Welcome to the Tractor School, I'm Meli...

Gene claims that you guys would rather have a female instructor teaching this class on John Deere Model B tractors, instead of HIM doing it. So, I thought I'd take a shot at it. Even if you don't learn ANYTHING else today, I want you to know THIS: You can get reprints of the owner's manuals and parts catalogs for all of the two-cylinder tractors from the John Deere service publications office at 800-522-7448. You can also get manuals and catalogs for most of your favorite plows and implements that were popular during the two-cylinder period. After you get the books, you're gonna try to figure out how you ever got along WITHOUT them!!

The Lesson Plan First of all, this is a little introduction to tractor collecting. WHY would anybody want to use a tractor that has been obsolete for almost 50 years. Click HERE to find out WHY people collect tractors. What was the FIRST John Deere tractor?? What's an unstyled tractor? What's a styled tractor? How do you tell the "Letter Series" row-crop tractors apart? Finally, just a little bit, for now, about ALL of the two-cylinder tractors. The FIRST LESSON in the course is a short "History of the Model B Tractor". Along with that, here is a little lesson on the history of the John Deere logo. In the SECOND LESSON, we will dissect a late Model B and see what makes it tick. LQQKY HERE The THIRD LESSON will show that the Model B can still be of practical use, especially on a "hobby farm": Plowing Harrowing Cultivating Mowing Raking In the FOURTH LESSON you'll get some helpful hints about the Model B, its parts, and about the implements of the period. The FIRST thing you should do!! How to install and time the magneto. How to adjust the clutch. How to get those rear wheels off! Removing the carburetor nozzle. Do you have all the parts to your shutters? Does your plow refuse to stay lifted? How do I get the FLYWHEEL off? How NOT to load a trailer. NEW... Part of this lesson will be "MELI'S BLACKBOARD"... A series of chalktalks on frequently asked questions and troubleshooting hints. Stay tuned for new ones! What's a JOHNNY POPPER? Where is the SERIAL NUMBER located? What is TRACTOR FUEL? Are my SPARKPLUGS bad? What is my tractor WORTH? How do I get the HOOD off? Where is the CIRCLE B decal? I STILL can't get the @#%&#! WHEELS off! If you have a question and you haven't seen it listed above, please check out the "Tip of the Week" page. And finally, in the FIFTH LESSON, you'll get: Serial numbers and Model years Important part changes during production

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Shop Class     Great restorations are ten percent inspiration and ninety percent PERSPIRATION!! You'll be spending MOST of your time working in the "shop". Whenever you have a question, click HERE.

Field Trips!!     THE LEAPING GREEN TRACTOR COLLECTION. Kathie and Troy Nichols not only have a great collection of John Deere Tractors, they also sell John Deere memorabilia, and best yet... They SELL old John Deere TRACTORS!!     SCOTT'S JOHN DEERE COLLECTION AND PULLING WEBSITE features tractor pulling, and restoring old John Deeres. Oh yes... and Scott also uses his tractors for FARMING, in Ohio!!     TODD'S TRACTOR PAGES is a website about the John Deere Model 40. It features Todd's own Model 40 Utility. You'll find EVERYTHING you need to know about the 40, and MORE!!! Take a look!!!!     Brandon's Weird Deere website is about the YELLOW John Deere tractors. Not designed as "construction equipment", they are industrial versions of the agricultural John Deere tractors. You've seen them used for road maintainence, in factories, foundries, other businesses, and yeah... for construction work!

 

Extracurricular Activities!!     If you don't already belong to a club, I urge you to join one and become active in it. Gene is the treasurer and webmaster of his club, the Central Mass. Steam, Gas & Machinery Association. Each year, in June, the club's show features an engine and a tractor belonging to one of the members. In 1999 the featured tractor was, believe it or not, the Model B! And no.... It wasn't even Gene's tractor! (One of HIS was featured in 1995). The featured engine was the John Deere type "E".

Required Reading!!     Click HERE to see the books that are available specifically for the Model B, and also for the two-cylinder tractors in general.

Homework!     Now, for your homework assignment: I'd like you to keep an eye out for any John Deere web sites that Gene doesn't already have on his links page. Take a look at the LINKS PAGE. If you know of any pages that are NOT there, you can email Gene at his EMAIL PAGE; or, if you like, you can email ME at MY email page. I might just give you an "extra credit" assignment if you do!

The Library     The Research Library continues to grow, and of course, we have the internet as one of our resources. To find out more, click HERE.

Meli's Office Special help Guidance counselling Progress reports     You better need help REAL BAD before you dare to set foot in HERE!! (Just kidding, come on in and say "Hello")

Exams!!     You will be notified of the schedule of final exams, but there can be a Johnny "POP" quiz at ANY time!! In fact, it's about time your knowledge of the Model B was tested!! Click HERE!!

This site was awarded the Forty-Twenty.com "Link of the Month" award for June, 2001.    Click the award banner to visit their page.     And don't forget to visit FortyTwenty.com's sponsor, Antique Tractors Online.

This site was awarded the prestigious Antique Tractors Online.com Excellent Tractor Page Award for the month of April, 2001.    Click the banner to visit their page.

"School Days"
1905
Words by Will D. Cobb, music by Gus Edwards


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