"Blame it on the Japanese"

When I was a small child, we lived on a farm in North Ga. and had an IH 504 gas and a JD 320 (like to have that one back).  I was 9 years old when we moved off the farm, but I still remember loving to ride in my daddy's lap on that old 504 as he worked around and cleaned out the chicken houses.

Thirty years have passed and I found myself in need of a small tractor as we were building the house we live in now. Imagine that on your to-do list, arrange buildings insurance, collect wood, buy tractor! The builder had a '78 model Kubota 25 hp "rice burner" (actually 3 cyl diesel).  Wanted $2500, so I bought it.

About 9 months later, I was pulling an implement too big for this machine and it jumped out of gear.  To make a long story short, I needed a kit to fix the tranny, and the kit costs $1200!  Almost half what I paid for the tractor!  Need to remind the Japanese of Hiroshima!  Boy, I was mad!

A week or so later, I was telling my cotton farmer uncle my predicament, and he said he knew where what he thought was an "N" Ford of some type that a friend of his wanted to sell.  (My uncle thinks John Deere's are for farming and other tractors are for play)  The owner was an old cotton farmer whose health was failing him, and wanted the tractor & implements moved so he could mow down the 6 foot weeds that had grown where they were.

Later that day, I rode by and looked at the tractor.  It was a GREY hooded Ford 4000. Never heard of nor seen one.  Upon telling others about it, all said it was a "Golden Jubilee".  Figuring it was too big and out of my price range, I forgot it until the following Saturday night my uncle calls and informs me that he has bought the tractor for me!  Before the cussing was to begin, I managed to ask him how much I had just given for the tractor. 

His reply was as follows: "Well, I couldn't give him what he was asting for it.  It just wadn't enough money for the thang."  (ever seen a man with 8 quarts of blood in his head? that was me right about then!)  Before I could utter, my uncle continued "Said he'd up the price if we'd clear out all of his old 'tachments and comeback and bush hawg where they was.  Said about fiteen hundered ort to cover it..."  I have since restored the old Ford (click on pics for larger detail) and netted the following from this ordeal:

 - 1964 Ford 4000 4 cyl Gas (model # 41202), 5 speed, original owner, 577 accurate ProofMeter hours, Live PTO, Live Lift, Remote Hyd. 2 stage clutch,etc.
 - Ford brand 2 bottom moldbard turning plow
 - Ford brand Rotary Hoe (I had to be told what it was, as well as what it did)
 - Ford brand 5' Heavy Duty bush hog.
 - Ford brand 2 row adjustable cultivator
 - Ford brand 6' multi-purpose plow
 - Ford brand double-gang disc harrow
 - Unknown brand (maybe even home made) lift pole
 - Unknown brand (its blue, but could have been repainted) post hole auger

Would have never even looked if it hadn't been for the Kubota.  I still have it and may fix it yet, but I will have to be on Valium, Whiskey or something when I go pay for the parts!

Tommy Duvall
Dalton, Ga.
tduvall@alltel.net




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