Sadly, after a long battle against pulmonary fibrosis, my grandfather passed away on October 27, 2019, just five days shy of his 91st birthday. He was a man of "velvet and steel": a lifelong farmer who lived through the Great Depression and World War II, eventually starting his own farm and becoming one of the largest suppliers of canhouse tomatoes and peppers in the state of New Jersey. He was also a loyal and energetic member of our community, devoting much of his time to making our small town a better place to live. Loving father of four children, ten grandchildren (which I am blessed to have been one of), and six great-grandchildren. He was the glue that held our family together. He was my idol and my inspiration, the one who shaped me into the person I am today. I hope to make him proud by carrying on his legacy and keeping our family's agricultural heritage alive. Hard to believe he is gone, but it is comforting to know that he is our guardian angel now. We will miss you Pop-Pop, but we know you're having a blast up there farming with Mom-Mom once again. May you rest in peace.
My grandfather may no longer be with us, but I now own his JD 60 and Ford 4000 and am working to restore them in his memory, a little bit at a time. Before I moved away to school, my uncle and I dragged the 60 out from behind the barn and brought it around front. It now sits in the stone near the shop, and is much more accessible and easier to work on. The engine has been soaking in diesel and PB Blaster the past few months, so the next step is to get it broken loose. I bought a decent pair of 11x38 Firestone tires on double-bevel rims off of a JD 50 parts tractor, and will be mounting them up to the 60 and removing the seized brake drums so we can roll the tractor around the yard and break the engine loose. I plan to make a video on that as well.
In this video, I give a much more thorough overview and a closer look at the 60, assess some of the parts that are damaged or missing due to years of neglect, and discuss some of my plans for the restoration as we move forward with it. Enjoy.