Piecemeal “Tractor” Brought Back To Life

2022 - Volume #46, Issue #5, Page #17

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When Bill Lloyd’s grandfather, affectionately known as “Pop,” received a 10-hp. Kohler engine for Christmas in 1964, he decided to use it as the base for a made-from-scratch yard and garden tractor.
  “Pop was a self-taught mechanic who understood equipment,” says Lloyd. “So, he picked up a 1950’s Chevy transmission and a Studebaker rear end from a wrecking yard and set about putting his ‘tractor’ together.”
  The engine was manual start with a pulley and rope. To drive, Pop ran a belt from it to a small jackshaft and a reduction gear that went into the transmission.
  One shift lever was for 2nd and 3rd gears with the other for 1st and reverse.
  “When you pushed the clutch in it engaged an idler pulley that released the belt to allow a change in gears. You had to be gentle as you could feel the gears rolling by in your hand before it dropped into the right spot.”
  Pop built the tractor to have no hidden bolts. Everything was easily accessible for maintenance or repair.
  When Lloyd and his cousins dug it out of a farm building in the 90’s they attempted to get it running but found it had an engine coil issue. Kohler tech support didn’t even list the specific manual start engine or stock a usable part so Bill’s brother Tim, a small engine mechanic, found a Kohler conversion kit and adapted the system to a conventional coil and 12-volt battery.
  Lloyd found a set of Packard wheels at a local swap meet and some used trailer tires to replace the existing wheels and rubber.
  “It runs good,” he says. “It’s tough to steer with the manual steering and the engine is perched up high so you have to be careful it doesn’t flip over going around a corner too fast, but it can plow a garden, pull a cart or push snow.”
  Lloyd is hoping to enter the unique tractor in the Somerset Pasture Party, a small tractor show near Charlottesville, Virginia.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Bill Lloyd, 17613 Elko Rd., South Chesterfield, Va. 23803 (ph 804-243-6423; cyrcle55@aol.com).

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Piecemeal “Tractor” Brought Back To Life When Bill Lloyd’s grandfather affectionately known as “Pop ” received a 10-hp Kohler engine for Christmas in 1964 he decided to use it as the base for a made-from-scratch yard and garden tractor “Pop was a self-taught mechanic who understood equipment ” says Lloyd “So he picked up a 1950’s Chevy transmission and a Studebaker rear end from a wrecking yard and set about putting his ‘tractor’ together ” The engine was manual start with a pulley and rope To drive Pop ran a belt from it to a small jackshaft and a reduction gear that went into the transmission One shift lever was for 2nd and 3rd gears with the other for 1st and reverse “When you pushed the clutch in it engaged an idler pulley that released the belt to allow a change in gears You had to be gentle as you could feel the gears rolling by in your hand before it dropped into the right spot ” Pop built the tractor to have no hidden bolts Everything was easily accessible for maintenance or repair When Lloyd and his cousins dug it out of a farm building in the 90’s they attempted to get it running but found it had an engine coil issue Kohler tech support didn’t even list the specific manual start engine or stock a usable part so Bill’s brother Tim a small engine mechanic found a Kohler conversion kit and adapted the system to a conventional coil and 12-volt battery Lloyd found a set of Packard wheels at a local swap meet and some used trailer tires to replace the existing wheels and rubber “It runs good ” he says “It’s tough to steer with the manual steering and the engine is perched up high so you have to be careful it doesn’t flip over going around a corner too fast but it can plow a garden pull a cart or push snow ” Lloyd is hoping to enter the unique tractor in the Somerset Pasture Party a small tractor show near Charlottesville Virginia Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Bill Lloyd 17613 Elko Rd South Chesterfield Va 23803 ph 804-243-6423; cyrcle55@aol com

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