“Lil Gen Deere” Made From Ten Different Tractors

2022 - Volume #46, Issue #6, Page #02

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Intending to get an old 1969 John Deere 140 garden tractor running, Al Finnbogason bought a 16-hp. Kohler engine and generator out of a Winnebago hoping to split them.
    “After thinking about it for a while, I decided to keep them together and try to make a mobile powerhouse,” says Finnbogason. “I’ve always been a Deere guy, so I measured, figured, and accumulated the needed parts and pieces from over 10 tractors to make it fit together. It’s all accessible. I kept it as much JD as possible, except the motor and generator from the Winnebago.”
    He added 3/8-in. steel to his tractor to give it an extra foot in the front section and match the look of the John Deere 4020.
    “Trying to get the front end the perfect length, figuring out how it would look most like the 4020 was the trickiest part. I needed to make everything fit and be accessible to utilize the generator power,” Finnbogason says.
    To improve the 4020s look, he installed side grilles that pop on and off. He also combined pieces of three different hoods to make the extended one he needed.
    “The hood took forever,” he says. “Finding complete and good condition hoods was rare. So, when I finally found some, I bit the bullet, hacked everything up, and tried to make three into one. I screwed up the first time, but with a little more patience, I got it to turn out darn good.”
    The ‘69 still has the hydro disengage that works well with the added generator. When the brake is applied, the tractor locks down, plus the generator doesn’t spin the whole time.
    “If I need power at the house, I just drive up and plug in what I want to it,” he says.
    He also installed a sleeve hitch on the rear to grab onto trailing equipment. In the future, he’d like to add a front-mounted electric mower that he could hook on to and plug into the generator. He’d also like to change out the small fuel tank with something larger to cut back on refueling stops.
    “It was such an oddball to build, and everyone that sees it gives it a second look. Now, I use it to push the little bit of snow we get out of the driveway with a small blade. Plus, I wanted a little Deere for my 5-year-old grandson to drive. He loves it.”
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Al Finnbogason, 79 Lynnwood, Campbell River, B.C., Canada V9H 1G9 (ph 778-552-4569; norseman3@yahoo.com).

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“Lil Gen Deere” Made From Ten Different Tractors MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous Intending to get an old 1969 John Deere 140 garden tractor running Al Finnbogason bought a 16-hp Kohler engine and generator out of a Winnebago hoping to split them “After thinking about it for a while I decided to keep them together and try to make a mobile powerhouse ” says Finnbogason “I’ve always been a Deere guy so I measured figured and accumulated the needed parts and pieces from over 10 tractors to make it fit together It’s all accessible I kept it as much JD as possible except the motor and generator from the Winnebago ” He added 3/8-in steel to his tractor to give it an extra foot in the front section and match the look of the John Deere 4020 “Trying to get the front end the perfect length figuring out how it would look most like the 4020 was the trickiest part I needed to make everything fit and be accessible to utilize the generator power ” Finnbogason says To improve the 4020’s look he installed side grilles that pop on and off He also combined pieces of three different hoods to make the extended one he needed “The hood took forever ” he says “Finding complete and good condition hoods was rare So when I finally found some I bit the bullet hacked everything up and tried to make three into one I screwed up the first time but with a little more patience I got it to turn out darn good ” The ‘69 still has the hydro disengage that works well with the added generator When the brake is applied the tractor locks down plus the generator doesn’t spin the whole time “If I need power at the house I just drive up and plug in what I want to it ” he says He also installed a sleeve hitch on the rear to grab on to trailing equipment In the future he’d like to add a front-mounted electric mower that he could hook on to and plug into the generator He’d also like to change out the small fuel tank with something larger to cut back on refueling stops “It was such an oddball to build everyone that sees it gives it a second look Now I use it to push the little bit of snow we get out of the driveway with a small blade Plus I wanted a little Deere for my 5-year-old grandson to drive He loves it ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Al Finnbogason 79 Lynnwood Campbell River B C Canada V9H 1G9 ph 778-552-4569; norseman3@yahoo com