My new (to me) convertible

[mgatepi]

Just brought this beauty home!
My wife thinks I am a little nutty....
Top up

Top Down

[billybek]

Cool!

[LWJ]

Sweet! What is 0-60?

[mgatepi]

0-60


About never!
I dont think it goes anything over 7 or 8 mph!!

Its a 1940 JD Model H. Starts by hand rotating the flywheel!
Completely restored!

[Zeke]

Wow. My grandparents had one of those on their farm. I was given permission to drive just about anything in the equipment compound including a D4 Cat, but never the JD.

The widow maker.

[wilnj]

Looks pretty but I’m not sure that’s a convertible since the top isn’t a full roof.

I think it’s more of a speedster or spider design.

[mgatepi]

Originally Posted by Zeke

Wow. My grandparents had one of those on their farm. I was given permission to drive just about anything in the equipment compound including a D4 Cat, but never the JD.

The widow maker.

I can understand why! To start it you have to stand directly in front of the rear tire to spin the flywheel! If it is in gear......you are going to be run over!

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by mgatepi

If it is in gear......you are going to be run over!

Not everybody gets killed by their John Deere. Look at the bright side.

Have fun with the new addition!

[Evans, Marv]

What fun !! My tractor is older & for work only, but some times I try to find reasons to drive it. We normally have a July 4th parade here with some restored tractors showing off.

[Baz]

That's a beauty...congrats!

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by mgatepi

I can understand why! To start it you have to stand directly in front of the rear tire to spin the flywheel! If it is in gear......you are going to be run over!

Well, you won't be starting it in gear because the flywheel would be under load. However, the immense amount of power and torque will make that thing do a wheelie and turn completely over and crush you if you "pop" the clutch. The tires are so heavy (farmers filled them 2/3 full with water for extra traction) that you need a crane to remove them. One fell over on a farmhand and it took 3 people to lift it off of him. Broke his leg for sure.

The flywheel itself deserves more than respect. A loose shirt tail and you're gonna be wrapped up like an old fashioned mop ringer. There should be a counter balance that is also exposed on the other side. I think they sometimes used that on to power a flat belt as auxiliary power.


I had an intake valve out of one of those 2-cylinder engines. It was no bigger in valve seat diameter than a high performance big block but the stem was 1/2" thick and 9 inches long! Pistons are the size of a large 2 lb. coffee can. It has the beat of a Harley
....ba-bump....................ba bunp....................ba bump.................

I think it idles at 100 RPM. It will start, as you said, by hand with a compression release. You can probably get up to 25 RPM by hand but you better be in shape. Must have been hell in the cold mornings in the Midwest.

Speaking of the D4 Caterpillar, I thought about it and it was a D2.



It had a 2-cylinder gas rope pull gas engine mounted between the diesel and the trans. You got that started and warmed up and with a selection of levers you could slowly engage the big 4 banger. Once that started rumbling you quickly disengaged the gas engine and shut it down. When the driver took lunch he just left it running in the field for the duration. They only shut them down at dusk after running from dawn. had to refuel about once in the middle of the day.

At daybreak you could see the hands out there checking fluids, greasing and fueling. Those were the days men were men and I was a little boy that got to have some major fun between crops. I kinda wished I had grown up to be a farmer instead of a grease monkey/hot rodder.

Oh, my farmer uncles used to drag race and flew planes. They were quite a bunch.

The more I think about it the more I realize my USC grad parents were majorly fooked up. Thanks for the memories seeing that what looks to be a Model B.

Our own member here Randy Leffingwell, has published a book on these:
https://www.amazon.com/American-Farm-Tractor-Randy-Leffingwell/dp/0879385324

BTW, I used to drive a Ford like the one just above the seat on the Cat. The gray one.

[mgatepi]

Zeke, thanks for the post!
Its a Model H and as you referred..... definitely separates the men from the boys. I think my shoulder will never be the same after starting it a few times this past weekend.

[RWebb]

Do all Deere's have a 10 yr. warranty or is it just the dealer here?

[tcar]

Deere 'H'

Listen. Watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYYEFo_2xLs

[RSBob]

Totally cool ride. And you are nuts, but luckily not very much.

[billybek]

Maybe you could rig up some shopping cart wheels to use as a wheelie bar!
Kidding of course...
Good info and photos, Zeke.