Why?...

Attached are three pics. The first two are both of pics of the rear differential out of a 28-44 Hart-Parr. Notice a difference? The first one is in good working order. The second is what I pulled out of my new "project" tractor... It appears that the right side casting where the bearing runs broke off putting the whole differential assembly in a bind with the drive gear. I guess this caused the wheels to lock up. For whatever reason some one halfway disassembled the tractor to get at the differentail and took a cutting torch to it... They cut the entire drive gear and associated casting with it.

Imagine the surprise I found when i tried to pull start it... No brakes either since the brake is ahead of the differential just after the transmission! (3rd pic) Nobody knows anything about the history of this tractor since that was 2 generations ago, so I guess the reason they did this will remain a mystery...

Just thought I'd share my brainbusting dilemia with the rest of you.

Are you a member of the Oliver-Hart-Parr message board? Maybe somebody on there knew who did this dastardly deed!!