1950 “M” Re-Powered With V-12 GMC Engine
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When the International Harvester Company built more than 270,000 Farmall M tractors in the late 1940’s and early 50’s, chances are they couldn’t imagine that nearly 65 years later a Nebraska farmer and his son would replace an original 4-cyl. gas engine with a V-12. The Scholtings got the idea for the unusual repower when they saw an old V-12 engine sitting at a local repair shop and asked if it was for sale. Hearing that it was, they decided to buy it.
“We’ve built our share of pulling tractors over the years, adding horsepower through overhauling and repowers, so after a couple years we eventually settled on putting the 275 hp V-12 in an M,” says Don Scholting. “We had to stretch the frame 22 in. to accommodate the bigger engine. My son did an amazing job welding the frames together.”
Scholting and his son used the original flywheel and clutch from the M and used an adaptor to connect the transmission to the V-12 crankshaft. Don had a body shop build a new hood that’s almost 2 ft. longer than the original. The shop cut apart 3 original M hoods and spliced the pieces together into a new one. After the rebuilt tractor was sanded, primed and painted, Scholting says people couldn’t even tell where the frame and hood pieces splice together. The new supersized M has the original M wheels, operator station, front end and front grill. With the new engine it weighs in at 6,240 lbs., about 1,400 lbs. more than an original unballasted M.
Scholting says the V-12 is a 702 cu. in. GMC that was probably built in the early to mid 1960’s. The engines originally powered over-the-road trucks, fire trucks, military missile transport vehicles and were used for staionary applications like irrigation pumps. About 5,000 were built, each with a single block, a single crank and a single camshaft. The engines had 2 distributors, 2 carburetors and three 4-cylinder heads. Output was rated at 275 hp at 2,400 rpm’s.
Scholting’s M uses a 12-volt electrical system with an alternator that’s located close to the front of the engine in line with the valve covers. Four stainless straight pipes, two on each side, funnel the exhaust to the side and up, on each side of the hood. “When we fire it up at shows people really notice what’s going on,” says Scholting. “It has a deep throaty sound while it’s idling and it really cracks your eardrums when it’s running at 2,000 plus rpm’s.” Scholting and his son did the majority of the frame rebuilding and repowering themselves over two winters. He figures they put about 1,500 hrs. into the tractor. They painted the tractor Farmall red with a cream colored hood and had a specially made V-12M decal made to replace the regular M badge.
Over the years the Scholtings have restored several other tractors, including a Super M, a Super M-TA, a 6120 Deere with a corn picker, an 8N Ford and two Minneapolis Molines.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Don Scholting, 16503 S. 168th St., Springfield, Neb. 68059 (ph 402 253-2757).
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1950 “M” Re-Powered With V-12 GMC Engine ENGINES When the International Harvester Company built more than 270 000 Farmall M tractors in the late 1940’s and early 50’s chances are they couldn’t imagine that nearly 65 years later a Nebraska farmer and his son would replace an original 4-cyl gas engine with a V-12 The Scholtings got the idea for the unusual repower when they saw an old V-12 engine sitting at a local repair shop and asked if it was for sale Hearing that it was they decided to buy it
“We’ve built our share of pulling tractors over the years adding horsepower through overhauling and repowers so after a couple years we eventually settled on putting the 275 hp V-12 in an M ” says Don Scholting “We had to stretch the frame 22 in to accommodate the bigger engine My son did an amazing job welding the frames together ”
Scholting and his son used the original flywheel and clutch from the M and used an adaptor to connect the transmission to the V-12 crankshaft Don had a body shop build a new hood that’s almost 2 ft longer than the original The shop cut apart 3 original M hoods and spliced the pieces together into a new one After the rebuilt tractor was sanded primed and painted Scholting says people couldn’t even tell where the frame and hood pieces splice together The new supersized M has the original M wheels operator station front end and front grill With the new engine it weighs in at 6 240 lbs about 1 400 lbs more than an original unballasted M
Scholting says the V-12 is a 702 cu in GMC that was probably built in the early to mid 1960’s The engines originally powered over-the-road trucks fire trucks military missile transport vehicles and were used for staionary applications like irrigation pumps About 5 000 were built each with a single block a single crank and a single camshaft The engines had 2 distributors 2 carburetors and three 4-cylinder heads Output was rated at 275 hp at 2 400 rpm’s
Scholting’s M uses a 12-volt electrical system with an alternator that’s located close to the front of the engine in line with the valve covers Four stainless straight pipes two on each side funnel the exhaust to the side and up on each side of the hood “When we fire it up at shows people really notice what’s going on ” says Scholting “It has a deep throaty sound while it’s idling and it really cracks your eardrums when it’s running at 2 000 plus rpm’s ” Scholting and his son did the majority of the frame rebuilding and repowering themselves over two winters He figures they put about 1 500 hrs into the tractor They painted the tractor Farmall red with a cream colored hood and had a specially made V-12M decal made to replace the regular M badge
Over the years the Scholtings have restored several other tractors including a Super M a Super M-TA a 6120 Deere with a corn picker an 8N Ford and two Minneapolis Molines
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Don Scholting 16503 S 168th St Springfield Neb 68059 ph 402 253-2757
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