1930? Doodle Bug

Mo in NE Tx · Dec 2, 2017

Lucked on this unique piece of history and was able to bring it home today. Should make a great conversation piece at local shows and pulls. Motor is loose and has compression, so should be able to get it running soon. The rear drive is in decent shape, lugs will have to go, just smooth rubber to keep it simple. Anyone have any idea of who would have manufactured the rear drive gears and axle?

MNGB · Dec 2, 2017

Congrats on getting a very nice looking machine have fun I like it
GB in MN

jeffcat · Dec 2, 2017

I can help a little on your new toy. 1930/31 model"A"Ford. That you should already know. By the way ,the original engine color is Ford engine green. Looks like everything in the engine compartment is correct and not all buggered up. Compression???? if it runs be happy! To have an A engine rebuilt correctly you can easily go a grand and a half. That rear has got to be farm related? At the Kinzer tractor show the Moline tractors look something like that. Don't forget, you need a Klaxon ooga horn on it. Also 6volt pos. Nothing like having a gas tank in your lap. Also do NOT take the gas gauge apart if it is working. It is sealed with white lead and not only can you not get it...you will never get it to stop leaking. Know a couple of fools who just had to try it. The engine in the picture is a very late T engine but it is the correct color.

Lyn Jones · Dec 3, 2017

The conversion looks identical to what is on my 1925 Model T doodlebug and is by Montgomery Ward.

oldhammerhead · Dec 3, 2017

Jeffcat what is white lead?

wally_mi · Dec 3, 2017

what you have is a thrifty farmer.it was sold by wards and sears both. good luck and keep us posted. wally

SweetFeet · Dec 3, 2017

Pretty cool! I like its semi-RUSTic finish.

Angle Iron · Dec 3, 2017

(quoted from post at 06:32:18 12/03/17)
what you have is a thrifty farmer.it was sold by wards and sears both. good luck and keep us posted. wally

id they flip the differential to get the travel direction right? I had also heard of running two transmissions to get the speed to power ratio correct but have never seen one in person.

jeffcat · Dec 3, 2017

Just google. What I remember as a kid it is a white putty almost like
window putty. Trouble is that it has lead oxide or some kind of poison
from lead. It worked really well to seal gasoline.

jeffcat · Dec 3, 2017

Wally gets the cigar! I didnt even think of Sears Roebuck or Montgomery Wards. Found these on the net.

David R Inman · Dec 3, 2017

You have a Thrifty Farmer Tractor conversion Kit on a Ford A, made by Peru Wheel and Iron Works, of Peru, Illinois, for sale in Sears and Wards catalogs. On what I call the hub cap casting (yours is painted white), should be some casting letters PERU, and I think a PN too. There should also be an PN casting on the center of the wheel, somewhere on the same surface as the grease fitting. I've yet to learn how to know where one of these was sold, just who made them. They made kits for the Ford A, T, Chevys, Dodges, and quite frankly they probably could have been made to fit any old car.

My Dad has one of the Peru Kits on an A.

I also saw a Peru Kit on a Chevy at a swap meet here in Ct for $800.

A photo of the add I found on the web, plus two photos of my Dad's A he's found a Ford A bed to set on the back of it.

Mo in NE Tx · Dec 5, 2017

The rear end is flipped on mine. The way the drive gears turn, it would reverse the drive and you'd have three reverses and only one forward if you didn't flip it.

Conversiont · Dec 7, 2017

David is dead on - it's a Sears Thrifty Farmer kit made by Peru. Here's a picture of mine (that was significantly modified to fit an AA running gear:

ldj · Sep 26, 2021

(quoted from post at 22:48:04 12/05/17) The rear end is flipped on mine. The way the drive gears turn, it would reverse the drive and you'd have three reverses and only one forward if you didn't flip it.

You still have this Doodlebug.
Leo

1930? Doodle Bug

Mo in NE Tx

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