Half-Scale Models Of Old Case Tractors

Half-Scale Models Of Old Case Tractors TRACTORS Made-It-Myself 25-5-23 Retired farmer Marvin Copenbarger of Mt. Auburn, Ill., always enjoyed driving his Case tractors when he was farming. So as soon as he retired he started building half-scale models of Case tractors. He now has six of them, and all six models really work. Most of them are powered by small 8 hp Briggs & Stratton gas engines. Each year Copenbarger and his wife put some of the tractors on display at a local parade. "They bring back memories for people who lived in the 1920's, æ30's, and æ40's because they work just like the full-sized machines did," says Copenbarger. "My tractors aren't exact copies, but I've done everything possible to make them look authentic." His collection includes a 1927 Case 12-20 "Junior" Crossmotor, a Model RC with a "Sunburst Orange" grill, a 1939 RC, a Case 800 "Junior", a 1929 Model L, and a 1947 Model LA. The Crossmotor and the 800 have 4-cylinder water-cooled engines. The Crossmotor's engine is off a Farmall Cub tractor and the 800's engine is off a Hercules ZXB tractor. "It generally takes me about six months to make one tractor," says Copenbarger. "Each tractor costs $1,500 to $3,000 to make. "The 1927 Crossmotor has unusual wheel rims with triangle-shaped holes just like the ones on the real tractor. It was the only model that Case ever made with wheel rims designed like that. I had a machine company cut the discs out and I welded them together. My half-scale model has rubber strips on both the front and rear wheels just like the one I used when I was farming. I bought mine with steel wheels. However, I wanted to drive it on the highway so I mounted rubber strips over the wheels. "I mounted dual rear wheels on my half-scale 800 model because that's how the real 800 looked when I farmed." Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Marvin Copenbarger, 3100 N. 1725 E. Rd., Mt. Auburn, Ill. 62547 (ph 217 676-4533).

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