# 1956 Case model 55 restoration project



## TraderMark (Nov 15, 2011)

Ha!!! I bet most of you were expecting to see a tractor!:lmao:

My SIL found this old gem under a shed about a mile from his house.
I did some "horse trading" and wound up swapping an old flat screen TV
for the combine. I hope to have it ready to cut my 2 acres of wheat by June.
Whatta ya think??

I know I'm going to have to replace both canvases and all the V-belts but otherwise it seems like a pretty sound machine. I got it hooked up to the tractor and started it up, blew all the rat nests and crud out if it and it seems to all work. 

Well, all except the raddle chain.  Seems that rat nests have a very adverse effect to flat steel chains and when I started it up the raddle chain broke and kind bent a few slats, but I think I can get that worked out. 

Any ides or suggestions on where to find the canvases would be appreciated.

Mark


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## Thomas (Nov 1, 2006)

Dang...not bad shape at all for 60 years  keep the updates coming w/pics.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Yeah, the rat urine is nearly pure ammonia,and eats steel quickly !
Keep us posted,with pics! 
We love old iron !


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## TraderMark (Nov 15, 2011)

Obviously I didn't get the old 55 ready in time to cut my wheat this year.
A friend of mine with a big pretty Case/IH 2144 cut it for me. Took him all of 15 minutes to cut my acre and a half. Good news was that I cut 48 bushels off that little patch. 

But I have started the restoration.
Pics in the posts to follow.


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## TraderMark (Nov 15, 2011)

This picture shows the "trap door" or feeder floor that was tripped. I assume this happened at the same time the concave bar got bent. As you can see, anything that was pushed toward the cylinder would have just fallen out on the ground.


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## TraderMark (Nov 15, 2011)

Picture of where the spot welds had broken loose on the feeder floor reinforcement


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## TraderMark (Nov 15, 2011)

Pictures of the bent concave bar. The nut used as a reference is a 3/8 nut so the concave bar was bent 5/8-3/4 inch. Last picture shows what a good hydraulic press, a little patience and some careful observation can do. Concave bar looks as good as new.


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## TraderMark (Nov 15, 2011)

More pics coming soon.


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