“They made a lot of 6-cylinder Chevy engines back in the 1940s,” Norm explains. “So there are plenty of new replacement parts still available.” And as it turns out, the Model D's 3-1/2-inch cylinder bore was close enough to a common Chevy bore that a local automotive machine shop was able to fit brand-new aluminum Chevy pistons to the Model D engine's four cylinders.
The original connecting rods, rod bearings, crankshaft and poured babbitt main bearings were all good enough to reuse. The Model D's operator's manual advises changing the engine oil every 10 days, and judging from the overall good condition of the engine's bottom end, Norm speculates the advice may well have been followed.
Norm found the engine's cylinder head, cam, lifters, pushrods and rocker arms to be reusable, but the super-sized valves themselves were not salvageable. Considering it had been over 60 years since that engine had been produced, finding new valves, or even good used valves, was every bit as unlikely as finding pistons, so Norm again searched elsewhere. “We found those big valves in some big equipment,” Norm says with a wink. “Turns out Caterpillar had some that fit fine after turning them down a little.” Norm's friend, Robert Meyer, Lennox, helped with the machining to fit the valves, and also rebuilt the tractor's Holley carburetor. “It might never have gotten done without my friends,” Norm says.
The Model D's driveline was also in remarkably good condition for the amount of exposure the tractor had endured. While their competitors were still using oil cups and engine sump drains to drip-lubricate exposed drive systems, the Moline Plow Co. designed the Model D's clutch housing, transmission and final drives to keep dirt and water out, and lube in.
“Everything is enclosed on the tractor,” Norm explains while pointing to the clutch, transmission and final drive housings. “But it must have been taken care of, too, considering the (lack of) wear.” Norm cleaned and adjusted the tractor's clutch, transmission, differential and final drives, but even the aged bearings were in good condition.
Once the mechanical components of the Model D were in place, Norm turned his attention to the electrical system. The tractor's Remy Co. (before Delco-Remy) starter and ignition components were still intact, and required only cleaning to function properly. The charging system, however, and electric governor needed some major work that included rewinding the coils in the governor. With the electrical components rejuvenated, Norm rewired the tractor and it was nearly ready to run. But before driving the Moline-Universal, Norm had to mount one of the tractor's rear attachments.
The Moline-Universal's design is reminiscent of an oversized 2-wheeled garden tractor, but it was never intended as a walking tractor. Rear wheels on the Model D were supplied by host of available trailing attachments. So before Norm could drive the tractor, he first had to complete the restoration of one of its attachments. “The 2-bottom plow was standard equipment, so I tackled that first,” Norm says. And in spite of the scores of years of use, the tractor's plow, like the rest of the tractor, needed relatively little work to make it into a showpiece. Norm has since also restored the tractor's cart and a cultivator he obtained later.
Finishing touches
Once Norm's Moline-Universal Model D was ready to roll, he called on friend Robert Meyer to paint it, along with the attachments. The tractor was sprayed with several coats of Moline Plow Co. red, and the attachments were painted red with yellow wheels. Norm then added rubber tire-tread to the lug-lacking drive wheels and the plow's smooth steel wheels so it could be driven on pavement. “After all that work, I wanted to be able to drive it in parades and shows,” Norm says with a smile. “But I still have the lugs.”
In 1987, just about 50 years after the Model D left the Kuper farm, Norm finally got the chance to drive it, and says it was well worth the wait. The tractor's early form of articulated steering is simple and relatively easy to use, but it takes coordination and strength, especially when the throttle, clutch, gear selector and implement adjustment are also made by hand. “After driving it in parades and shows, I can see why Dad never let me run it,” Norm says with a smile. “But I am glad that I finally got the chance.”