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{
"title" : "1943 Farmall M",
"date": "2014-10-18"
}
I grew up on a farm in Indiana, with 1960's and 70's era IHs and 80's era Cases.
So, while I'm "stuck" in Utah doing software engineering, part of me is still
back on the farm, and longing for a tractor to work on and drive. A few years
ago I got to go to a [plow day](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHcfNa8YTOI) in
Indiana with my uncle, where 20+ old tractors were working together to plow a
couple hundred acres. It was a sight... the newest tractor was a stout cabless
4x4 model from the 70's, while the oldest tractor was a steel-wheeled kerosene
burner platform from 1900, give or take a few years. Compared to what I grew up
with, they were all small... but might as well wave a steak in front of a hungry
tiger.
In early 2010, my wife found an ad for a Farmall M in reasonable condition. The
smallest and oldest tractor we had on the farm when I was a kid was a Farmall
560 (diesel, 6 cyl) from the 60s. That thing was a damn sight bigger than a
Farmall M, but the M was the same lineage, had a wide front end, had duals... I
couldn't resist.
# Specs
1943 Farmall M; wide front; SN 60462X3
# Rebuild
My goal is a complete and historically accurate restoration (but with some
appropriate enhancements such as live hydraulics.) Every bolt will be removed.
Every surface will be prepared and repainted. Every gasket and seal will be
replaced.
There are cheaper and easier ways to get to the ultimate goal (restored Ms are
not expensive, later Ms had live hydraulics, etc) but the journey is the goal.
This is a high goal, and I have kids and a full-time job, so this is a
multi-year project. To make matters worse, I bought the tractor before my shop
was finished.
## Timeline
- Feb 2010 - I bought a 1943 Farmall M. My wife named her Mabel
- Dec 2010 - [Started teardown](teardown)
- Jun 2014 - Final teardown: [Removing the countershaft](countershaft)
- Oct 2014 - [Stripping the transmission housing](needle-scaler)
## Notes
- [Rebuilding rear axle](axle)
- [Rebuilding steering bolster](bolster)
- [Engine](engine)
- [Body](body)
- [Fuel](fuel)
- [Painting](paint)
- [Part numbers](parts)
- [Tools](tools)