PDA

View Full Version : Restoration of my 1941 John Deere B

Andy Motteberg
12-03-2008, 02:57 PM
Hello Everyone,
I'm now restoring a 1941 John Deere B, serial number 96168. It is the 168th B built in 1941. My Dad bought this B a while back, but he has a 1944 B already and said he did not need two B's, so I bought this one from Dad. How we found this tractor: This tractor was parked by someone's driveway for 2 years. The tires flat and shot, the motor was very stuck as it had a froze up main bearing. We stopped at the place one day and asked if they wanted to sell the B. The owner said YES! We hauled the B and a 2 bottom JD #52 plow on steel home. Paid $600 for the B with plow. I'm 3rd owner, the person we bought it from said this B was purchased new by a farm that was a ways down the road, I have seen that place before. I have done some work on the B, the engine is loose now and the pistons are out of it. The carb and mag are off so I can rebuild them. I will keep you all updated with my progress on this tractor.

Thanks,
Andy

When we hauled it home last year......

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m344/andymotteberg/1941%20John%20Deere%20B/100_2518.jpg

How it looks right now.....

http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m344/andymotteberg/1941%20John%20Deere%20B/100_4573.jpg
Jerry Christiansen
12-03-2008, 07:02 PM
Hi Andy,

I am looking forward to seeing the progress on this tractor. Is the sheet metal (hood, grill, ..) in as good of shape as it appears in the pictures?

Later,
Jerry Christiansen
Andy Motteberg
12-03-2008, 10:57 PM
Hi Andy,

I am looking forward to seeing the progress on this tractor. Is the sheet metal (hood, grill, ..) in as good of shape as it appears in the pictures?

Later,
Jerry Christiansen

Thanks Jerry, yes this B does have pretty nice sheet metal. The hood is near perfect, I don't see any dents and it is not cut around the muffler hole. Only problem with the hood is around the air stack hole, as you can see in my first pic, there was no air stack on this tractor. Someone made a patch over the hole and used several rivets to hold it on, so there are some small holes I need to patch. One grille was in pretty rough shape, but I got a real nice one off a parts tractor.

Thanks,
Andy
M Kerkvliet
12-04-2008, 01:34 AM
Nice project tractor Andy!

Did you ever find out the S/N of your dad's 44 B?
Andy Motteberg
12-05-2008, 09:30 PM
Nice project tractor Andy!

Did you ever find out the S/N of your dad's 44 B?

Thanks Mark, Dad's 44 B = 158763.

Andy
Andy Motteberg
05-19-2009, 01:48 PM
Here it is apart ready for cleanup, once its all cleaned up, it will be ready for primer & paint. After that, I need tires, rings, gaskets, block re-bored, carb & mag rebuilt, some misc gaskets & seals, and some other things.
http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m344/andymotteberg/1941%20John%20Deere%20B/JDB004.jpg
I had to use the torch and PB Blaster to remove one stubborn nut on the manifold.
http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m344/andymotteberg/1941%20John%20Deere%20B/JDB005.jpg
Non-rusted out platform setting on the tractor...
http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m344/andymotteberg/1941%20John%20Deere%20B/JDB006.jpg
Grille with light coat of paint.
http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m344/andymotteberg/1941%20John%20Deere%20B/JDB007.jpg