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New life for 1936 Model D John Deere
(by Kristy Zurbrick, Madison Editor - July 28, 2010)
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 Messenger photo by Kristy Zurbrick
South Charleston area resident Andrew Armstrong spent the summer restoring this 1936 John Deere Model D tractor.
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 Armstrong used "John Deere Yellow" and "John Deere Classic Green" to paint the old tractor.
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Andrew Armstrong took three big projects to the Clark County Fair this year: a 1,365-lb. steer named “Toby,” a 1,225-lb. steer named “Tom,” and, well, a tractor.
The latter is a 1936 John Deere Model D, which Armstrong spent the summer restoring in between working his steers and sleeping. He entered it in the “implement restoration” category.
The tractor was previously owned by a man in Plain City, a friend of Armstrong’s grandfather, Richard Armstrong.
“Someone had restored it before, but it had started to go the other way again,” said Armstrong, 16, a Southeastern FFA member. “It ran. That was the first good thing.”
From there, he cleaned corrosion from the transmission and engine block and tweaked the carburetor. He sourced a like-new, original gas tank and platform via the Internet from “a guy who has hundreds of Model Ds and their parts.”
After practicing on sheet metal, he fabricated and attached new fenders. He also wire-brushed the rust and old paint from the wheels. The whole tractor got a new coat of paint, “John Deere Yellow” and “John Deere Classic Green.”
“The rubber lugs (on the wheels) aren’t original. We did them instead of metal lugs so the wheels don’t break through concrete and asphalt,” Armstrong said.
Assisting in the restoration efforts were Armstrong’s grandfather, his uncle, Joe Booze, who does vehicle bodywork, and his parents, Allen and Amy Armstrong.
After the fair, Armstrong plans to take the Model D to tractor shows and may even put it to work in the fields. He’s also open to selling it, “if the right price is offered.”
The Model D was the first tractor John Deere made with its name on it. It also holds the record as the company’s longest running model, in production from the 1920s to the 1950s.
Other 2010 Clark County Fair Photos
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 Lamb champ
London resident Brittany Markley, 18, showed the grand champion lamb at the Clark County Fair. A 2010 graduate of Northeastern High School, she was reserve champion the last three years.
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 Learning at the fair
Seven years ago, when Tyler Gregory first started showing animals at the fair, his species of choice was rabbits. Three years ago, he decided he wanted to try something new. He has been showing pigs ever since. “I like watching them grow, showing them, and seeing if your hard work paid off,” he said. Gregory is a member of Southeastern FFA. He participated in the Clark County Fair this past week.
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