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Pic-FireBug Wards Puller 69-70 Louisville Champ

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1206SWMO

02-08-2004 17:07:07

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Pictured is the Fire Bug I Wards pulling tractor owned by the Hill Brothers from Pleasant Hill,Illinois.This picture was taken in the pits at the 1969 Pleasant Hill,Illinois pull.

This tractor was pulled at 4500 lbs in Missouri and 5000 lbs in Illinois.In both 1969 and 1970 Larry Hill won the 5000 lb class at the prestigious Louisville,KY indoor pull winning $1000 each time.Notice it says 1969 National Champ on the hood.They were able to add 1970 to that.Larry got 5th place at 5000 lbs out of 31 entries at the 1969 M&W pull.

This tractor turned close to 7000 rpms and thats scary as their were no safety rules back then.In 1970 a modified tractor blew a flywheel at Pleasant Hill hitting 13 people in the crowd.This led to some new safety rules.

The other tractor on the truck was the Fire Bug II Wards pulled by Ronnie Hill.It had twin Corvair turbos on it making 170 horses.That was a bunch back then.Wards tractors made great light weight pullers as you could really crank those flathead Chrysler 6's with the Fluid Drive.I myself pulled several Wards tractors in the 1970's.

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G-MAN

02-10-2004 10:30:27

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Re: Pic-FireBug Wards Puller 69-70 Louisville Cham in reply to 1206SWMO, 02-08-2004 17:07:07

What I find more interesting than the tractor (although it IS interesting) is the fact that it's loaded on a straight truck. I'm only 29, but I can remember when I was little and seeing a lot of pulling tractors hauled to town in the back of the grain truck - usually with the sides still on, lol. That was before the days when everyone had a 3/4- or 1-ton pickup and a gooseneck flatbed or car trailer. Hey 1206SWMO, ever been to any pulls in the southeast Nebraska area, particularly Pawnee City or thereabouts? That's my home stomping grounds, and they used to have some big pulls there. They still have a pretty good farm tractor/pickup/semi pull every summer, but it's nothing like it used to be. I can remember mini-rods, farm tractors, stock and modified 2wd and 4wd pickups, modified tractors and just about everything else being pulled there at one time or another. It seems like the pull used to last from 6 o'clock Friday night til 2 or 3 Saturday morning, and from 4 Saturday afternoon until whenever Sunday morning.

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mike

02-10-2004 15:17:19

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Re: Re: Pic-FireBug Wards Puller 69-70 Louisville in reply to G-MAN, 02-10-2004 10:30:27

we pull at humbolt this summer , great pull they pull everything from farm tractor to over the road truck, have you been ther G-MAN. anybody have a video of this years Humbolt Neb pull?

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G-MAN

02-11-2004 07:45:52

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Re: Re: Re: Pic-FireBug Wards Puller 69-70 Louisvi in reply to mike, 02-10-2004 15:17:19

I was there this year, but not til pretty late in the evening. If you saw Eric Eden's green Peterbilt called "Spare Parts", he's a good friend of mine, and I help him work on his pulling trucks. He recently bought the Iron Draggin' sled and is going to do a bunch of the Bush pulls this summer. A lot of the people that pull Humboldt pull Pawnee, Tecumseh, Pickrell and so forth. I know the Hunzekers (Ron, Rick and Mike) that pull the 4440 and 4640 pretty well, as well as a bunch of the other guys that pull in that neck of the woods. I'm originally from Pawnee City, and there's a lot of good guys down in that area.

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1206SWMO

02-10-2004 11:23:50

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Re: Re: Pic-FireBug Wards Puller 69-70 Louisville in reply to G-MAN, 02-10-2004 10:30:27

G-Man, All thru the 60's and in to the mid 70's most all pullers hauled their tractors on 2 ton farm trucks or 10 wheelers.In the early-mid 70's I myself hauled my 12,000 lb 856 IH puller on a 1962 Ford F-600 with a 292 V8 and 4-2 speed.I can remember counting (6) trucks just like mine in the pits at Bethany,MO in the early 70's and these were NTPA pullers from as far away as Indiana.Later I hauled my pullers on a 1976 F-700 Ford 10 wheeler.

At the 1969 M&W pull there was a 5000 lb UB MM puller there hauled on the sharpest 1949 Studebaker 2 ton you ever saw.The Chev Duallys came along in the mid 70's and soon everyone had one with a big trailer.Now its about all semis with enclosed trailers.

Lyle Nelson from Boelus,NE still hauls his black 3688 IH SS on an old snubnose Ford.Lyle must be nearly 80 now.

Believe it or not the only pull I've ever been to in NE was Gibbon,NE in the late 80's on a July 4th and I took a few pictures there.My mother-in-law used to live at Madrid,NE fron 1985-97.

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Wild Horses

02-09-2004 10:25:48

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Re: Pic-FireBug Wards Puller 69-70 Louisville Cham in reply to 1206SWMO, 02-08-2004 17:07:07

We've got a guy who pulls a couple of Wards in the Classics. They have a unique hum. Strong tractors.
I also know where I could get my hands on one with a Hemi motor. Thought about it for our Hot Rod class, but I figured it be expensive to get the Hemi going.

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G-MAN

02-10-2004 10:32:26

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Re: Re: Pic-FireBug Wards Puller 69-70 Louisville in reply to Wild Horses, 02-09-2004 10:25:48

What size of Hemi? 426 or one of the earlier, much more common passenger car and truck Hemis?

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Wild Horses

02-10-2004 12:20:01

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Re: Re: Re: Pic-FireBug Wards Puller 69-70 Louisvi in reply to G-MAN, 02-10-2004 10:32:26

I'm guessing the small block Hemi. Not really a mopar man so I don't know for sure. Haven't actually seen it, only heard about it from my brother's brother-in-law. It'd probably be an expensive rebuild, parts for those aren't cheap or plentiful.

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ChadS

02-10-2004 12:43:41

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Pic-FireBug Wards Puller 69-70 Lou in reply to Wild Horses, 02-10-2004 12:20:01

I could be wrong, but on the big block hemis, arent they a 440 block with the hemi heads? I know the cranks will swap out, My cousin has a 440 police interceptor that has a 426 crank in it, It is a blower motor, Hope this helps, maybe maybe not, Why not find an old 336 hemi? Chad

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Flogger

02-11-2004 10:20:51

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Pic-FireBug Wards Puller 69-70 in reply to ChadS, 02-10-2004 12:43:41

The 426 Hemi has an extra row of head bolts. Before new 426 blocks became available some folks were welding threaded inserts in wedge blocks so the hemi heads would bolt on. Now you can buy a 528 hemi crate motor over the counter for about 13K.

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G-MAN

02-11-2004 10:41:59

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Pic-FireBug Wards Puller 6 in reply to Flogger, 02-11-2004 10:20:51

Those new crate Hemis look like a pretty good deal. Chrysler got fed up of seeing worn-out Hemi parts bringing outrageous amounts of money, and decided to get back in the game to provide new parts. And to make money of course...

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G-MAN

02-11-2004 07:47:46

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Pic-FireBug Wards Puller 69-70 in reply to ChadS, 02-10-2004 12:43:41

There was an outfit making Hemi heads to bolt on a 440 block. The blocks are pretty similar, except for the fact that a true 426 Hemi block has cross-bolted mains and other heavy-duty features not found on the 440.

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Troy

02-10-2004 20:08:26

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Pic-FireBug Wards Puller 69-70 in reply to ChadS, 02-10-2004 12:43:41

I think your thinking of the 426 wedge engine not the Hemi. The Hemi is a total different animal. For one the 440 bottom end does not take the abuse a blower puts on it and everyone knows thats what the Hemi is best known for.

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Ron

02-09-2004 18:10:39

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Re: Re: Pic-FireBug Wards Puller 69-70 Louisville in reply to Wild Horses, 02-09-2004 10:25:48

Wild Horses, sure would like to have some info on the Wards with hemi. Left my E-mail address would sure appreciate your response.

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GEE

02-08-2004 18:09:42

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Re: Pic-FireBug Wards Puller 69-70 Louisville Cham in reply to 1206SWMO, 02-08-2004 17:07:07

ANY BODY HAVE A PICTURE OF THE PIKE COUNTY STUD

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1206SWMO

02-08-2004 19:02:47

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Re: Re: Pic-FireBug Wards Puller 69-70 Louisville in reply to GEE, 02-08-2004 18:09:42

It just so happens that I do have a picture of the Pike County Stud JD pulled by Donald McKinnon.I'll put it on here some day.

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