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41ModelC 
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Joined: 20 Aug 2020
Location: NJ
Points: 4
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 Topic: Model C Factory Configurations/Options?
Posted: 21 Aug 2020 at 8:32am |
Hi there, new member here. I purchased my home on old farm land and paid a little extra to keep the 1941 model C that was here. I have reason to believe it has lived most of, if not all it's life on this property. I am getting to the point where I can restore it and have some questions about the configuration of a few things. The last surviving family member I bought the farm from had kept it going and changed a few small things. He was definitely a repurposer and to give you guys a laugh here is what he did: -Front tires are supposedly from a Volkswagen Beetle and are bald, rear are snow tires from a tractor trailer with knobbies but less aggressive than an r-1. -Exhaust stack was a slip on muffler from a motorcycle -Fuel strainer is a screw on Aspirin bottle -In place of oil filter was a mason jar -Front grill screen is something you would see on a box which goes over a house heating radiator -He repainted it at some point with a farmall looking reddish paint -somewhere along the line, I'm guessing soon after WWII an ammo box was bolted to the left side of the steering column toolbox which is definitely cool and useful.
I put a real exhaust on it and of course an oil filter so far. I found a factory hydro pump(it didnt come with one) and installed a 3 point conversion and use it to broadcast spread my fields with fertilizer, lime, and seed. The light weight and less aggressive tires work great when everything is mushy in early spring it doesn't leave ruts. She runs very well and starts right up just the governor is getting a little lazy but not a big factor when I'm just driving around fields.
When I do the restoration I will possibly remove the 3 point but we will see. If I take it off I won't use the tractor as much for sure and she was built to work.
So my questions are: -Was there an option for an easy rider seat or would this have been an aftermarket installation? It looks like a factory setup but every picture I've seen of C's have the bench seat. -Did all C's come with lights if equipped with a generator? Mine has a generator but doesn't have lights and I see no remnants of a switch or wiring. -My battery is mounted on the right side to the rear of the starter. There is what looks like a factory installed ammeter at the rear bottom of the toolbox below the steering column that would be blocked with the battery box I see all the C's have. Anyone ever see this before?
When I restore it I would like it to be like it was from the factory for the most part with the exception of the ammo box. I consider this kind of like trench art and can see a young man coming back from the war and bolting it on.
Thank you everyone for any information!
Ken
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CTuckerNWIL
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: NW Illinois
Points: 22824
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Posted: 21 Aug 2020 at 9:25am |
Monroe built an after market pan seat set up. The C came with a bench seat. I suppose it may have been possible to buy an electric start C without headlights? If there are holes on both sides of the radiator shroud, it probably had them at one time. The battery box was centered behind the tool box, and the ammeter was mounted in a rectangle box on the back side of the steering support post. I believe the 3 position light switch would be lower left and the mag kill switch would be lower right on the ammeter box.  It might be that you C didn't have any starter or generator from the factory, so wouldn't have had lights. Many things could have been changed over the years.
Edited by CTuckerNWIL - 21 Aug 2020 at 9:28am
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plummerscarin
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Joined: 22 Jun 2015
Location: ia
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Posted: 21 Aug 2020 at 12:09pm |
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Would love to see some before and after pics. My dad did the same thing with an ammo box for his WD. Matter of fact he a couple, one was portable to work out of at any time.
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41ModelC
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Joined: 20 Aug 2020
Location: NJ
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Posted: 21 Aug 2020 at 5:03pm |
 CTuckerNWIL wrote:
Monroe built an after market pan seat set up. The C came with a bench seat.
I suppose it may have been possible to buy an electric start C without headlights? If there are holes on both sides of the radiator shroud, it probably had them at one time.
The battery box was centered behind the tool box, and the ammeter was mounted in a rectangle box on the back side of the steering support post. I believe the 3 position light switch would be lower left and the mag kill switch would be lower right on the ammeter box.
It might be that you C didn't have any starter or generator from the factory, so wouldn't have had lights. Many things could have been changed over the years.
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I'll have to get a picture on here. The ammeter is in front of where the battery box would be and looks like a factory mount that fits perfect where it is. I don't have any switches to include a magneto kill. I wonder if since it's an early machine or around wartime they deleted the battery box and switch box to save metal? There is a metal tab on the magneto that you push to ground to kill the engine. I pull the throttle all the way back and it kills instantly.
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Ed (Ont)
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Joined: 08 Nov 2009
Location: New Lowell, Ont
Points: 1476
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Posted: 21 Aug 2020 at 9:37pm |
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Looks like that one was done by the Guild. They are in Bradford, Ontario. Mostly automotive restorations but has been buying tractors lately. They are an hour from me.
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Steve in NJ
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Andover, NJ
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Posted: 22 Aug 2020 at 8:27am |
Does your C have foot brakes or hand brakes. The early C's had hand brakes, and not a lot of accessories. They did come with Starter motors tho, so it should've had a Battery box located like in the pic.
Steve@B&B bb-customcircuits.com
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39'RC, 43'WC, 48'B, 49'G, 50'WF, 65 Big 10, 67'B-110, 75'716H, 2-620's, & a Motorhead wife
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41ModelC
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Joined: 20 Aug 2020
Location: NJ
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Posted: 22 Aug 2020 at 11:04pm |
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Hand brakes only
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Bill Long
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Bel Air, MD
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Posted: 23 Aug 2020 at 3:37pm |
Sounds like you have a rather early C. If I am correct the Foot Brakes came out around 1942. Check the serial number which is in front of the gear shift lever. There is a serial number list on this site if not let us know and we can certify the year made. Most of the C's had electric set up except for the later war years 43-45 when they removed the electrics for war time use. Of course you have so many "alterations" to your unit who knows. Sounds like you have an excellent running unit that needs some work. In any event welcome to the Forum. We will be delighted to be of any help we can. Good Luck! Bill Long
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steve(ill)
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: illinois
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Posted: 23 Aug 2020 at 4:46pm |
this is what you C would have looked like without the battery box .... the wheel rims should be orange but the rest looks correct..
Edited by steve(ill) - 23 Aug 2020 at 4:48pm
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Like them all, but love the "B"s.
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steve(ill)
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Location: illinois
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Posted: 23 Aug 2020 at 4:56pm |
note that in the photo above, this is the ORIGINAL sheet metal under the gas tank, on a B or C without a battery....... If you had battery from the factory, that sheet metal would have been cut vertically 3-4 inchs off the back so the battery box could be installed between the sheet metal and the steering post.
you generator bolts to the left side of the engine block... look behind the bracket and see if there are two casting BOSS that the bracket bolts to, or if the block is FLAT and had no original BOSS for the generator... Early motors could be drilled and tapped with two bolts to install a later generator....
also the MOTOR serial number is located on the left rear corner of the motor on a machined flat area by the bell housing.... TRACTOR serial number is by the gear shift.
motor serial number is BE xxxxxx
tractor serial number is C xxxxxx
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Like them all, but love the "B"s.
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