Welcome fletchman, nice to have you aboard here and best wishes in your information quest :fing32:.
New member 1966 Colt 2712 Owner
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Thanks for the welcome! Here are some pics of it's fist day home.
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I'll have to check on the blade, but it looks pretty good to be homemade. For now I just want to get it operating. I'm planning on putting a 15hp Tecumseh on it for the time being. I eventually want to get the proper 12hp Tecumseh, a new seat, paint and decals and a snow blade. It came with a real nice mower, but I doubt I'll ever use it or the grader. I may try to sell/trade them for what I need.
Here's a few more pics of the dirty. Please let me know if something is wrong or missing. I have the side shrouds not installed in the pics. I know the seat isn't original also. I'm thinking that the front tires are not correct. It came with an owners manual and it states that they are supposed to be 4.80X8 and they are 6.50X8.
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Here's a few more pics of the dirty. Please let me know if something is wrong or missing. I have the side shrouds not installed in the pics. I know the seat isn't original also. I'm thinking that the front tires are not correct. It came with an owners manual and it states that they are supposed to be 4.80X8 and they are 6.50X8.
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First off, welcome to the forum and :MTF_wel2:
As CM2 already pointed out, you have a very nice and rather unique Colt so I'm
raying: that your intentions are honorable with this treasure.
This tractor deserves a meticulous, ground-up restoration to bring it back to what it looked like when it left the Winneconne plant back in 1966. Someone has messed with this tractor in the past but fortunately, all of that is easily reversible.
If you do it right, your Colt will end up looking like this.
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You must take great care when trying to remove that steering wheel because it isn't available from any source that I'm aware of. The use of a carefully positioned puller plus soaking the shaft with PB Blaster for a week in advance is recommended.
The missing center cap for the steering wheel and the correct seat pan plus cushions can be bought from Steve Guider in Ohio. His number is (937) 363-3523. Steve may be able to help you with the correct 12 hp Tec motor as well as the clutch and metal cooling fan.
I know that he will be quite interested in some photos of your tractor due to the fact that you have the hydraulic lift on it. I've never seen a Colt with that option previously although I just saw a 190 Case with it on e-Bay.
A free parts manual can be had by going to the Ingersoll website
http://www.ingersolltractors.com
Decals can be bought from Tony Giletto
http://maplehunterdecalstexas.com/
The true and correct paint color for the wheels and hood is called Flambeau Red and is available from Van Sickle as their stock #458.
http://www.vansicklepaint.com/
The white is a bit trickier. Colt describes it as a "blue/white" as opposed to a yellow/white or white/white or red/white. I can't give you a paint code for it and I don't think that Steve can either. I don't see any reason why you could not use the Case Power White paint for your tractor but when you chat with Steve, he can advise you on that since he's also used that color. Use of an enamel hardener is highly recommended.
As for the front rims and tires, those are correct. Once again, you have a tractor with this added option, along with the rear hitch and the hydraulic lift. Surprisingly, the tractor did not come with the optional rear hydraulic PTO/Flow Control valve but I guess that the first owner had no intention of running a rototiller.
The belly blade is 100% home-made. Someone has welded that up and added a chunk of cutting edge from a large FEL bucket to act as the actual blade.
While you haven't asked for THIS advice, I'm going to give it anyway. Your Colt is a piece of history at this point and it should be preserved. It is now well beyond it's "best before date" as a work tractor. While it is your machine to do with as you see fit, you need to understand that the old Colts and Case 100 series did have their problems and parts are getting harder and harder to come by since 44 years have passed by.
Axle shafts and the motor input shaft are particularly prone to failure. The frames have been known to develop cracking just in front of the trans-axle and the front axles have also been known to develop stress cracks. All of these issues are due more to the hard use these tractors were capable of withstanding back in the day but time does take its toll. I am suggesting that you take your joy from restoring the tractor initially and then add to that joy by putting it in parades and taking it to tractor shows in your area rather than putting this tractor back to work.
Get rid of the belly blade but leave the rear hitch. If the deck is in good condition, then you might consider showing the tractor with it on. The problem with owning one Colt is that it often leads to a second and then a third and so on. Consider yourself warned. :biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:
As CM2 already pointed out, you have a very nice and rather unique Colt so I'm
raying: that your intentions are honorable with this treasure. This tractor deserves a meticulous, ground-up restoration to bring it back to what it looked like when it left the Winneconne plant back in 1966. Someone has messed with this tractor in the past but fortunately, all of that is easily reversible.
If you do it right, your Colt will end up looking like this.
You must take great care when trying to remove that steering wheel because it isn't available from any source that I'm aware of. The use of a carefully positioned puller plus soaking the shaft with PB Blaster for a week in advance is recommended.
The missing center cap for the steering wheel and the correct seat pan plus cushions can be bought from Steve Guider in Ohio. His number is (937) 363-3523. Steve may be able to help you with the correct 12 hp Tec motor as well as the clutch and metal cooling fan.
I know that he will be quite interested in some photos of your tractor due to the fact that you have the hydraulic lift on it. I've never seen a Colt with that option previously although I just saw a 190 Case with it on e-Bay.
A free parts manual can be had by going to the Ingersoll website
http://www.ingersolltractors.com
Decals can be bought from Tony Giletto
http://maplehunterdecalstexas.com/
The true and correct paint color for the wheels and hood is called Flambeau Red and is available from Van Sickle as their stock #458.
http://www.vansicklepaint.com/
The white is a bit trickier. Colt describes it as a "blue/white" as opposed to a yellow/white or white/white or red/white. I can't give you a paint code for it and I don't think that Steve can either. I don't see any reason why you could not use the Case Power White paint for your tractor but when you chat with Steve, he can advise you on that since he's also used that color. Use of an enamel hardener is highly recommended.
As for the front rims and tires, those are correct. Once again, you have a tractor with this added option, along with the rear hitch and the hydraulic lift. Surprisingly, the tractor did not come with the optional rear hydraulic PTO/Flow Control valve but I guess that the first owner had no intention of running a rototiller.
The belly blade is 100% home-made. Someone has welded that up and added a chunk of cutting edge from a large FEL bucket to act as the actual blade.
While you haven't asked for THIS advice, I'm going to give it anyway. Your Colt is a piece of history at this point and it should be preserved. It is now well beyond it's "best before date" as a work tractor. While it is your machine to do with as you see fit, you need to understand that the old Colts and Case 100 series did have their problems and parts are getting harder and harder to come by since 44 years have passed by.
Axle shafts and the motor input shaft are particularly prone to failure. The frames have been known to develop cracking just in front of the trans-axle and the front axles have also been known to develop stress cracks. All of these issues are due more to the hard use these tractors were capable of withstanding back in the day but time does take its toll. I am suggesting that you take your joy from restoring the tractor initially and then add to that joy by putting it in parades and taking it to tractor shows in your area rather than putting this tractor back to work.
Get rid of the belly blade but leave the rear hitch. If the deck is in good condition, then you might consider showing the tractor with it on. The problem with owning one Colt is that it often leads to a second and then a third and so on. Consider yourself warned. :biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:
Thank you for the detailed information. I'm not going to work this tractor hard for sure as I realize how important it is to preserve it. I envisioned it as a snow plower for my driveway and pull my kids around with the trailer. I don't think that would be too much. I wasn't going to restore it until I realized that someone had already re-painted it at one time. I like the original un-touched look to tractors if they are original.
We have a "Corn Festival" in my hometown where I plan on showing it. The number you posted for Steve looks like a local number for me. Wouldn't it be ironic if Steve lives close by? I'm wondering if he goes to the Corn Festival here in Wilmington, OH.
My front end does have a stress crack. I'm a certified welder so that's not a problem. The front axle where it pivots is worn pretty good also it seems. There is a lot of slop when turning the steering wheel. The axle rocks forward and backward. I plan on taking it apart and seeing how it can be repaired. The rear hitch has been welded solid in a couple places, so I have to fix that as well.
Everything else seems good on it. I'll just have to get it running to see if the hydros work, but I don't see why it wouldn't.
I wasn't aware that the front tires were an option. That's good to know. I would have put the wrong tires on it. The serial number is 663004. I don't know how that can be traced down, but it may or may not help with something. I feel like I have found a little treasure and I can't wait to share what I've learned about it to others.
We have a "Corn Festival" in my hometown where I plan on showing it. The number you posted for Steve looks like a local number for me. Wouldn't it be ironic if Steve lives close by?
I'm wondering if he goes to the Corn Festival here in Wilmington, OH.My front end does have a stress crack. I'm a certified welder so that's not a problem. The front axle where it pivots is worn pretty good also it seems. There is a lot of slop when turning the steering wheel. The axle rocks forward and backward. I plan on taking it apart and seeing how it can be repaired. The rear hitch has been welded solid in a couple places, so I have to fix that as well.
Everything else seems good on it. I'll just have to get it running to see if the hydros work, but I don't see why it wouldn't.
I wasn't aware that the front tires were an option. That's good to know. I would have put the wrong tires on it. The serial number is 663004. I don't know how that can be traced down, but it may or may not help with something. I feel like I have found a little treasure and I can't wait to share what I've learned about it to others.
Yes Sir... it is a little treasure and one that I'd love to own myself. Work closely with Steve and you will end up with something you will be proud to own and perhaps pass down to one of your children.Thank you for the detailed information. I'm not going to work this tractor hard for sure as I realize how important it is to preserve it. I envisioned it as a snow plower for my driveway and pull my kids around with the trailer. I don't think that would be too much.
The axle shafts and motor input shaft fail by twisting off due to procedures that require high amounts of torque. Mowing your lawn or pulling you kids in a trailer are low torque uses but pushing snow or plowing a garden can often be high torque situations.
I wasn't going to restore it until I realized that someone had already re-painted it at one time. I like the original un-touched look to tractors if they are original.
There were 4 models of Colt in 1966. You have the one that came with 16" rear rubber and a 12 HP engine. The one in the photo is a 2510 that came with 15" rear tires and a 10 hp Tec. The 2310 was fitted with 12" rear rims and a 10 hp Tec and as did the 2110 but it had a Peerless manual transmission in it instead of the Hydra-Drive (formerly called Colt-A-Matic). 1966 was the final year Colts were made.
We have a "Corn Festival" in my hometown where I plan on showing it. The number you posted for Steve looks like a local number for me. Wouldn't it be ironic if Steve lives close by?
Steve lives 80 miles north of you and it's a one hour and 45 minute trip that would be well worth your while. Steve's collection of old Case and Colt tractors is one of the best in the country if not the very best. He now has the ONLY Case 190 forklift known to still exist.
My front end does have a stress crack. I'm a certified welder so that's not a problem. The front axle where it pivots is worn pretty good also it seems. There is a lot of slop when turning the steering wheel. The axle rocks forward and backward. I plan on taking it apart and seeing how it can be repaired.
The axles are cast steel and not difficult to repair. I suggest that you bore out the pivot hole and bush it back to stock with either a steel or bronze insert.
The rear hitch has been welded solid in a couple places, so I have to fix that as well.
Everything else seems good on it. I'll just have to get it running to see if the hydros work, but I don't see why it wouldn't.
Actually, the term "hydros" doesn't apply. These tractors are hydraulic drive, not hydrostatic drive ....which is what makes them unique. Pumps and motors are still available and can be sourced for reasonable prices if needed. You will need to empty the trans-axle of whatever might be in there at the moment. If you go to the Ingersoll site and download the parts book, you will see that there is a pick-up screen for the hydraulic system inside the trans-axle. Remove the steel suction line and then use a deep socket to remove the suction screen for cleaning. If there is a lot of foreign matter inside the trans-axle, then flush it clean with diesel fuel. Once clean, soak up the remaining diesel with some old rags.
Refill the trans-axle with 10 quarts of #30W motor oil. Shell's Rotella T is a good choice. If you are intending to use the tractor in the winter months, then use 15W40 Rotella.
I wasn't aware that the front tires were an option. That's good to know. I would have put the wrong tires on it. The serial number is 663004. I don't know how that can be traced down, but it may or may not help with something.
Unfortunately, Case apparently kept no records of the serial numbers of the tractors they made prior to 1972 and that includes the Colts. Steve will want your serial number to give to Jim Daenzer so he can add your tractor to his registry.
I feel like I have found a little treasure and I can't wait to share what I've learned about it to others.
I'll definitely ask Steve about it when I call him. I want to get all of my ducks in a row so I can lay a bunch of questions on him at once.
I don't want to hound the fella every couple of days with something new. Does he happen to have a website?I was thinking that it was supposed to be hooked up to the hydraulics but I wasn't sure. Thanks again for the lesson.
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