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Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

Fire Damaged Farmall M

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MarkNOhio

07-28-2004 18:24:41




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I need everybody's opinion here. A week ago today an arsonist set fire to my friend-since-childhood machinery barn. In it was a 1951 Farmall M that was owned since new by a mutual friend, long since gone. The fire was hot enough to completly melt the radiator, the tube connecting the governor (pot metal/
aluminum) was partially melted, and of course all 4 tires and wiring along with the gauges. 1 fender is partially warped and the grill just in front of the radiator cap has a small dent where it looks like a rafter or something fell on it during the fire. Do you think it's worth saving or should he part it out? The tractor was in pristine origional shape before the fire, both rear tires were origional with better than 50% tread, the paint was from 1951 with all origional decals. I looked at the tractor this afternoon but because of debris in the front of it I couldn't put the crank on it to see if the engine would still turn. The clutch was definately stuck, at least I couldn't move it with my hand by pulling on it. From what little I could tell the gear shift went into most of the gears (not all but that should be normal if the clutch won't disengauge) and seemed free. Should I make my friend an offer on it? Once the insurance pays him off I should be able to get it at a pretty reasonable price. ($2-300?) I don' realy need another tractor, I've got my grandfathers '49 Farmall H and a MF 135 diesel that I mow with but would hate to see a tractor that I drove 40 years ago get melted down or something.

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Leland

07-28-2004 20:12:30




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 Re: Fire Damaged Farmall M in reply to MarkNOhio, 07-28-2004 18:24:41  
Mark if you plan on putting back together you may as well start looking for parts now. In 5 yrs or so some parts will be harder to find and prices will just keep going up good luck with your rebuild post a picture when done.



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Jim

07-28-2004 19:27:50




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 Re: Fire Damaged Farmall M in reply to MarkNOhio, 07-28-2004 18:24:41  
Well back in 1977 when some %^&%^*#%&^@%^!#$ threw a "cocktail" into our hay mow we had a baler, rake, and wagon burn, plus a 1030 CASE and a IH560D, and I'm still farming with the two tractors. The wagon got bent and the baler fell through the floor with the rake, the only thing that saved the tractors was they were parked on the ground in the hay barn addition, some beams fell on them, but it wasn't nothing some body dollies and a welder couldn't fix. I had to completely rebuild the tractors, but it didn't burn the paint off inside the castings, but it melted both radiators and injector pumps. As far as the insurance thing, they totaled mine too, but it was up to me to dispose of them. Tell your friend to check his policy to see who the owner of a totaled vehical is because a lot of them are different, and some just don't care to deal with disposal. I'd say rebuild that M, it has sentimental value to you.

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Kelvin

07-28-2004 19:07:47




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 Re: Fire Damaged Farmall M in reply to MarkNOhio, 07-28-2004 18:24:41  
I brought back a MM ZB that was in similar burned up shape-only it was drug to the woods from the barn in 1962 and left there. Count on replacing all the external stuff.
If you get it, pour something to keep it from sticking in the cylinders ASAP. Also, count on replacing almost all the gaskets on the whole entire tractor.



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Cliff Neubauer

07-28-2004 19:04:06




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 Re: Fire Damaged Farmall M in reply to MarkNOhio, 07-28-2004 18:24:41  
Unless there is some personal reason to rebuild that M I would let it get parted out. If it got that hot in the fire I wouldn't trust any of the metal to still have it's intended strength and at the very least it will probably need every bearing in the tractor replaced. I have some friends that had a combination shop/machinery storage building burn from an electrical problem last week, they lost six tractors, a truck, field cultivator, batwing mower, a grain cart plus all the equipment in a fairly well equiped shop. I am guessing they had $750,000 damage in that fire and I might be on the low side.

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john *.?-!.* cub owner

07-28-2004 18:58:48




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 Re: Fire Damaged Farmall M in reply to MarkNOhio, 07-28-2004 18:24:41  
Mark, I bought a burned cub for parts a couple years ago, and can tell you that you probably will need all the smaller stuff. The transmission, engine, and such bigger items will probably have survived, but all the smaller external items such as governor, starter, generator, distributor, etc. will have to be replaced. Every seal will be bad, and if it sets very long many bearings will rust. If you do get it, the trick is to get it inside and dismantled or at least soaked good with oil right away.

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jimNCal

07-28-2004 18:55:04




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 Re: Fire Damaged Farmall M in reply to MarkNOhio, 07-28-2004 18:24:41  
Barn will get rebuilt. Why not the tractor? Seems to me the fire bug just gets more of a victory out of something being permanently destroyed. Although I could be biased here as I've been looking for a nice M to add to my stable. jim



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Allan in NE

07-28-2004 18:50:29




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 Re: Fire Damaged Farmall M in reply to MarkNOhio, 07-28-2004 18:24:41  
Mark,

I'll just bet that the insurance totals out the tractor. When this happens and they pay off your neighbor, the tractor no longer belongs to him.

It belongs to the insurance company.

Allan



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farmall 340

07-28-2004 18:40:30




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 Re: Fire Damaged Farmall M in reply to MarkNOhio, 07-28-2004 18:24:41  
where are you located. My neighbors home and garage with a restored case VAC in it were burned to the ground 2 nights ago by an arsonist. I am in west Michigan



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MarkNOhio

07-28-2004 19:36:16




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 Re: Re: Fire Damaged Farmall M in reply to farmall 340, 07-28-2004 18:40:30  
farmall340, I'm in SW Ohio about 30 miles north of Cincinnati. The guy that set fire to my friends barn has been in custody since the night of the fire a week ago today. Thanks to everyone that answered my question. Yes, the tractor does have semential value to me and yes, I had firgured on replacing all of the external parts along with seals, bearings, etc. Just not sure that I want to take on a project that big until I retire in 5 years or so. I guess I could oil everything down good as some have suggested and store it for awhile though. Thanks again.

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