In 2003, Carl’s 54 year old 49 DC was setting in the weeds at his farm 30 miles SW of Topeka, Kansas. Carl is my younger brother. Carl was in no hurry to truck it to a salvage yard but he intended to get around to doing that. The 49 DC still ran. Because of not having a hydraulic system, a significant problem had developed over the years. Hydraulic lift cylinders on implements had become the norm.
As viewed setting in the weeds, the low height of the rear tires is a clue that this DC had gotten modified to where it looks much like a D model. Notice the bar axle and the wide front in Carl’s “play-time” picture. Our family referred to this tractor as “Carl’s old D” so I will refer to it later as a D model.
Around 1974, when this 49 DC was about 25 years old, another owner had allowed it to freeze up and crack the block behind the intake manifold. The obvious crack had been smeared over with a paste.
Carl found this damaged DC setting on the back lot of a Ford tractor dealer. Because we were poor growing up, dad had taught us how to fix up “junk” farm machinery. Carl was able to by this “junk” DC very cheap: engine cracked and without hydraulics. Carl’s steel plate with rubber gasket, bolted on with quarter inch bolts, was still not leaking many years later in 2003 when it got rescued from the junk man.
Carl’s “old D Case” spent three periods of time at his farm—about 29 years total. First period was doing tillage for about 10 years. Second period, it was dedicated to a PTO feed grinder for about 10 years. Third period, it was parked for about 9 years—first in a barn and then outside where weeds grow because the barn got torn down.
The first period ended mainly because it did not have hydraulics needed to raise and lower implements. The second period ended because there was no more need to grind hog feed. The third period ended when it was removed from the weeds and hauled to my farm.
Carl was about ready to haul off his old D when he decided to asked me if I want it. Yup, I wanted to rescue it. Instead of hauling it off to the junk man, Carl hauled it 450 miles to my place in April 2003. My older brother, Dean, rode along in order to have some family fun playing with old tractors.
The next few days, the three of us played with old tractors, plows, and a spring tooth harrow. Carl’s old D still had a lot of spunk. The 35 B John Deere, that Carl had refurbished, came along for play time. The 35 B was the companion tractor to dad’s 38 C Case.
The only significant part that needed to be replaced was the front connecting rod’s Babbitt was critically pitted. I replaced the 6V system with 12V. I replaced the mag with a distributor. I replaced the standard head with a 5505 high compression head. I added a muffler and a paper air filter assembly at the air inlet---- and other minor items. It already had big AL pistons---all parts still in good condition.
13 months after arriving with the old D, my two brothers showed up again-----this time to see if middle brother had learned how to fix things lol---and to play some more with old tractors. Surprise---the D started within 2 seconds on 5/20/04!!! It had not forgotten to start on the 3rd compression.
It helped plow 80 acres in Oct 2004 and got used on many other occasions.
Because I was getting old and wanted to have some input in its future, I found Carl’s old D a good future home in 2016---having a barn and 3 generations, all younger than me, interested in old tractors.
Hopefully, the oldest of the five DCs that I rescued will remain rescued for a long time.