Pat's 1925 McCormick-Deering 10-20
Oh, one of the pictures is taken when the tractor was in Alexandria Bay, New York. That is where we found it. Actually, I was sitting on a bar stool in Vieques - that is a little tiny island off of Puerto Rico. I had won an antique tractor book at the Christmas party drawing. The guy sitting next to me started talking about old tractors. In the conversation he said he had one, told me all about it, and mentioned that he might want to sell it. I was living in St. Kitts - an island on down in the Caribbean. I told him that if I was to ever come back to the states that I might be interested. We talked about the purchase over a few beers. He was selling it by the pound. With every beer he kept bringing his price down, at no encouragement from me. He told me his final offer was I think $.07 a pound. It was a deal.
|
Well, of all things, about a year later I ended up in New York. I am a veterinarian for the government, so I go where I am told. So that is where I went. I worked every so often up in the Thousand Island area in upstate New York. The tractor was on an island in the St. Lawrence seaway. Looked the guy up, got a trailer lined up, and went to pick her up. It was COVERED in foliage in the forest, had to hack back the brush to get to her and pulled her out.
|
|
 |
Had to get the tractor running in a hurry. Got the magneto we sent you at a huge tractor show in Indiana. Over the years we cranked and cranked 'til our arms felt like they were falling off. Nothing. But once we put on this mag, she fired. Oh my gosh we were like little kid, hooping and hollaring - rode her around the circle drive in the forest of Michigan. The radiator has lots of bullet holes in it, so the water was pouring out of each hole. Was a hoot. We were so excited.
|
Had to trailer her right away off to KC, left Michigan in a snow storm. Got her to KC, had her running pretty good, enjoyed about a week of playing with her, then put her away in a nice warm barn in a little farmette just north of KC. Nice guy and his wife, excited to take her in. But I think that he was a bit nervous about running and playing with her. Alan said that he had tried now and then, but nothing.
|
 |
 |
We are now home and back to work. I with my job and my wife busy with building huricane shutters for our house. We just had one blow by just to the north of us, Frances who is now east of us and going to hit the Bahamas and Florida come soon.
Well have gone on long enough. Enjoy the pictures. I will let you know how she runs, hopefully soon.
Pat and Shirley |
Came across your business cards today while cleaning my desk. Remembered that you wanted a picture of our tractor. You worked on the magneto for us. We were in a rush to get it while in Kansas City so we could get it remounted and take a ride. But it did not come before we had to fly home to St. Croix. We have not heard from our friend Alan who is taking care of the tractor for us to see if he has got it going or not. Sure would like to make it up that way soon to get the old girl going. I'll let you know when we do. Alan did said the mag looked "beautiful".
Thanks again so much for the rushed work you did for us. Sure appreciate it. I'll keep in touch to let you know how it's going. |
 |
|
