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Challenger

I have started to do a little cleaning on the Challenger, its a little more rusty than we are used to here in Manitoba but nothing like as bad as things rust in the UK. It is cleaning up realy well with quite a lot of red paint starting to show.
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RE:Challenger

I had been looking for a Challenger for long time, there seems to be hardly any in Canada. Now I have ended with two. This one came from a very dry climate and has hardly any rust at all but has been poorly repainted at some time in its life, so I hope to give this one a full restoration.
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RE:Challenger

Graham,

That's a nice tractor.  And what about those cast rear wheels.  Can you give us a full read out of the writing on them please?  I can't quite blow it up enough.  Those type of wheels are quite rare on CHs but Joe P has one on similar but not the same solid rear wheels.  Do the fronts have any identification on them as these too are not standard.

Any idea of the tractors history - is it an ex California or Arizona tractor?

Thanks a lot for any extra info you can let us have.

John

RE:Challenger

John 
 These are the same company as my Green PA orchard rear wheels,. Wilson & Nutwell Fresno the fronts are Santa Anna iron works. 
 I believe this tractor came from California? 
Dennis

RE:Challenger

The Challenger did come from the very north of California. Borh my Challengers have the same cast front wheels and they have F&H cast on them. I think the fenders are home made. Don`t have any history on the tractor but I will see if I can get any.
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RE:Challenger

I am pleased you got the one from California Graham, I think we spoke about it after seeing the ad, it was the cast rears which took my eye too, once you get the added fenders and footplates off it will look a much better tractor and will compliment the other one which looks like it will clean up to be a very original example.

Malcolm.
 


RE:Challenger

Thanks for the wheel pic Graham and I am surpised that the fronts are French and Hetch.  Like Dennis I would have suspected Santa Ana Ironworks - but there we are - there is always something new that we didn't know about.  My red orchard Pacemaker has the same Fresno manufacturer for its very heavy cast steel rear wheels.  They seemed to like some weight on their tractors down in CA and AZ!  MH wheel weights for the rear clearly not adequate!!  That Challenger must have had tremendous pulling power with all that weight back and front - a truly unique machine.

I suspect that these wheels, back and front, were "original" in that the bare chassis was probably shipped south and then the local wheels fitted on arrival.  Whether that was arranged by Massey or as a dealer modification is open to debate of course.

John

RE:Challenger

John, it seems that some Challengers were supplied new with Sleel on the rear and rubber on the front. The Challenger pictured here is one that was sold new in Alberta Canada and it originaly had steel on the rear, it was sold at auction last year and the originl steel rear wheels were sold with it. I didn`t bid high enough to get this one, It sold for more than I paid for the two I have now. The other one I have with the cast center fronts has cut off steel rear wheels.
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RE:Challenger

A very nice specimen Graham which I hope you will simply just oil up as there is so much original colour in it.  Don't foget that mudguards were optional extras so you don't have to invest!!

John

RE:Challenger

Found this picture of some more different front wheels on a Challenger and a picture of a Challenger somewhere in California with Wilson & Nutwell rear wheels.
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