I'll prime the pump:

Would help if I spelled Doodlebug correctly.

Jason - that is fantastic! Your's?

My father's

Nice machine. I'm restoring a '27 T/IHC mower conversion, who made the mower system on your Dad's?

WHOOO HOOOOOO 2015 Edition. I am stoked. Been out tinkering with mine.

It originated From Pennsylvania and is a horse-drawn International mower

Jason - mine did too! Supposedly, it was made bear Lancaster by a guy who built a dozen or so of them in the 30s. I pulled mine out of Wilkes-Barre, PA. Guy I got it from told me he had heard there were others built - but you are the closest I have come to confirming that. Here is a close up of the IHC system (also horse drawn) on mine:

near Lancaster....

Ok - this is pretty damn exciting to me!! Jason, do you have any more pictures? Does your Dad have any more information on the builder?

Got the engine pretty well set up now. It runs pretty smooth, I have the timing pretty well sorted and most importantly, no spark knock that I was having issues with.

Another issue I noticed was the intake frosting over. So I bought a new heat tube and put it on my pickup, took the old one off the pick up and cut it up to fit the heater exhaust manifold and added a tab.

More later.

Chad - mine frost too. Cookers helped a little.

Ron~ I'll try and take some more pictures today

Josh - set up is nearly identical. Does your Dad have any info on the builder? Just cannot believe this is a coincidence - really think there is something to the story of a guy producing these in PA during the '30s.

Really we have no story behind this mower... it was purchased at a swap meet here in Ontario... he said that he picked it up in Pennsylvania. Give me a couple days to see if we can find more info out

Saved her!! Just pulled into the yard with my new T-based sawmill. The bad news - her engine is stuck. The good news - the barn she was parked next to for 50 years contained another engine (non-starter) that was not stuck and I grabbed that too. More pictures to follow over the next few days. She is exceptionally unusual - hooked up to a Model A rear end that drives the main pulley.

Donnie - the cut down Valvoline sign that was used to make the blade guard is double-sided!

Anyone have any good brews for freeing up the engine? Diesel/kerosene mix?

Ron, You da man. Way to go. I feel like it has a good home now. There was a discussion as to penetrating fluids awhile back. I believe the winner was a 50/50 mix of acetone and auto trans fluid. It pretty much won in both price and "break out" ability ... Its hard to tell from the pics, but do you mean both halves of the sign are there or just one half and it is double sided.

Nice sawmill! Quick question about your trailer. I have one identical that I am going to install a winch on. Did you install that with a plate under the floor or angle iron? My floor is about 1/8 inch thick and I was concerned about bolting the winch down directly to the floor. Due to the axle weight limitations it will never pull more than about 5500 lbs onto it. The winch is rated for 12,000.

Do you get any flex in the floor using the winch?

Donnie - lot of work (even more than the Shaw was) and will have to wait until the power unit is done (but want to get a jump on freeing up the engine). Will try the acetone/ATF mix. Sign is one piece, double-sided.

Gary: winch is just a cheap one from Walmart. Really doesn't have the power needed to drag up anything that isn't an easy roller. It is bolted right to the deck - no flexing issues. The wood planking on the trailer deck is to accommodate loading my '25 T Shaw Conversion tractor which is on steel lugs in the rear.

Great score Ron, glad you saved it. Glad you got the extra engine too, that was a deal. Probably cost you more in fuel than what that whole thing cost.

Chad~ a little OT but the province of Ontario is the Tax Capital

OT- Jason, HA-HA, That's funny. We are all taxed to death no matter where we live--some are worse than others. Remember the only guarantee in live is Taxes and Death. I have spent a few times in Ontario, your right it is mighty expensive there. We bought our '25 pickup and road tripped to Oshawa to get it.

Anyhow, back on topic. I moved the Tractor out and drove it around my driveway a little bit for the first time. It was exciting to say the least. Took a few pics before it got dark. Being this week is supposed to really cold, would be a good time to start building the new seat---will be a bench style so two people can ride.

Refresher of when we brought it home in October '14.





And just yesterday...

.

Ron~ do you have any pics of your mower??

Jason - in addition to the mounting system photos above, here are some more pictures of her (one with her sickle bar mounted from the original Craigslist ad, a couple of closeups after I brought her home and one or two as she looked when I put her up for the winter). She is the next in the queue for restoration after the '17 power unit (also pictured):

Chad - she is looking good!!!! Gas tank is fantastic. What size are her rear wheels?

Ron- the rear wheels /tires are 16x4" and are a 5.50-16 traction tire.

I have an update to all the wheels to make them safer. The rears will go to a 16x6 and hopefully have a 7.50-16 tractor AG lug tire on them. I had a lineup on tires from a tire store on Ebay and right before the new year they jumped up 80+ dollars. I sent a message to the to see if I could get a break, but no response.

The fronts as of this pint will be a couple of modded 16x4 "mini spares" from a newer car, that I moved the centers on. Those tires are perfectly adequate for the speeds this thing will go. I needed tires all around so this is my solution for a cheap fix.

I will take pictures of how I will undo the "farmer" attachment of all the wheels when I get there, it is really pretty scarey.

I also just scored a set of mid 30's Chevy steel spoke wheels for $40, I think eventually I may try to put these on the front. But it is going to take a lot more work. they are 17" and a lot harder to find tires for, but again, I looked into the spare tire deal and found a size that will work if I can find a set.

Chad - try Nebraska Tire Co. for those rear AG tires. Their prices are reasonable, as is their shipping.

Ron, or anybody really. Any pics of exhaust setups? I need to do something for mine. What size/shape muffles are being used. I can fabricate pipe between the engine and muffler. Just looking for some ideas as I don't have a ton of room on the shortend chassis.

I use a standard T exhaust pipe, cut to length and fabricate my own hangers to fit the nearest mounting point. Only put a muffler on my Shaw and my '28 A doodlebug - everything else has a straight pipe.

T on a straight pipe isn't that loud (my AA is). A vertical stack on yours would look good, but the gas tank makes it problematic. If it were mine, I'd run a short pipe to just below the second transmission and then angle cut it parallel to the ground. Short enough that no hanger would be needed.

Tractor supply has all kinds of mufflers available for tractors. All price ranges too.

Tractor supply has all kinds of mufflers available for tractors. All price ranges too.





start at $29.00

I thought about going vertical early on, but the high mounted tank won out. The other issue was opening the hood. I am fine with it underneath, I was just looking for ideas. I can pretty much fabricate anything for exhaust, I do it regularly for muscle car owners.

Ron, my biggest goal is to make it somewhat quiet---for a T anyhow, so no straight pipe here. The house next door is only separated by my driveway. I have one of those long narrow lots (50'x 180'), typical old community setup.

Dennis, I have not totally looked into those, but did see them. Thanks.

Building the new seat for the doodlebug. Not to bad for an afternoon of work.

Chad, Looks good, Remember "No Phillips Head" screws .

Those have been an outlawed item in my garage for YEARS!!! Never understood a guy who spends thousands and thousands restoring a pre-war truck and then uses Phillips head screws on the bed wood. See that all the time at shows. Just don't get it.

My TT (sold years ago when I was posted back to Europe) came with Phillips wood screws holding the bed together. I pulled them all and replaced them with slot heads.

Well, I have to use them (Phillips) to get it together, none of the slotted ones locally available. Will just have to replace them later--and I will.

It is funny, you never really think about this stuff until you have something old like this. Then you realize how out of place they look. Same with having square nuts on bolts instead of hex ones--although not real sure how that goes in this era of car as they do have hex nuts, but they are usually castle nuts.

Picked up so "weathered grey" stain today for the seat. We'll see how that goes.

Chad - big box stores like Lowe's and Home Depot won't have slot heads. Smaller chain stores like Aubuchon's or True Value will have them (as will most small independents).

That weathered gray looks good - especially if you wipe it with an ebony or red mahogany after it dries (picks up the grain and makes it look old). Another thing you can try is soaking steel wool in vinegar and rubbing it over the unstained wood. I beat the hell out of new wood with a chain, mark it up with tools, roll old bolts across it to age it as well:

I just bought a bunch of straight slotted screws from a e-bay dealer. Very nice selection of sizes, and fast service. Very high positive feedback rating. Has very fast shipping, and will combine shipping on all buys to save money. Ill link to his E-Bay site. I just did a "slotted search" but if you look at his full "store" he has lots of stuff we use. square nuts ect. I have no connection to him, but when I find someone who does a good job, I feel like it should be passed on. I just installed 92 straight slot #10 wood screws in the speedster project, and did not strip the heads of any or break any. So it appears the quality is good also.

http://stores.ebay.com/asmcindustrial?_dmd=1&_nkw=slotted

Donnie, Thanks for the heads up, I looked quick and will shop later. Appreciate that!!

Got the slot head screws thanks to Donnies tip. Price was fair from elsewhere I looked and shipping was fast.

I also got my tires ordered from Ron's tip at Nebraska Tire. Rodger took the time to explain some things when I asked and the price was at my price point and. The shipping I thought was pretty reasonable considering the size of the tires. They should be here in another day or two.

So Thank You to you two gentlemen.

Back on topic, found a few more pics searching today. This one with the skis is something I have thought of since getting my doodlebug, and would like to do at some point.

Chad,

The guy with the ski doodlebug used to be on this Forum, though I haven't seen him make an appearance in a long time. He had a website that he used to post pictures of his projects - what he did with that tractor is pretty amazing. Used to swap emails with him periodically - I got the idea of rear lug tires on Celtic Rust from him. He is exceptionally talented and pretty much built those skis from nothing.

Glad the tire source worked out for you! Tractors are all tucked up for the winter - so nothing is getting done on the IHC mower right now. All basement activity now - am working on components for the power unit and collecting parts for the sawmill.

Taking a break from rebuilding some crusty hood shelves for the power unit to watch Pats beat the Ravens. GO PATS!!

I hear you on the inside activities. Way to cold out and not enough room in my garage for this thing.

Anyways, back in the basement, work continues on the new bench seat....

OK, I think this is just about done, save for fabricating a new seat bracket. It came out ok. I am sort of pleased. I think if I had a broader open grained wood, it would have stained out better. I used a sanded pine, and part of that reason was a lot of the wooden seat would have smoothed out over time from use. I think it needs to have some authentic weathering before it can be Spar finished though....

I did "distress" the seat a little and am pretty pleased how that came out--it is very hard to see that in the pic though.

Here is the progress on my first attempt at building a Doodlebug. The wheelbase is 78 inches, about as short as I could get it with both trannys. I need to install the rear brakes and wheels and tires next and then on to the seat, gas tank, fire wall and such.

Lonnie - that is fantastic!!!!! You did a superb job mounting that rear end - SOLID. What did you use for the #2 transmission? What are you thinking on rear tires? AG lugs would look great on that.

Halftime over. GO PATS!!

One place to get the AG tires, Nebraska Tires. I talked to a gentleman named Rodger, he took good care of me.

Tell us more info on the build Lonnie.

I am also thinking a tractor/Ag tire will look best. The second tranny is from a Model A. The rearend has the low ratio in it.

Thought it was an A transmission, but was hard to tell from the picture. Second Chad's recommendation on Nebraska Tires.

Love that it is TT-based.

At 78 inch wheelbase, that should work out to about 9 feet or a little more in total length. Mine runs something like 8 feet total length, so your in the ball park for sure. When you stick that extra trans in there there is only so much you can do. But as I have already found out, to short can get a little uncomfortable and you run out of space to put things.

Do you have any plans to shorten the axles up?

At this point the axles will stay stock width but maybe that can be next winters project?

If you keep them stock width you can use them for other builds in the future.

All my Ts were narrowed, but my two As were not. Odd.

Came across this picture - apparently it was featured 5 years ago in a Boston Globe article about the ski industry here in New England. According to the article, the first motorized ski tow in the US was was built in Woodstock, VT using a Model T. Tow was built in 1934 and the T is a conversion tractor (judging from those rear wheels). Globe credited the picture to Woodstock, VT Historical Society:

Link to the article, which mentions the T several times:

http://www.boston.com/sports/other_sports/skiing/articles/2009/01/01/woodstock_w on_the_uphill_battle/?page=full

This was off one of those online auction websites used to determine values. WOW! She is absolutely magnificent!! Apparently sold back in 2010. Wonder who was lucky enough to get her:

Tried to blow it up for a better view.....

That is quite the engineering going on there. I spy the modern rear end driving the wheels.

Lot going on there.

Other than actually mounting them, The seat and "tool" battery box are done. Spent a bit this afternoon mounting hardware and taking all the Phillips screws out I used for assembly and replacing them with slot head wood screws. I am not sure how anyone can just continually drive them things in--I had help from previously installed ones and my hands are sore. I am pleased with the results, for the most part.

Seat:

One more of the seat bottom:

Lets try that again,

One more of the seat bottom:






"Tool" box that will hold/hide the battery:

Tool box back side with holes for battery cables:





Inside:

Also picked this Volt gauge up for when I go back to 6 volts. I have almost the same one in my pickup truck, but that one had more of a flange for mounting, but I should be able to make this work.

Uploaded this from another thread (originally posted by Chris Olsen). Great picture of a doodlebug being used to plow snow during the late 60s. Chris noted she was equipped with Hasslers. It appears a rear crossmember was welded to the front of the frame as part of the plow mount. Operator seems to be controlling the elevation on the plow blade with a rope or chain.

GREAT tractor. Wonder what became of her?

Some more:

More

Thought you tractor folks might enjoy this if you haven't seen it before.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-cl=84924572&x-yt-ts=1422411861&v=9RpF-dRe0Ug

Just saw this today at Gold Head State Park, Kingston Heights FL "Yesterdays Fair"

Part T is the engine, front axle is Model A, the rear axle some later truck, tranny from a later 40's Ford.





Engine ran very rough, and the thing moved forward and back about 4 feet!

That is a doodlebug in every sense of the word---it actually reminds me of the Johnny Cash Cadillac song. It would probably be a lot of fun to bomb around in if someone got it running well.

John, that is a great video. The guy who owns that has several videos on YouTube that feature that tractor - starting it and a couple of it plowing.

Dan - that would be a fun one to get ahold of. If she were mine, those seats would be the first things to go - the wheels would be next (all replaced with something period correct).

I think the problem getting it "period correct" is that you would probably have to change 1/3 of that thing. That aluminum decking is far from period looking also. I think the best would be change the seats and getting it to run well----just my opinion anyhow.

Chad, I have "ran in" close to 175 straight slot screws in the speedster project. The main thing is to drill all the proper pilot holes, shank holes, and countersinks. Then use a very good tight fitting screw driver bit for your variable speed electric drill If you run the threads thru some bees wax just before installing them, it will help a lot ... I also build furniture. I always use straight slots. It makes it look more like a "professional" high end piece of furniture, than a bunch of phillips screws make it look. One other thing a lot of people miss when using straight slot screws is that the "shank" hole "must" go all the way thru the piece you are trying to "pull down" If the screw will not push all the way thru the top hole, then the screw will just tighten up in the top piece, and even though it screws into the bottom piece, it usually will never pull the pieces together.

I could live with the decking - sort of. The wheels and seats would not make it off the trailer.

So - there is too much snow to get out to the shed with the '27 T/IHC mower and the '17 power unit. I've gone through all the parts for the power unit that I have in the cellar - everything else that needhat s to be done on it is on the unit itself. I've been "restoring" wheels for the sawmill - which is still on my flatbed in the back pasture, also under a pile of snow. The wheels on it are totally rotted away, so it needs a set of four just to roll it around.

Someone on the forum commented on what I do with "marginal" parts an I like the fact that my projects are the last hope for using parts that would otherwise be headed for the scrapper. The wheels I am finishing are probably the greatest salvage I've performed yet. A fellow forum member answered my ad for wheels. I drove down to Lakeville, MA and hauled home 6 he had that were truly on their last legs in the hopes of piecing together 4 capable of rolling the sawmill around. The sawmill is made using two front axles, so I needed 4 front wheels and rims. He had two good ones (relatively speaking - not fit to drive on, but perfect for the sawmill). He had two good rear ones (again, not suitable for a road vehicle) and provided two totally rotted front ones for me to pull the hubs from and "convert" the rear ones. Getting the hubs apart was beyond difficult - I used penetrating oil, heat, a huge brass mallet - but finally I broke them free (was not fun doing this 4 times). The conversion came out pretty good, but they are soaking up TONS of linseed oil:



I have one more wheel to restore and the set of four is complete (minus tires).

I haul my gals (Ts and As) to tractor shows and pulls all summer and fall - but there are two shows that are close enough for me to bring the entire fleet (making multiple turns). This year, one of them, the Central Massachusetts Steam, Gas & Machinery Association (CMSGMA) show in Orange, MA, has the Model T as the theme of this year's show (there is a different theme every year). I intend on bringing my entire little freak show - Shaw, the two A doodlebugs, the '27 T doodlebug, the '27 T/IHC mower and the '17 power unit. Sadly, the show is in late June and there is no way the sawmill will be done by then.

30 second video of the doodlebug at Gold Head State park today.

On You Tube

http://youtu.be/0ybkVaOmrQE

Dan - that was great!! Did you see what the #2 transmission was?

Ron, I think I might be interested in attending that show in Mass. Would you have any more info on it? Edit: found the link. http://www.cmsgma.com/2015-ENGINE-SHOW.html

Ron, also trying to get mine ready for this local show here in the summer. I have never attended it though, but most of our club does from my understanding.
http://www.thegasup.org/


Dan, Thank you for the video and the reassurance that the seats AND decking must go. I don't need it 100% period correct, but that is just too modern looking even for me. Ron is definitely a doodlebug "purist", LOL. But his preservations and period correctness are awesome. I just strive for 80-90% myself.

Donnie, having already used the Phillips screws, like I said helped a lot when I changed them all back out for slotted. I never though to look for a slot head bit for my driver. I did pilot and countersink all of them beforehand. I wouldn't dream of driving them in without doing that.

Chad, The drill and drive bit is "SOOOOOOOO" much easier. I had to drive in 4 screws by hand on the speedster. I thought my arm was going to fall off from doing them . Forgot to mention, that your seat and box look good. Can't wait to see it all together ...

I have attended the show at the Orange, MA airport and it really is quite good. Another good show is in Dublin, NH in September.

Bill,

Something always seems to come up and I end up missing Dublin. Maybe this year. The Orange show is great!

Chad, that website should have all the info. Really good show - big!

Ron,
It's a two and a half hour hike there. That is a little longer than I was thinking it might be. If it was an hour shorter I would say yes for sure. But it has Model T featured this year soooo.....

Lonnie,

Read on another thread you fired up your doodlebug for the first time today. Congratulations!! Any additional pictures?

Pretty good article on Model T conversions from Farm Collector magazine:

http://www.farmcollector.com/tractors/model-t-fords-zmlz14janzbea.aspx

Neat conversion - all T, minus the '28-'29 radiator and shell. Would love to find a set of those front wheels for my Shaw.

A "holy grail" conversion - early T-based Toro. Have only seen them in period pictures:

Couple of other period conversion pictures (both look like demo photos):

Two great videos of the same gentlemen and his T doodlebug and his T sawmill:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOuZ9qkuLJg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LMv_Y4axYw

..... same gentleman.....

Some great T-based sawmills:

The picture on the upper left corner in the last posting looks like an ice saw for ice harvesting.
It fits in with the Snowmobile in the background in the same photo.

Agree Jim - center pivot, controlled by the plow handles, brings the blade down on the ice.

Neat video of an T-based Ersted power unit. Note the radiator shell in the rear as well as the front:

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

And some more power units:

Ron I think that the top left one is an ice saw. Jim Y

Jim - it snuck it's way on with the saw mills.

I can not believe
a) That I have not looked on this forum in so long as I seem to have missed 3 threads worth of doodle bugs!
and
b) That chad found and posted a picture of my 'bug with it's skis on already!

Chad PM'd me about the skis last week and if others are interested it might make a good thread, I am interested in what others have done and am glad to share my learning on the topic of making skis.
I am also a little jealous about the saw rig I have been working on the house and really have no money to spare, but I was finally ready to contact the seller and the ad disappeared. Glad it is off to an apparently good life where it will have its day again.

Zach, thank you again for your time in emailing with me. I am digesting what you said about the ski setup and gathering ideas in my mind. I will probably be talking with you more about it---when it stops snowing long enough to do so, LOL. Glad I might have sparked a little interest again.

Of course I have the local club I can consult with on the snow ski setup as there are about a half dozen guys that have Snow T's, but the fact you did it on a doodle bug that is VERY similar to what I am putting together, that is what got me going on it.

I know what will happen, I will make some skis, and next year we will have no snow. This year would have been awesome for it.

Only update I have for mine is I received my front tires today.

One thing that is a little worry some about this (and all threads) is that there are so few kids in the pictures. Being in my mid thirty's I am young by T standards but I sure want my daughters hooked enough to want to spend time keeping these things going after I am too old to do it.
(I couldn't find the image I wanted, there is one with no less than 9 kids between the trailer and the bug from my daughters birthday party the doodle bug was the talk of pre-school the next week)



*Notice I am wearing a sling with my youngest riding along she loves it even at two months old. I am not sure any of my daughters have made it past two weeks old before their first ride in an old Ford (but usually my wife carries them).

Here are some weird wheels on e-bay. Highly overpriced but neat to look at ...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MODEL-TT-FORD-SPUD-WHEELS-TO-MAKE-TT-INTO-TRACTOR-/29137 3680815?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item43d73988af&vxp=mtr

Zac,

Your gal with her skis on is pictured above (really want to find a set for one of mine). Told you this on several occasions, but will repeat it here - if you EVER decide to part with her, please let me know; I will be enroute up with my flatbed before you can put the phone down.


Here is my son (16.5 years old) driving one of mine (hauling leaves to the woods last fall):



-Ron

Hope Zac doesn't mind, but here is a link to everything he did on his TT doodlebug - makes a great read. His rig is one of my all-time favorites (and I've been messing with doodlebugs for 35+ years).

http://memebeam.org/zcarrico/offroad/t_doodlebug/t_doodlebug.htm

Donnie, those wheels are something else but look to be some $1600 too expensive!

Ron, I really like how that bug looks it turned out great. -And thank you very much for the complements. if any one visits my web page that Ron posted above, also check out the AA transmission repair for my father in laws doodlebug. This was a first of its kind repair for me but it turned out great: http://memebeam.org/zcarrico/offroad/doodlebug/doodlebug.html

On a bit different topic I would be in favor of a doodlebug round up of some to get people at least here in the northeast together some time. T tours are fun (even though we only have an on-road A) but a trail ride and shooting the bull with other like minded 'bug people would be great. (The mountain where my T once resided has a great abandoned graphite mine and quite a few old roads that would make good touring

Last spring I was driving the long way home from work taking a back road scanning for parts as always when I saw what appeared to be a Model T axle at the edge of some woods. The apparent owner was out on his lawn mower several hundred yards up the road so I stopped in. I was assured that the axle was not a T but rather a "Moon". He didn't seem inclined to discuss the axle further so I didn't press him, but he did take me to a garage where he had a 1947 IH 1/2ton truck. Just outside the door where the remnants of solid TT truck tires so I mentioned my T Doodlebug (actually it is TT if you look at the frame) was still running solid front tires. The IH was a beautiful sight, it is rusty, but very repairable and indoors. After seeing the IH Don (the owner) said that if I liked T doodle bugs he had something he better show me. ..but it is 10 pm and I have carried on enough so maybe I should wait to finish until tomorrow.

Wow Zac - really wrong of you to leave us hanging like that!!!

All my T doodlebugs are car-based. Really want to find one made from a TT.

Dang Zac, Terrible to leave that story in a cliffhanger, LOL.

That is an idea, a tour for Doodle bugs. I would be interested in that. I have the unfortunate scenario of not having any real amount of land to run one of these things, so I am not real sure what to do with it, other than just having it. Kind of like owning a stationary engine that you can't use for work.

I don't know if you have travel means for your 'bug Zac, but Ron posted about a show in his neck of the woods I think I want to try and go to. I posted a link above somewhere. For me here in Albany, it is a 2.5 hour drive, and that is the kicker.....but Model T's are the theme for this year.

Central Massachusetts Steam, Gas & Machinery Association (CMSGMA) holds a fantastic 2-day show (pretty big show and flea market) in Orange, MA. The link is below. The Model T is this year's featured machine.

http://www.cmsgma.com/2015-ENGINE-SHOW.html

Chad, We do have land a bit over 80 acres so we putter around with, but the bug serves no real purpose because we have a tractor.
I saw above that you had never attended the Gallopville gasup, that is a shame it is an excellent show, the character has changed slightly in the past 5 years but it is still great.

My wife is due with our 4th June 19th so I'm not going to be doing anything big this summer.. I would enjoy going to the Mass show but I doubt it will happen I do have a trailer, but my truck is only a single cab, so travel with the family is a two vehicle affair.

Rest of the story you started last night Zac - please. We've been waiting all day!!

So Don pointed me to a temporary garage and told me to walk ahead, he is getting older and generally uses his lawn tractor as transportation. As I neared the garage I saw that indeed there was a Model T doodlebug. This doodlebug is one of the finest built examples I have ever seen. Great craftsmanship and great ingenuity. I knew I had to have it!
I stop to see Don whenever time allows; I enjoy talking to him and he seems to love sharing all of his interesting flotsam with me. We have worked out a price for purchase but I had to wait to buy it because work on our house had to come first. Unfortunatly when I did have money Don had left for warmer weather.. so I will have to wait until spring..

Sorry that I don't have better pictures but I think you will get the idea.

Wow. Wow, wow, wow.

Oh yeah - that is a must have.

Zac - I sent you a PM. Acquisition of this may have a bearing on what I mentioned in the PM.

So Don's doodlebug is a variation on the sickle bar theme set by Jason and Ron at the beginning of the year. Here are some pictures of the mechanicals.







You can see that between transmissions a spur gear has been added to allow power to be transferred down to the sickle bar.

She is beautiful - absolutely incredible shape. Did he give you any background on her? Who made her? Radiator is gorgeous - NOTHING I have ever come across and hauled home looked this good; someone took excellent care of her.

As you can see in the above the shed collapsed one winter and the steering column is bent but it is otherwise in great condition

Look at the second transmission!



Here is the engine, looks ready to run no work required:

Transmission has a PTO port too. Any idea of the make? You're right, the quality of the workmanship is exceptional.

Worth the wait!!! You guys need to move this find to a new thread. It takes a long fall to get to the new posts.

Will start a new one and link it to this Mike.

I suspect that the transmission might be an auxiliary overdrive turned around backwards? it looks like a variation of this:

http://www.nwvs.org/Photolib/800Pixel/chris&claytonsspeedsterpics007.jpg

Minus the cover on top of yours, looks the same.

Link to new doodlebug thread:

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/506218/517756.html?1423801186

Here is one of my T tractor conversions in action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws7APpd3wew


This farmer built tractor conversion utilized parts from two International Harvester horse drawn grain binders. The drive wheels of the tractor are the bull wheels from each of the binders and the front wheels are the header wheels. The tractor features an E-Z Power flat belt power unit and a Warford auxillary transmission. The tractor is chain drive using the cast sprockets from the binder.

Looks great! Do you have any still pictures of it?