My A Deere speedster
 

Here is the reason I had been asking questions on here the past few months. I was building a speedster with as many John Deere parts as possible. The radiator is from a "GP" tractor and the engine is a two cylinder vertical flathead from an old Deere pull type combine. The frame is T and the axles are model A. Seats, steering, pedals, gauges are all Deere. Fenders and tank are from Speedway.
https://i.imgur.com/giO3H5l.jpg

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

Quite a combination. Cool looking buggy.

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

Drawbar or 3 point hitch ?

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

No I couldn't find a place to mount it on a model T frame.

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

Saw it out at grand island, very nice job

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

Combine engine? Must be a flat belt drive!:)

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

Now, that is neat. What transmission and rear end ?

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

What attachments can you get with it?

Gang mower, snow plow?

Great fun. Enjoy.

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

I'm green with envy.

No - not that green.

Joe K

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

Friend has an 30 or 31 A coupe painted John Deere Green and yellow wheels. But yours is unique. Know it took a lot of work.

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

Bravo !!! Great job looks pretty cool!

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

My Pop never had any D John Deere tractors but a lot of the neighbors up in Kansas did. We had 4010 models when I was a kid. Those old Johnny poppers last forever as long as you don't mind the sound of them. Plup-plup-plup all day long. Pulling the flywheel to start them could be a chore but they generally pull off relatively quickly.

If that thing has an LUC or at least one of the LU series 2-cylinder engines, they aren't really the popper type since they are a different design. They actually sound pretty conventional for a 2-cylinder. Plus they could be set up for straight back drive since they have a bell housing. I assume that that is what this speedster has from an old Model 12A combine or even the old Model LA tractor. Some Model 12A combines had PTO drives but not all tractors had a PTO back in the day. I imagine it has to be hand cranked to start. many of the old implements were set up that way.

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

No one claimed it to be a “Johnny Popper”. It would be pretty difficult to mount a two cylinder vertical transverse engine in a car.

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

Yes but you never mentioned what engine it was either. I was only referencing John Deere's history with 2-cylinder engines. I haven't followed any previous threads so I guessed at what it was.

Now all you need is a John Deere motorcycle.

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

Very cool. Great imagination. Excellent job. Well done.

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

Beautiful speedster. Nicely done!

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

The typical "Johnny Popper" was a horizontal engine, not vertical. The engine Rotorwrench was referencing was a vertical inline version, not transverse. I believe it was also an even firing engine, not the "pop-pop-pause" of the typical John Deere tractor.

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

Not sure why this has become an issue, but it's an LUC engine from a combine. Same as in an LA tractor. It is a two cylinder, flat head, vertical built at the John Deere factory in Moline, Illinois. Cylinders fire 180 degrees apart followed by 540 degrees, just like the horizontal engines. It has a Wico X magneto and a TSX carb.

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

Very nice! I love different stuff. ( 20 year Deere tech )

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

I don't think it's really an issue. Folks like me are just curious sorts. I only mentioned the older horizontal type engines due to their popularity and that they are 2-cylinder jobs. They aren't related in any other way to the LU series of engines other than being manufactured by John Deere.

A fellow I used to work for had one of those old 1908 Brush Runabouts. It only had 1 cylinder with a wood frame & axles and it would go about as fast as a tractor but it was still a lot of fun.

Your JD is undoubtedly a lot of fun as well.

I've seen photos of a 3-wheeler cycle that had the JD green LUC on the back.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/32719051@N06/3790954346

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

You were expected to be at the Speedster Reunion last week in Lincoln, NE. I was hoping to see it but did not, disappointing! Good looking rig!!!

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

Really? I had just asked someone a few questions about whether it was eligible, I didn't know that anyone had signed me up or that they even knew my name.
It still has some issues with the clutch and brakes and it would have been embarrassing to have been towed everywhere.

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

If you would indulge us, please lift the hood, take a couple photos and post them so we stop wondering how it looks under the hood.

I spent the first 18 years of my life on a dairy farm and spent many days on a John Deere B cutting hay for the herd. Up until I was about 13 years old, the BIG tractor of the farm was a John Deere 60.

I like what you have put together. Hope you work out the drive train issues.
Good Day!

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

I also would like more pictures of the mechanicals of your neat machine. I grew up with 2 cyl. JD's. My trade school training was diesel farm tractor mechanic. My 1st job was in a JD dealership. The 4 cylinder. JDs had just been out 2 or 3 years at that point, so everything in the shop for repairs were the 2 cyl's. So simple. I will always remember one day a customer came in with an A and wanted new rings put in the engine, and valves ground, and new inserts, and pack the front wheel bearings. I said sure what time this afternoon would you like to pick it up? They were literally that easy to repair.

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

nice....

Re: My A Deere speedster
 

You weren't signed up, just talked about by one of the team.