1954 Farmall Super C Revival

YJJPWrangler

YJJPWrangler

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2005
Location
Charlotte
A departure from the normal....

A History Lesson, Long but important:

This is a (re)build thread for my 1954 Farmall Super C tractor. This specific tractor was bought new by my grandfather in 1954 in southwest Georgia and went to work on his cattle farm. It was "borrowed" by one of my uncles for a few years but eventually made it's way back onto the family farm where it was used primarily as a row crop/garden/do all tractor. My earliest memories were riding on the back of the bushhog as we went out to put a grass fire in a neighbor's pasture. All of the grandsons/daughters/kinfolk have been photographed at one point on this tractor with my grandfather.

My grandfather passed in 2006. He was one of 11 in southwest Georgia. Landed the second day of Normandy as a machine gun ammo bearer. Survived; went on to complete his tour in Europe until V-E day, returned to Texas to train for Japan invasion until the war was over. Never deployed to the Asian theater due to the war ending and returned home to the farm in Southwest Georgia. Farmed the property, my father and my aunt(deceased) were their only children. Went on to become the longest serving mayor in Georgia history(Mayor of Funston, Ga until his passing).

After farming duty, this tractor became the staple of ditch mowing for Funston until the town purchased an early 80's Massey Ferguson for his use for ditch mowing/cemetery maintenance. He still did normal farm duties/took care of Town's water supply until the day he passed.

Still collating pictures. This thread is going to serve has a rebuild thread as well as a remembrance thread. My grandfather was a very important figure in my life. I spent many summers with him and my grandma, working the family farm and learning everything. Right before he passed, recognition of his medals from WWII(a fire in the records dept kept him from receiving everything he earned and my father(retired LTCol Army aviation)
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This is me, early 2006. I have photos of myself from the early 1990s with him but digital is hard to find.

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A few of my nieces in 2006/07 before I brought it to NC.

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My dad and I, after my grandfathers passing decided it would be best to bring the tractor(and all implements) to NC. My grandmother was in decent health and she had a sharp memory. She kept a legal pad of EVERYTHING that they owned and that would be doled out to all of the surviving family. I received my grandfather's 12ga single shot shotgun and the tractor with all the attachments.

We brought the tractor back to NC in 2009 where it got used primarily as a food plot cultivator when I was at school at ECU. A good friend had multiple farm properties and we were able to rotate it around for cultivation just by driving it on the road.

I graduated in 2010 and moved back to Raleigh. We eventually moved it to my BIL's property in Wake county.

Continued:
 
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My BIL is a tractor savant, especially when it comes to Farmall/International. Him and his wife probably have around 14-15 fully restored Farmall's in possession and actively use them either in antique tractor pulling/plow days/fair expos/ parades etc. He also has a fairly active youtube page:

Shameless plug: farmall51


He stored the tractor and the implements for years and I eventually had the time/money to pull it out of mothballs last spring.

Spring 2025: Was able to get the tractor and all implements to Charlotte. Tractor didn't run at all, pushed it on the trailer with one of his. This is how it arrived:

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This is a 6V, positive ground system with the Farmall Fast Hitch system. The generator was rebuilt back in 2004 and a few hydraulic hoses were replaced(enough to get it from rural GA to NC).

I went back to Raleigh and came back with all the attachments.

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Attachments are as follows: disc, 2 bottom plow, bucket, scraper, and runner planter setup. I also had a bushhog at one point but it was to far gone. I do have the fast hitch to 3pt implement conversion hitch which is big $$$ in the antique Farmall world.
 
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Quickly got it running. It was a combination of bad gas/rebuilt carb/rebuilt starter. Got talked into doing a Halloween tractor hay ride by the wife as well as multiple others in the neighborhood. Concerned about safety, I was able to redo the original wiring and wire up some period correct 6v lights.

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The Halloween tractor ride is now a staple in the Coulwood neighborhood. We had 30+ kids on the trailer with all parents in tow(golf carts/walking etc) for the inaugural trip. I have been informed by multiple people that it needs to continue to happen.
 
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Fast forward to this week. Tractor has been neglected since Halloween. Tires are flat. No battery tender hooked up.

Engage starter, fires right up and idles smooth. Refill tires and pull up to the garage.

"Operation Halloween Ride 2026" Underway:

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I knew from the beginning that I wanted to address the brakes, hydraulic system and tires. My BIL(@Farmall51 on the youtube) has been tasked with finding me a decent set of tires(new are $1600+). I've dove in to the braking system and found it has been pretty straight forward:

Disc brakes: two sets of discs per side on the tractor. Actuated by the pedal with " 2 ramp plates"(plates that have disc balls to transfer the linear to the axial force) with a couple of springs. Pulled the brakes apart and was pleasantly surprised to find that all components are there, just the discs are oil soaked. Inner oil seal is to blame. New parts are on order from Steiner Tractor

Also ordered a new valve cover gasket as well as an oil pan gasket as I'm seeing some leaks.

Current valvetrain(oil changed in 2009ish?)

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Current state: She runs like a Singer sewing machine, not exaggerating. she runs great, power is great(all 23 HP ) PTO is operational Brakes are iffy, hydraulics are iffy. Going to try and do a "field rebuild" which means paint everything new as I go. She isn't a show tractor and doesn't need to be one. This old gal has worked her whole life and I hope that she will keep chugging along with some needed mechanical repairs for the new generation. I would love to find a 48" cultivator that I can use for the garden at some point but anyway....

She will most likely be repainted fully when all mechanical stuff is done but I'm still going to use her.

More to follow.
 
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Sweet! I love a good revival thread! Especially one with such history. So got to ask. What do you know about the Bronze Star? Those usually come with a story.
 
YJJPWrangler said:
I knew from the beginning that I wanted to address the brakes, hydraulic system and tires. My BIL(@Farmall51 on the youtube) has been tasked with finding me a decent set of tires(new are $1600+).
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Send me the size on the tires and I'll keep an eye open. There's still a decent amount of aggy stuff on the other side of the river, hidden behind new neighborhoods and restaurants.
 
jeepinmatt said:
1954 Farmall Super C tractor
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Come on man don't you even AI?

The original factory rear tire size for a 1954 Farmall Super C tractor is 10-36. [1, 2]
Due to changes in tire labeling over the years, the modern equivalent for a standard Super C rear tire is 11.2-36. [1, 2]
Depending on your specific wheel rim width and intended use (such as heavier pulling or plowing), you can also use 12.4-36 tires or the older 9-36 (modern 9.5-36) size. [1, 2, 3, 4]
 
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