Clinton News-Record, 1984-09-05, Page 35N
LeBeau's tractors are well known here
Many of the old tractors visitors will see
during the 23rd annual Threshermen's Reu-
nion will be those owned and restored by
Mac LeBeau of Brucefield, "We generally
take about 12 up to the reunion," said Mr.
LeBeau, making him one of the largest con-
tributors to the event.
"Anyone who enjoys tractors can go and
benefit, we get nothing out of it," said Mr.
LeBeau, though he has many plaques for his
participation.
He has had his tractors in parades as far
away as Quebec but he has cut out the
longer distance show. He still exhibits his
tractors in Bayfield, Ilderton, Exeter and at
the Klompen Feest and the Clinton Spring
Fair. He transports them on floats sent by
organizers of the events and on his own
float.
The Brucefield man's interest in tractors
started years ago when he was threshing on
the farm. His father had travelled about the
• United States and owned a threshing
machine he once put to an unusual use: he
threshed rice in Texas, where Mr. LeBeau
was. born.
• Mr. LeBeau has been collecting and
restoring old gas tractors since 1969. He
hasn't gone into collecting steam tractors
because, "Steam is tough, steam is old and
steam is expensive."
• "The first old ones (gas tractors) were
hard to get because people threw them
away. And the war cleaned up a lot of this
stuff."
Machines were fairly easy for a collector
to get, then the 1970s saw a renewed interest
and a subsequent shortage in the market.
This interest stimulated by the many shows
has slowed down now with the serious en-
thusiasts still involved. Mr. LeBeau said he
• has sold about 10 of his line-up recently.
Engine parts have not been hard to find
because some of the original manufacturers
are still going, producing pistons, valves,
rings and other parts. Other parts can be
picked up at second hand shops or Mr.
LeBeau.will make them in his machine shop
if they are unavailable.
About two dozen tractors line a field on the
LeBeau farm making it a distinctive land-
mark on Highway 4. Mr. LeBeau estimates
as many as 10 people a day stop to see his
tractors and have a chat, the majority of
, • -•!
• .
Perhanjtho moottuniluai Otte eopeetion. •
-raw 15 .
.1 •
them truckers.
His collection features- a heauttfUlij-,
restored 1926 Case tractor ,palatecr its
original colors with the Case emblem, an,.
eagle gripping the world in its claws carefiii-
Iy picked out Later- model tractors, . from
better know McCormick; Deerings •to
obscure Centaurs are also displayed, -IVIanr.:
of the metal wheels have been covered -with'
rubber and the metal pieces fortraction
removed so the tractors don't chew up pav-
ed road.
is. a iiused for tobacco farming:. In,
stead. of We:Massive metal wheels, delineate •
looking . spindly ones, suitable for going
down: rows without damaging crops, are at
the rear.
'Although the machines may not have the
gra,eefal 'ibra,--;of the antique cars or the
.sheer,size Orsoine of the steam engines,
they haVaa personality all their own Which.
should please those attending the reunion
thisweekend.
•
Mac LeBeau of Brucefield will feature his restored antique tractors at the Blyth weekend showing. (James Friel photo)
Homemade version was the first
• With the ever continuing growth of
technology came the invention of gas. trac-
tors-. The first gasoline tractor ever to be
operated in Huron County is believed to be
Mr. J.H. Neill's homemade tractor.
In 1913, Mr. Neill turned a Stickney seven
horse power stationary gasoline engine into
a tractor. The road speed was three miles
per hour and it was used to buzz wood, fill
silos, grind grain and pump water for bridge
building. Thetractor wheels were made
from Old Massey Harris binder wheels
while the front wheels were from a manure
spreader. The differential consists of • two
binder truck wheels driven by a belt. The
road wheels were driven by binder chains.
Happy Farmer Tractor; This was one of
the first gasoline tractors in this country.
The tractor was built in 1914 and had
between 12 and 24 horsepower.' This three
plough tractor goes about two miles per
hour and was built by Lacrosse Tractor Co.
• in Wisconsin.
• Hart -Parr Gasoline Tractor; This traitor
was made in Charles City; Iowa and has
steel wheels and angle logs. It was one of the
last gasoline tractors to operate on steel
wheels..Gasone Engines; The first • gasoline
engine was imported to Canada in 1880.
However, it was. sometime after that they
came into general use.
• Twenty-two Horse Power Gasoline
Engine; This is a two cylinder, horizontal
type engine with the cylinders facin ch
other: and connecting on the same dri e
. shaft. These engines proved to be difficult o
start in the cold weather.
• Master Workman Ten Horsepower
Gasoline Engine; Built by the Temple Pump
Company in Chicago, it was built especially
for farm . use. By pulling one lever on the
compression' and one on the ignition, either
•of the two cylinders can be use.
• Six -Cycle Gasoline Engine; This slow -
running machine was mainly used for pum-
• ping water.
Fairbank Morse Three Horsepower
Gasoline Engine; This engine was operated
by the old battery braker system.
Three Horse International Engine; Built
around 1900, this engine has two different
cooling systems. One is a high water tank
self -circulating system. The other is a small
tank equipped with a circulating pump. The
hot water is pumped up and runs down over
a screen.
( This information is courtesy of the Huron
County Pioneer Museum's research team.)
• We gre proud to he swing
HURON COUNTY FARMING COMMUNITY
From all ohm al Hugh 170...
• haw red Him the
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• Continued Success
• to the annual Blyth
Threshermen's Reunion!
inZiNA•10
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