Barn Fire

[bobthetoolguy]

Fellas, I need some help!

The barn containing my 1937 RC and my 1953 SC (both fully restored and ready to work or parade) burned to the ground yesterday. I live three hours away, so I didn't get to look at things myself, but from the photos my friend took, it looks like the ol' girls got pretty hot. The mags were melted off of both, the alternator melted on the SC and of course they are all on steel now since the rubber didn't make it through the blaze.

I'm sure that someone out there has gone through the same problem. Is there any hope of restoration for these to fine machines. There is a lot of sentimental value and history that makes these tractors worth a lot to me. I hate to see them go on a slow boat to China!

Any advice you fellas could give would be greatly appreciated.
Untitled URL Link

 

[bobthetoolguy]

The link I added on my previous post went untitled. For those interested, here is a link to the newspaper story from today's paper.
Brush fire destroys barn

 

[TimBinWV]

Sorry for your loss, Bob. We lost a David Brown 1200 and a lot of other treasures in a barn fire about 15 years ago. Dunno if yours can be saved. It's take a lot of work to do so.

 

[oldmisterbill]

I am new here -but I want to tell you how sorry I am. It just isn"t right!

 

[Anonymous-0]

Sorry for your loss. Saving them if they were hot enough to melt aluminim will be a BIG job. All the seals and gasketts will need to be replaced. But more important will be stopping the rust. Smoke is accidic and will rust EVERYTHING. Sand blasting will slow it but not stop it forever. You will need to blast it then apply a rust stop chemical to stop the rust before applying primer and paint. These arfe available at hardware and auto part stores. The important thing, if you decide to restore them, is to do it quickly, before to much damage is done from the smoke internally. You should pull all the covers and coat everything with oil again before it starts to rust. All the internal parts will have had the oil cooked off and will be covered with soot. good luck.

 

[case1939]

If the fire department sprayed water on the casting they will be cracked and they will be junk.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I have rebuilt fire damaged tractors before. Keep them dry once they have cooled off. Rapid,and severe rust are now your enemy. Some of the tractor is junk, the main castings and internal parts should be ok. If the hole tractor was junk, then why do salvage yards buy up all the burnt tractors they can? It is a big job, but almost anything can be rebuilt. I will do the job if you cant find someone willing to take on the challange. Good luck and never give up!

 

[Don Rudolph]

Sorry to hear of your misfortune. I can't help you with any answers but I would think your neighbor with the matches bears some hefty financial resposibility to make things right again. Don

 

[bobthetoolguy]

Thanks for all of the input and support guys! My insurance agent says that I"m covered for whatever that"s worth. I know they got pretty hot since the aluminum melts at about 1100 degrees F. The funniest thing is the radiators. Both radiators are still in tact with water inside.

Thanks again for the support fellas!

 

[Nick@KY]

Sorry for your loss.I had a barn fire in 2000 and lost 5 tractors.One was a very nice VAS.
I would check to see if the oil was burnt completely out of the tractor,also check the valve springs for loss of tension.I had wood stacked in the sheds beside mine and they got very hot,burning all of the oil out and collapsing they valve springs on them.The VAS was in another shed and did not get as hot.I have saved it but only for parts.If the engines are not locked up,the steering system will still turn and all of the oil is in them you may be able to save them.When they get hot enough any brass/bronze bushings will swell locking them up.
If you decide to save them for sentimental reasons I would buy a good running tractor of each model to swap parts,in the long run it will be cheaper.
I did not choose to rebuild any of mine and hauled 4 of what were good tractors off for scrap.I lost a 52 DC Eagle hitch adj wide front all fuel,52 DC eagle hitch,48 VA,47 M farmall(my sons tractor) and the VAS that I had spent a lot of time fixing everything on.I saved a few of the parts but there was'nt much that was any count on them.
As others have said the person responsible for the fire should have to pay for your loss.I would find tractors for sale in the condition yours were for an idea of their worth.Good Luck Nick

 

[CBL95]

Dang that was close to us.i live Gibson county and we lost our barn in 2002 lucky only lost one tractor a 1586 IH and it was the cause a mouse chewed a hot wire bare under the plactic fuel tank. thank god we saved the planter, 55 cub loboy, AC 180 and truck. I hope you can get your tractors re-restored back to prefect condition
God Bless and be safe,
Cort B. Lamey

 

[carpman15]

(quoted from post at 20:41:59 02/17/11) Dang that was close to us.i live Gibson county and we lost our barn in 2002 lucky only lost one tractor a 1586 IH and it was the cause a mouse chewed a hot wire bare under the plactic fuel tank. thank god we saved the planter, 55 cub loboy, AC 180 and truck. I hope you can get your tractors re-restored back to prefect condition
God Bless and be safe,
Cort B. Lamey

it can be done the 9130 i was driving at the farm started on fire while i was driving it, it was hot enough to melt aluminum fuel pump and filter base etc and lots of wires - needless to say it is running again - the fd did spray the block with water and it wasnt cracked so who knows. the fire i had i know was hot because it was fueled by diesel once the corn stalks n leaves melted the plastic water drain out of the fuel filter - stupid idea to ever make them plastic!