The_Big_Four

sourgum · Jun 30, 2023

Interesting post by kcm this morning of a 1911 Big Four 30. This is a rare tractor, This one was seen was at the Half Century Of Progress, Rantoul, ILL show several yrs ago. There are thought to be less than 20 of these in existence. Appears to be re-fueling with kerosene. Did some of the real old tractors burn kerosene in a gas engine. What is the gauge wheel in front of this tractor for. People in picture were not identified.

caterpillar guy · Jun 30, 2023

Looks to me like a guide wheel for the furrow while plowing and the arrow to tell which and how much the wheels are turned.

harhal · Jun 30, 2023

It is a guide wheel used when plowing , runs in the furrow .

db4600 · Jun 30, 2023

(quoted from post at 11:52:32 06/30/23) Interesting post by kcm this morning of a 1911 Big Four 30. This is a rare tractor, This one was seen was at the Half Century Of Progress, Rantoul, ILL show several yrs ago. There are thought to be less than 20 of these in existence. Appears to be re-fueling with kerosene. Did some of the real old tractors burn kerosene in a gas engine. What is the gauge wheel in front of this tractor for. People in picture were not identified.
<img src=https://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cvphotos/cvphoto157494.jpg>

Rumley is probably best known as a kerosene burner hence the tag to Kerosene Annie. Through the 00s, teens, and 20s kerosene was a popular fuel. The first Farmalls were still kerosene burners.

Muir hill 101 · Jun 30, 2023

Early auto steer system. Deere sold big four tractors out the branch houses for awhile

rrlund · Jun 30, 2023

They didn't need to necessarily be real old to burn Kerosene. The Oliver 90 was a kerosene engine, the 99 was gas. Same tractor otherwise. They offered about every model as a KD or HC. The KD was kerosene/ distillate, the HC was a high compression gasoline.

NDIHC · Jun 30, 2023

I believe there was a Big Four at the Makoti threshing show in Makoti ND back in the later 70s or around 1980.

Gary Reif · Jun 30, 2023

I may be mistaken but I think there is a Big Four in Gossel Kansas.

RayP(MI) · Jun 30, 2023

gives new meaning to operating heavy equipment.

When I got my implanted defibrillator, physician said I couldn't operate heavy equipment. Asked him if he knew what farmers did. I've violated about every other prohibition they laid on me. No problems so far.

olgentdc · Jun 30, 2023

You Would not believe it Today but there was a time in the late 60s that diesel fuel was less than 20 cents per gallon and kerosene was far less than that kerosene was the main fuel 100yrs ago ,,. Then every tractor builder ALL had engines that started obn gas, and ran til warmed up then swapped valves to kerosene ,,. most had models thru WW 2 and perhaps into the 1950s on the Big Horses. JD model D wasprobably thelast model to burn kerosene ,, Dad had a DC Case that was a kerosene burner in 1944. I have 3, DCs,1951-52 and a late 53 ft clutcher. the 53 does not have 2 holes for dual fuels in the tin , The other ones do .

m whalen · Jun 30, 2023

I am the guy in the middle in the picture.the young man by the truck name ecssapes me at the moment but he is a local volunteer at the show.the man on top is the owner of the tractor ,he is adding water in this picture.mike

TimV · Jun 30, 2023

We've got a 1944 Farmall H in our family with the dual tank setup to allow kerosene or distillate to be used after starting on gasoline. As said, fairly common in early tractors to take advantage of cheaper, and often more available, fuel. Believe the English called it, among other names, TVO, or Tractor Vaporizing Oil.

KCTractors · Jun 30, 2023

I delivered gas, heating oil and diesel fuel from 1968 to 1971. When I quit that job, gasoline was 29.9 cents per gal, heating and diesel
fuel was 14.9 cents per gal delivered to the location with a least 100 gal minimum. I loved the job but the dogs were terrible at that time.

55 50 Ron · Jun 30, 2023

The March 2014 issue of Farm Collector magazine has a 6 page article about Big Four tractors. I wonder if there may be back issues of that magazine available.

kcm.MN · Jun 30, 2023

(quoted from post at 19:36:04 06/30/23) I am the guy in the middle in the picture.the young man by the truck name ecssapes me at the moment but he is a local volunteer at the show.the man on top is the owner of the tractor ,he is adding water in this picture.mike

That's a wonderful photo of American history. I'll bet it felt great just to be near that beast.

37 chief · Jun 30, 2023

Ny Allis Chalmes Model M had that ability. A small tank for gas, and the larger tank for kerosene. I never ran it on kerosene. Stan

DR. EVIL · Jul 1, 2023

(quoted from post at 05:24:59 07/01/23) Ny Allis Chalmes Model M had that ability. A small tank for gas, and the larger tank for kerosene. I never ran it on kerosene. Stan

Dad had a 1939 FARMALL H that was dual fuel from the factory, little gasoline tank on the right just ahead of the big fuel tank, radiator shutters, the tin cover over the intake & exhaust manifold. I'm not sure how we ended up with it, Dad bought a full gasoline H and 50T baler about 1945 and did custom baling for 6-7 years. Everything else he had was straight gasoline The '39 H was traded for a gasoline '54 Super H which is my #1. Snow mover.
The '39 H had the gasoline tank removed, the shutters and the cover over the manifolds and burned 100% leaded regular gas. The low compression head and pistons made cold weather starting kinda touchy. The Super H starts great, give it full choke about two revolutions and it catches and push the choke in and reduce the throttle setting.
The JD R diesel we had started terribly, normally a FARMALL M and a stout chain was needed, the SH would spin-out. The 1940 B John Deere started easier, but whatever the B could do the SH did better, faster, and on less gas.. The 4010 diesel was the same as the R, needed a FARMALL M to pull start

J.Wondergem · Jul 1, 2023

Dad had 2 John Deeres when I was a kid. 1936 John Deere B and a 1938 John Deere A. He ran what they called power fuel. It was green in color. Started it on gasoline then switched over to power fuel. He ran it in the car and pickup too, but they didn't run good on it. I'm not sure how the power fuel lined up with kerosine, but maybe close.

RusselAZ · Jul 1, 2023

Farmall Regulars started on gas and preferred to run loaded on kerosene/diselate. In the 70's I had one and mixed 10 gallon of kerosene with 5 gallon of gasoline and it made good power. Had a 15 gallon barrel so it was easy. I ran my model A ford car on kerosene for a few minutes with a added little tank. Just playing around. Exhaust smelled like a kerosene lantern.

The_Big_Four

sourgum

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caterpillar guy

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harhal

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db4600

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Muir hill 101

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rrlund

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NDIHC

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Gary Reif

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RayP(MI)

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olgentdc

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m whalen

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TimV

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KCTractors

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55 50 Ron

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kcm.MN

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37 chief

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DR. EVIL

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J.Wondergem

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RusselAZ

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