Thomas Kouttron’s Perseverance
Pays Dividends
Thomas Kouttron’s vocabulary simply does not include the word “quit.” Even when faced with a daunting, multi-year and expensive project the teenager pushes on with a methodical sense of purpose and ability to focus on both short and long-term goals. He’s a can-do type of guy and the fruit of his work can be stunning.
After nearly two years and the expenditure of about $10,000, the 1949 Oliver Row Crop Wide Front 88 tractor that Mr. Kouttron salvaged from underneath thick brush on a local farm has been completely restored. It made its first public appearance late last month when the senior rode it down Main Street in Huntington High School’s Homecoming Day parade.
“Over the past two years I began by disassembling the entire tractor down to a bare frame, discovering that the transmission casing was cracked and the driveshaft was bent,” said Mr. Kouttron about his restoration efforts. “The engine was also terribly worn and damaged. Most of the time put into the project at first entailed the tedious process of removing the paint, dents and corrosion from the entire tractor and removing the hardware from the frame, most of which had rusted and sheared under pressure. From there I began the tear down of all individual assemblies of the tractor, including the transmission, engine, frame and front axle.
Visited many scraps yards
To replace the transmission, Mr. Kouttron made several trips to many scrap yards throughout Pennsylvania and Ohio to find salvageable parts. “After several trips, I returned with many parts from Barrick Oliver Tractor Supply, Leid Diesel Service, Maibach Tractor and McCullough Tractor salvage,” Mr. Kouttron said. “Many replacement parts and assemblies were also purchased on eBay and craigslist. After finding everything to complete the tractor, I completely disassembled the original transmission from the tractor and used most of the gears and differential from it to rebuild the new transmission case, which was only one year newer, however it was the only replacement I could find in the northeastern United States.”
As Mr. Kouttron went about the process of rebuilding the tractor’s transmission, he faced an assortment of challenges, including moving and lifting parts that weighed nearly 2,000 pounds with a few floor jacks and plain human strength.
“After I completely rebuilt the transmission from the ground up, I had to install different bull pinions to allow for disc brakes instead of the original band brakes used as an option in 1949,” Mr. Kouttron said. “Luckily I found replacement parts and was able to rebuild it as soon as possible. From there I attached the main frame to the transmission to create a frame weighing nearly 5,000 pounds sitting on the ground in my driveway. On the rebuild for my transmission, I spared no imperfections and replaced all gaskets and bearings with Made in the U.S.A Timken roller bearings; the finest out there.”
Replaced every single bolt and snap ring
Mr. Kouttron replaced every single bolt and snap ring on the transmission with Grade 8 stainless bolts, “the strongest and most expensive hardware, all of which I purchased at County Line Hardware right here in Huntington Station,” he said. “Next came the brake housings and axles and finally the next major stage; getting the tractor on wheels and tires and the front axle welded, fixed and reattached, which was no easy feat.”
In August 2013, the Huntington senior purchased brand new Made in the U.S.A Firestone 6 ply 13.6R 38 tires and two 6.50R 16 tires from Barrack Tire Supply for nearly $1,500. “I then had them installed on my rims at All Weather Tire in Huntington Station, giving the crew a real workout because they were too big for any machines and possibly bigger than any tire they had serviced there in the past,” Mr. Kouttron said. “After the tires were installed, I stripped all paint from the rims and coated them in primer and then painted them Oliver red, which is high gloss automotive paint that is very expensive. I applied the paint with my newly acquired siphon feed spray gun, used by professionals to paint automobiles. I also had to but many new tools and filters to allow for my air compressor to run the spray gun. The rims shined great after six coats of paint to ensure the paint will last a long time.”
Applied 10 coats of green paint
Once the rims were refinished it was time for Mr. Kouttron to fix the front axle, welding braces on it and filling the pitting to make it look brand new. “I then primed and painted it Oliver green using the same process as used before on the rims,” the teenager said. “After I primed the frame and transmission, I then installed the axle, which was no easy feat, requiring me to lift 5,000 pounds up nearly four feet to install the axle. Fortunately, I had a small engine crane to assist me and a few bottle jacks. Once the front axle was on and the rear axles were inputted through the transmission bull pinions, I painted the whole frame with 10 coats of Oliver green paint, which made the frame look brand new.”
With the rear axle in place, Mr. Kouttron installed the rear rims with tires. “Each weighed 1,200 pounds,” he said. “This required my entire family’s assistance to be able to install them. After the rear wheels were on, I installed the front rims and tires on new hubs, which I equipped with brand new tapered roller bearing and seals, making the restoration also a preservation as well. Once the frame was rolling, I cleared a spot in my garage for it, which ended up requiring an entire bay of my small two car garage.”
With the frame now rolling, Mr. Kouttron installed the dash tower, which he had completely reworked by using flat hammers and steel forge equipment to remove any dents and imperfections. “From there the dash was installed and I hooked up the manual steering linkages and steering wheel,” he said. “The next major step was the engine. I began by having to get the six cylinder Waukesha unseized after nearly 40 years. To do this, I removed the spark plug and poured kerosene down each cylinder jug. After the kerosene had soaked in, I added more and then lit each cylinder jug on fire to provide pressure to release the engine. Luckily it worked after two weeks.”
Completely rebuilt the engine
Mr. Kouttron then went about removing all of the engine accessories including the water pump, manifolds, head, valve cover, valves, valve stems, push rods, camshaft, crankshaft, liners, pistons and bearings, oil pump, distributor, oil pan and clutch and clutch housing. “I then brought the engine block bar to Leid Diesel Service where I had the top of the block machine flat and level,” he said. “The head was also resurfaced and my flywheel was resurfaced to allow for the clutch to actually function, instead of just building rusty friction to it. From here I bought a rebuild kit, which included all new parts for the engine. Over two days I rebuilt the engine by installing the crankshaft and camshaft, all with new bearings and seals and then installing the pistons and liners and piston rods.”
Mr. Kouttron then installed the pushrods that ride on the cam to adjust the valves while the engine is running. “The head was then installed with a new head gasket and new valves, valve stems and springs,” he said. “I then repainted the engine and installed it in the frame all complete. I then installed the flywheel and new clutch, pressure plate and housing on the engine’s rear and then I hooked it up to the new driveshaft at the end of the transmission. I then adjusted the timing with the flywheel and distributor. Then I installed the radiator to run the engine. I then replaced all the coolant hoses, all the wiring on the engine to the dash and starter motor and finally put new fluid in the engine, transmission and, radiator. The tractor now had a new engine, rebuilt with new gaskets seals and wiring, all of which had been replaced with period correct parts and brand new hardware.”
Made in the USA
Mr. Kouttron is very proud to be able to say that “everything on this tractor is Made in the USA. I refused to have it any other way.” The teenager said the tractor “started flawlessly.”
The senior is rightly proud of his work. “I even handmade new linkages and brackets that were irreplaceable and I managed to replicate them on my mill and in my shop,” Mr. Kouttron said. “The tractor drove fine and was truly a fun experience. The last step was sheet metal and decals. I had a ton of dent removal work to do because a tree had fallen on the tractor long ago making the sheet metal very dented. After two weeks [of work], all of it was perfect and I was able to paint it and install it to complete the tractor. I even handmade the tool box and rear seat cushion and installed a brand new chrome 3.5 inch stack to top off the excellent restoration.”
The restoration effort consumed 2,648 hours. “Every single bolt, nut and washer was replaced and corrected, making the tractor a true piece of art for generations to come,” Mr. Kouttron said.
The tractor was built on November 15, 1949 so it is nearing its 65th birthday. “When I finished the tractor three days before the [Homecoming Day] parade, I couldn’t wait to drive it and show it to the community,” Mr. Kouttron said.
“When the parade day started, many people looked on and were amazed to see a farm tractor driving down Woodbury Road and Main Street,” Mr. Kouttron said. “All in all, the entire tractor was awesome and a town favorite. Now I cannot wait to begin my next project. I will keep this tractor for as long as I can, hopefully my entire life. The experience was incredible and I took many pictures of the restoration. My work was truly appreciated when people saw the complete transformation. I just want to thank John Brigati at White Post Wholesale Growers for donating this tractor to me and I can’t wait for him to see it all finished.”