint darken with time or only fade? The reason I ask is the paint that is left is in hidden areas that are usually full of dirt. That is what makes me wonder if it could darken.

You may have a point there but I do have some lift all parts that I don't think spent to much time outside or even used for that matter. I've also got plenty of books that seem to show the color being darker. Now old photos aren't prefect either so who knows.

I guess it just looks light to me. The old Ford blue kind of reminds me of the IH blue.

K

Cue P. · May 24, 2012

Fanatstic job - i especially like the rake. never saw wheels like that on one before. where did you pick it up? Also, i believe there is a tractor show / swap meet in Woodstock CT (at the fairgrounds) June 10, raindate 17th. You could show it off there. I imagine Foskett's Equipment has something to do with organizing it. Regards..

JRSutton · May 24, 2012

actually it looks a little darker in person than it does in my picture - for some reason the camera makes it look lighter - but even so I still feel it should be a little darker.

I'm just very far from knowledgeable on the matter, so I hate to argue with a paint can that says IH blue!

kopeck · May 24, 2012

You can only work with what you have at hand, right?

It looks better then when you started and you are going to have one of the only restored IH rakes out there.

Maybe someday mine will look that sharp!

K

JRSutton · May 24, 2012

good to know about that show, I'll definitely look into that.

The rake was donated to our club - in much worse condition than you see there! Lots of severly bent and broken parts. Tires on it were pretty shredded.

I bought a matching parts rake, and those tires were on it that you see in the picture.

They're made by a polish company - can't think of the name right now - aftermarket, but still very expensive. I was lucky to find them on the parts rake.

Normally you see the steel wheel version of this rake. I think because not too many people want to spend the money for new tires for such an old outdated rake, so they've mostly been left to rust away into oblivion.

The steel wheel version is still pretty popular with the amish.

JRSutton · May 24, 2012

I'm dying to try it out.

It was in real sad shape when we got it. We had to make the decision to put the time and money into it and just hope it works in the end.

We'll find out soon enough.

JRSutton · May 24, 2012

Losing track of all the response - wanted to say thank you to all for the kind/encouraging words.

Thanks.

Jim Becker · May 24, 2012

I have been using VanSickle 460 IH Blue paint. I think it is a pretty good match for any original samples I have. It is a fairly dark shade of blue. Blue may have been the most variable of any paint color from IH. There was a bunch in the shortly after WWII time frame that was a very light, pale color. I don't know what the deal was on that.

1940 color chart from WHS:
http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/whi/fullimage.asp?id=6218

CNKS · May 24, 2012

Grill, fingers and brain are not connected.

4H Super A (pictures)

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Similar threads