Susie Q is named after Susan, the woman I bought her from. A request had popped up in a post on Farmallcub.com asking about the value of a Cub and implements that had been sitting for a few years.  I had replied saying that the location as well as the condition plays a factor in pricing a Cub so I asked where it was located.  The next a message popped up that simply said "Cincinnati".  I was on line at the time and totally surprised to see it was so close.  Considering the forum covers the world, being in the same state would be "close" but to be this close floored me.  I knew the seller was still on line so I sent another message saying I was near Cincinnati too and asked where in Cincinnati was it.  Within minutes the reply came back that it was near Harrison.  Holy Hannah, she was right in my immediate area.

The tires still had some air in them and the tractor had sunk into the ground over time. 

 

I sent another message that told her I was too and gave my phone number.  It took about two minutes for my phone to ring.  it was a woman named Susan and she told me where she lived.  It turned out she was about five miles away.  I told her I wasn't interested in the Cub but I would gladly take a look at what she had and try to determine a fair price for her to ask.  It was February and getting close to dark so I asked when a good time would be to to take a look.  She asked if I could come right then.  I said all I needed was to put a coat on and I would be there in ten minutes.

 

As soon as I got there we walked up the hill to see what she had.  We had about half an hour of daylight left so I started checking things out.  There was a set of cultivators, a grader blade, a turning plow, mower deck, and a three point two bottom Ferguson plow sitting around a big oak tree with the Cub right next to the bunch.  There was a tin can covering the exhaust so I felt comfortable knowing that the motor may not have taken in much rainwater.  Susan said her husband and a friend had bought this all at different times and were going to start a small farm.  The friend had died so her husband lost interest and left it all set.  After about six years they decided they were tired of looking at it and wanted to sell it all.

 

I looked everything over and mentioned that the Ferguson plow wouldn't work with the Cub and she said it didn't matter, she wanted everything to go in a package deal.  I told her everything looked in pretty good shape and I would pass the word around that it was available.  I asked if she had any idea what she had in it or what she had to have for it.  She told me her bottom dollar price and I didn't hesitate to tell her I would take it.  She said she didn't bring me up there expecting me to buy it but I told her that was a deal I couldn't pass on.  She said that was fair enough and she would sell it to me with the condition I come back in the spring and till her garden.  I told her that all she had to do was call and I'd be there.

 

The next day I went to pay her and to get what was easily accessible. She said there was no rush to get it out and I could wait for better weather.  As slick as that hillside was I really appreciated that.  While loading I noticed that the hand crank was still attached to the drivers platform.  When I agreed to buy the Cub it was with the understading that it was a non-runner so I figured there was a chance of the engine being froze. just for the heck of it I pulled the crank from its spot and tried to turn the engine. Surprisingly the motor turned with the crank very easily.  I had a feeling this might be a good Cub once I got it going.

 

In May we hosted a Cubfest and several Cubs spent time in the shop all day Friday and  and Saturday morning.  Saturday afternoon the shop was empty and the guys wanted something to play with (there is no work at a Cubfest, it's all play).  I mentioned that Susie Q was a non-runner and needed some attention.  That is all it took.  Susie Q was brought in the shop and evaluated.   Somewhere along the line her engine had started to lock up when the crank reached a certain spot. She could be turned backwards or forwards, but when she hit that same spot that was it.

 

Our good friend Ralph took command at this point. "Off with her head" Ralph cried out, and everybody sprang into action.  One fella started removing the grill and doglegs while ralph and another tackled the dash/hood bolts.  The muffler was froze in place so Ralph made good use of the sawzall and had it off in no time. While someone worked on loosening the alternator another was busy removing head bolts.  Before you knew it the head was off and we were staring at a huge pile of carbon build up in the cylinders.

 

The guys went at it with a wire brush, cleaning every thing in sight.  The points were touched up and the plugs replaced.  We had a new head gasket so we put it on.  That Cub was apart and back together in less than an hour, but she wouldn't start.  She was getting spark and gas.  There was compression and the battery was fully charged.  Now what?

 

Ralph decided to hook it up to another Cub to pull start it.  With Andrew Spivey using his Cub to pull, Ralph on Susie and Rick Spivey walking along side shooting a little starting fluid in the carb we all started off through the barnyard.  We had gotten about 100 feet when the Cub burst to life.