Old iron, new life: FFA students restore Ford Golden Jubilee

DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor

The grille has taken a lick somewhere along the way, but the sheet metal is in surprisingly good shape. The rear tires are nearly new, and agriculture instructor Corey Searcy sees no reason a tractor built in 1953 can't earn its keep again.

The Moore County High School FFA chapter has taken on the restoration of a Ford Golden Jubilee, a 73-year-old piece of farm machinery donated by a family with ties to the school's agriculture program. The old Ford isn't running just yet, but Searcy and his students intend to change that.

Once it's restored, the tractor will stay at the school. No auction, no selling it to raise money. Searcy wants future agriculture students to have something they can work on and take pride in.

"I want to make our chapter known for something," Searcy said. "Farming is a little bit different in Lynchburg than it was 20, 30 years ago. So I want to make us have an identity, and I think the tractor will be our identity for our FFA program."

First, get it running

The tractor previously handled bush hogging chores around a home, and it came with a mower that may eventually get some attention of its own. For now, the students are concentrating on the Ford.

They'll change the engine oil, service the rear end, replace the front tires, and convert the electrical system to 12 volts. Searcy also discovered a fuel line routed across the engine manifold that will need attention before they attempt to start it.

He recently made a Walmart run for two new sanders. There's old paint to strip away, and the students will tackle that job while sorting through what needs fixing under the hood.

Finding replacement parts shouldn't be much trouble. The Golden Jubilee remains popular with collectors and vintage tractor enthusiasts, and several companies still supply parts for the old Fords. Figuring out exactly what's wrong with this one may take considerably more effort.

"Now, getting it all put together, find out what's exactly wrong with it, that would be more of a challenge for us," Searcy said.

"The students get a chance to actually do hands-on instead of book work, and it'll be fun for them," he said.

Built for Ford's golden anniversary

Introduced for 1953, the Ford NAA was built to mark the company's 50th anniversary. The Golden Jubilee models carried a commemorative hood medallion bearing the dates 1903–1953. They replaced the popular Ford 8N, bringing a more powerful engine and improved hydraulics to a tractor already familiar on American farms.

Under the hood was Ford's 134-cubic-inch, four-cylinder "Red Tiger" gasoline engine, rated at roughly 30 horsepower at the power takeoff. The tractor had a four-speed transmission, and its improved hydraulic system allowed the rear lift to work even with the clutch pedal depressed.

It was a considerable improvement for farmers accustomed to older equipment, particularly those who had spent years working behind a team of horses.

"It beat the heck out of two horses in front of you every day pulling it," Searcy said.

He describes the old Ford as "raw power, raw machinery." There are no onboard computers to diagnose a problem. If something quits working, somebody has to figure out why.

A fresh coat and a permanent home

Once the mechanical work is finished, Searcy plans to have the students handle the painting. He wants to clean out a small outbuilding on campus and turn it into a paint booth. Afterward, it will serve as the tractor's shed.

A Nashville paint-and-body company has contacted the school about possibly donating equipment. Searcy would welcome help from local residents, too, whether that's materials, spare parts, or somebody willing to share a little experience working on old tractors.

The Golden Jubilee might not be the last tractor project, either. Searcy's father owns an old Farmall H, and Searcy hopes to bring it to the school for a fresh coat of paint once the Ford is finished.

"We're going to keep it for the ag program, restore it completely, and this is going to be our tractor used from here on out," he said.

Good grades get the keys

Searcy is already looking forward to Tractor Day, when students bring farm equipment to school. The restored Ford will have a place in the festivities, and Searcy has decided who'll get the privilege of driving it.

"Whoever gets the highest GPA in ag class will be the kid who gets to drive it during Tractor Day," he said.

That has stirred up a little competition and some nervousness. The student with the best grades might not be the one most comfortable behind the wheel of a tractor, but Searcy figures they'll manage. "We'll make it happen," he said.

First, they've got to get the old Ford to crank.