Sunday, July 18, 2010

A brief entry about Cliff's Oliver 1855

A certain shorthorn farmer in Michigan wondered why I haven't been doing entries with pictures showing Cliff's progress on the big 1855 Oliver tractor, so here's the explanation, especially for ole Fernan.  
Last winter we had bone-chilling cold for months; usually in Missouri there are occasional days during the winter when temperatures will get as high as sixty.  Not last winter.  So, Cliff couldn't paint his 1855 because of the cold.  
As it started to warm up, it began to rain... every.  single.  day.  On the rare days when it wasn't raining, the humidity was super high.  Guess what?  You can't paint a tractor when there's high humidity.  
Cliff still hadn't worked the tractor enough hours for it to be "broke in", and he couldn't do much with it disassembled.  He was itching to get on that tractor, but it was in pieces waiting for a paint job.  
So on our son's last visit in June, he and Cliff put the whole mess back together.  It worked out well, because they found some issues that needed attention.  The tractor can now be taken out and worked hard (when Cliff can find something on forty-two acres that can use that big a tractor), although it still can't be taken for a simple joy-ride.  Because it isn't "broke in".  Do you know anybody in Missouri that would loan us a dyno? At least if we had one of those, the tractor would be broke in at one sitting, and ready to use.  
As far as mechanical issues, the tractor is sound and ready; oh, it has a few minor oil leaks like any tractor its age.  But it just can't be painted when the humidity is high or the temperatures are low.  On the rare day when humidity isn't so high and it isn't raining, we seem to disappear on the motorcycle.  
So there you have it, Fernan.  I hope that answers your questions.  
Meanwhile, Cliff has the new little Super 55 to tinker with.

1 comment:

  1. LMAO....
    You are a Sweet Heart, Miss Donna. Thank you for the 1855's explanation. I feel Cliff's hobbied or is that hobbled pain?. We had such long stretches of cold weather here, there were days fingers near frozen made making mechanical head way slow if not delayed do to the Winter cold.

    Occasionally when push had come to shove I fired up one of those electrical gun fired torpedo heaters, keeping in mind not to set a plastic bucket in front of it.

    Neighbor was sitting on one as it melted out from under him. What a hoot! Seems there are times a body can't refrain from laughter another body's predicament.

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