 Tim Knutson is an Iowa farm boy who left the farm for college followed by graduate school and big city jobs. But, as the saying goes, the farm never left him. Prior to his retirement he spent over 35 years in the field of healthcare administration in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Texas, primarily physician practice management and consulting. Tim is married and the father of two grown children. He and his wife now live on the family farm in northern Iowa - a Heritage Farm, having been in the family for over 150 years. Hobbies include hunting, competative benchrest shooting, beekeeping, and, of course, tractor restoration. The tractor pictured here is the 951-D shortly after its purchase. It was subsequently restored with the addition of a wide front end. Completion photos are found elsewhere in this website.
"My goal in a tractor restoration is to bring one of these old tractors back to as close to showroom new as I can. I do all the work myself except for old paint removal and major engine machining. If I detemine that major engine work is needed (valves, sleeves, crankcase journals turned, etc.) I will use a machine shop familiar with these old engines. Starters and generators are checked out and rebuilt, if necessary." "When I'm finished, my tractors not only look good, they are good. I completely disassemble each one and replace every seal, gasket, and bearing,that appears to be the least worn. Unless I know that the engine has recently been re-built, every engine gets at least a valve job. I pull bearing caps from one main and one rod bearing and, if the bearings are worn, the engine gets an overhaul, with the crankshaft polished if not re-ground, new bearings, sleeves, pistons, and rings. All the gauges are replaced and every tractor is re-wired. Fuel tanks are cleaned and sealed and most tractors get new radiators. Since my first project, I've learned some bodywork skills and now I'm able to bring dented sheet metal to looking pretty darn good, if not perfect. I use high quality, automotive grade etching primers, sealers, and urethane paint. I paint them part-by-part so every surface gets covered and I re-assemble after the paint has dried and set." Tim can be contacted via e-mail at: tim@timstractors.com |