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My Latest Acquisition, 1953 40S

4660 Views 18 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  Kster526
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Last fall I ran across something on Kansas City CL I'd wanted for 50 years, after drooling over it for about a month, I decided to go buy it;

Automotive side-view mirror Mirror Wheel Sky Vehicle
   Wheel Tire Land vehicle Vehicle Automotive tire


A 1953 40 Standard!

In the mid 1960's my folks bought a farm about 10 miles from home. The farm was on a dirt road & we kept some cattle there, so Dad went to the usual jd dealer looking for an 8N Ford to put a lead hitch on to pull behind the pickup to the new farm. They had two @ $750 & $850, also an MT jd for $150, he bought the MT, made a cart to run the front wheels into to tow. I spent a lot of hours & road miles on that MT & had an itch for an M or 40S. It now belongs to me:   Tire Wheel Tractor Sky Vehicle
   Wheel Tire Vehicle Tractor Automotive tire


& Chief & Dotties, of course!

After finding the 40, I found a Ford 5' front blade, made my own mounting brackets for it to clean the drive:   Wheel Tire Plant Automotive tire Tread
   Bumper Automotive exterior Gas Wood Auto part


Tire Wheel Tractor Vehicle Automotive tire
   Wheel Tire Vehicle Tractor Automotive tire
   Wheel Tire Snow Vehicle Automotive tire


The blade will be painted green when the weather warms up this spring!
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The 320 is basically the same tractor as the 40.   jd replaced the 40 with the 420, roughly 20% more HP than the 40.  But had enough call for the smaller size, they came out with the 320!

The 1010 was built from 1960-65 36 HP, 4 cylinder, part of John Deere's "New Generation" series.
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It warmed up enough today so that the blue blade;   Wheel Tire Vehicle Tractor Automotive tire
 

is now green:     Plant Tire Wheel Table Tree


Five coats of Rustoleum "John Deere Green", last two with hardener.  Hopefully, I'll get it back together tomorrow & put in the back shed for storage until next winter.
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Green is good Lowell maybe I will have one of those bigger Deere someday . I like the looks of those and the little LA's
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Put the blade back together this morning, first the pivot bolts:   Green Hood Bumper Fender Automotive exterior


Next, the springs:   Green Motor vehicle Gas Grass Auto part


Next, the original Ford serial number plate:   Gas Grass Automotive exterior Rectangle Composite material


Back in one piece:   Green Grass Motor vehicle Gas Chair


Used the 790 w/300 loader to move it to the back shed for storage until next snow season:   Plant Plant community Green Motor vehicle Sky


Slow & easy does it:   Green Plant Lawn mower Motor vehicle Vehicle


Had to re-hook to get it through the shed door:   Green Motor vehicle Vehicle Grass Gas
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Lowell, the plow turned out great. It's great that you have the 790 and loader to move stuff around with. That plow can't be light. I like that you put hose over the bolt threads.
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I decided on another attachment for the 40, it's been setting out back for years:   Grass Bicycle accessory Bicycle part Motor vehicle Basket


Dad bought this model 20 3-pt dirt scoop 45-50 years ago at a farm auction.  It was in good shape until my uncle used it on his 4010, he caught something & bent the "H" out of it!  We got it straightened out & re-enforced it (to us, not for looks)!  Yesterday when ordering decals for the 40S,   Motor vehicle Automotive tire Bumper Line Automotive exterior
   Motor vehicle Bumper Automotive exterior Vehicle door Wood


I decided to cleanup the 20 scoop & ordered period correct decals for it too.  Today I brought it to the shed & cut the re-enforcement's off.  Five 1/8" x 4-1/2" cutting disks later & some grinding:   Luggage and bags Bag Basket Gas Grass


I'll need a little body putty in places when I get it cleaned & sanded for painting with jd "Classic Green"!
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Three coats of jd "Classic Green this morning:   Plant Leaf Tree Branch Land lot
   Plant Outdoor bench Grass Shade Outdoor furniture


Hope to put it back together in a day or two!
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Finished the 20 scoop this morning, hardest part was spreading the "drawbar" enough to fit over the side knobs:   Tire Wheel Motor vehicle Waste container Wood


Decals are on & it's now stored in the back shed until show season:   Plant Sky Tree Motor vehicle Grass
   Motor vehicle Sky Grass Tree Vehicle
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Nice job, that is an item that not many people have around I`m sure.

   Don.
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Put the decals on the sheet metal of the 40 today:   Green Motor vehicle Tractor Agricultural machinery Automotive tire
   Tractor Green Vehicle Motor vehicle Automotive tire
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Put the 1-14" plow on the 40 today for a short ditching project:   Tire Wheel Tractor Automotive tire Vehicle
   Tire Wheel Vehicle Tractor Automotive tire
 

 It needs some cleaning now:   Wheel Tire Tractor Vehicle Automotive tire
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Finally, I got started on the little 40, taking it apart for a paint job.   Tire Wheel Land vehicle Vehicle Motor vehicle


When I took the hood & grille off, I found a nice surprise.  New radiator!   Wheel Tire Motor vehicle Vehicle Automotive tire
  

Gas tank's off, oil pan is off for cleaning:   Wheel Tire Vehicle Motor vehicle Automotive tire


  I was even able to get the battery tray off without twisting any bolts off!
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Gone about as far as I'm going to go on the 40:   Wheel Automotive tire Motor vehicle Tread Tire


Motor vehicle Automotive tire Wood Gas Machine


Wheel Tire Motor vehicle Automotive tire Vehicle


I need to do some wire brushing in some areas yet.  Hope to spray some paint by the end of the week!
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Primer on this morning:   Wood Plant Gas Auto part Machine


This afternoon, 4 double coats of JD "Classic Green":   Tire Vehicle Wheel Motor vehicle Plant
Green Plant Vehicle Motor vehicle Engineering
Green Motor vehicle Automotive tire Wheel Tread


Hope to clean the wheels up tomorrow & give them a coat of JD "Yellow"!
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Put most of the 40 back together yesterday:   Wheel Tire Automotive tire Tractor Motor vehicle
   Tire Wheel Motor vehicle Vehicle Automotive tire


This morning I put the fenders & rear wheels on & just couldn't resist, even though I'll have to take the fronts back off for new tires in a few days:   Tire Wheel Sky Tractor Vehicle
   Wheel Tire Tractor Vehicle Automotive tire
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All touched up & ready for the shows!   Wheel Tire Vehicle Tractor Motor vehicle


I'll probably put the front blade on for the first show, in about 3 weeks.
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I've been making a tool box & water bottle holder for the 40;   Motor vehicle Green Automotive exterior Grass Bumper


Also a pair of flag holders for parades;   Green Grass Terrestrial plant Gas Cylinder


Wheel Tire Tractor Plant Vehicle


Tire Wheel Vehicle Tractor Automotive tire


Had to test fit to see if I could haul the little L/60 Custom beside the 40, tight, but it'll work!   Tire Wheel Vehicle Motor vehicle Automotive tire
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Good looking tractors in the collection Lowell.

That restoration on the 40 came out real nice. 
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