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After 5 years of getting beat up by the competition, I bought a 1948 JD A with a power block. This tractor needed a lot of work, but after about 4 or 5 months and several ruined blue jeans, it looked good and ran even better. Also until now we did not travel to pull as I had no truck or trailer. Now we can go almost anywhere. I won a lot with this new A and over time have slowly made more modifications such as a different cam , bigger valves, ported head, bored out power block, bored carb, msd ignition, 9" stroker crank, custom rods, custom pistons, ported manifold and some other goodies.
It now makes around 85 -90
horsepower . I don't know for sure because I am very reluctant to
put it on a dyno in my area. All our dynos are also antiques in need
of restoration , but I pull with most anyone in my weight classes which
are 6500 -8000. We don't pull 5500 unless the track allows... as
it is usually not been good to us. Any way, I ended up with a total
value of about 7500 dollars in this A over the course of 8 years and I
still miss the way the old 48
pulled when it was near
stock, you know, you're o.k. as long as you're coming in last place, but
modify your tractor and start beating all those people who beat you all
those years , you soon find out who your real friends are.
Anyway Open pulling has kind of gotten out of hand in our area in western pa. so my dad had another 48 A and we built it just like mine when it started life as a puller. Just remember, it is all a lot of fun , just know where you want to end up with it down the road a few years. mf