I'm starting with a Cub Cadet 104 chassis and am going to make an Oliver 1650 tricycle, row crop. The dimensions are pretty much the same as the IH's I've built in the past. The fenders will be different shapes, and the grill and sheet metal are all different from the IH's though.
The challenge is going to be the orchard. I'm going to start with a Cub Cadet 105 as the base... The only thing left "stock" will be the way the transmission mounts to the frame rails. Everything else is custom built, and when I say everything else... I mean it. :) The engine is going to be a 2 cylinder Kubota diesel, and everything is going to be wrapped in sheet metal.
What a cute little diesel...
Steering wheel and seat are mounted...
Scratch built front axle. This is how the real tractors axle is made...
The lever to the left of the steering wheel controls the direction of the tractor...
I finally got started on the 1650. The fenders are done...
Here are my initial drawings, and parts for the grill. It took 6 hours to complete the drawings, and cut out these parts.
About 14 hours total, and almost 50 pounds of steel, and I'm almost done with the grill. The grill is made entirely from 1/2" solid steel. The full size tractor's grill was made with 1" cast iron.
At this point, I have 24 hours invested in this grill.
I started to fabricate the hoods today... 7 hours invested in 2 hoods... They are a little complicated. :)
Exhaust pipe will be chromed
Back from the blaster...
I've never worked with Oliver green... I kind of like it.
Dropped the engine back into the orchard...
Removing the orchard from the stand...
It's alive, and very fun to drive!
Final paint on the final parts...
Just about done...
All done... these are the photos I'll use for my advertising... These 2 tractors were so much fun to build. Very challenging, but very rewarding. The customer was very happy, he couldn't stop smiling.
More later...