Making 1/64 Scale Pullers By Dave Tallon, Tallon Custom Collectibles Bob Tallon - 1962 Heart of Illinois Fair, Peoria Illinois My family is no stranger to building pullers.  My grandpa and uncle started pulling in 1962 with a Minneapolis Moline U.  Through the years they, along with my Dad and cousin built and pulled a half dozen different tractors.  Unfortunately, by the time I was old enough to remember, they had retired from pulling.  Until 1993 my experience with the family pulling tradition was limited to stories, pictures and some dusty tractors sitting out in grandpa’s sheds.  Then my Dad decided to restore one of the pullers, and I was fortunate enough to get to help.  The memories of working with my Dad on that tractor are some that I hold very dear and will never forget.  To commemorate that tractor and those memories, I built my dad and myself 1/16 scale models of it.  During the process of building those tractors I discovered Toytractorshow.com and was exposed to the world of custom toy tractors.   My interest in building custom tractors quickly grew and I have been building customs ever since.  Although I enjoy building all sorts of customs, I especially enjoy building pullers and continuing the family tradition, albeit in a much smaller scale.   Getting Started Ertl AGCO-Allis 9695 Depending on the level of detail you are wanting to put into them, pullers can be one of the easiest custom projects to do.  Kits are available that provide everything you need except the tractor, including tires, wheels, a rollbar, smoke stack and sometimes more.  They can be easily made by cutting the cab off a tractor, adding the parts from the kit, and applying some touch-up paint.  That process, however, makes for a pretty short article, so I am going to focus in on a method that is a little more challenging, but results in more detailed tractor.  The process I will go through this month is what I would consider the next step beyond the basic process I described previously.  This process can still use many components from a kit, but incorporates a little more extensive modification to the base tractor.  For my example, I am using an Agco Allis 9695.  This tractor works well for this process because it’s proportions are such that it looks OK as a puller without any frame modifications.  The first step is to remove the decals.  If you want to reuse them on the finished tractor, use an exacto knife to help carefully peel them off.  The next thing to remove is the rear wheels.  Although you wont be reusing them on this project, it is a good idea to be careful when you are removing them in case you want to use them on another project later on.  With the rear wheels and decals gone, the rivets should be exposed.  Drill or grind them out so that the tractor can be split in half down the center seam.  Many of the modern 2wd/MFWD tractors have exhaust stacks and/or fuel tanks that are screwed or riveted on from the inside.  With the tractor split you can remove them much more easily.  You can also easily remove the cab top, steering wheel, front axle and the cab interior. At this point you should have your tractor pretty much disassembled.  Now it is time to start cutting.  The first thing to go is the cab.  I use a rotary tool with a cutting bit to cut the cab off at the base.  Try to cut it as close the the fenders as you can, but be careful not to damage the fenders in the process.  If necessary, leave a little bit of the cab post there and come back with a sanding or grinding bit to finish the job.  You can also narrow the rear end by cutting the axles off so that they extend just past the inner fender wall.  Many tractors have the fuel tank and/or steps cast with the frame, so they have to be cut off as well.  Cut them off flush with the rest of the frame or as close to it as possible.  I also often cut off the front axle mounts, since I prefer to use solid front axles for my pullers.  If you would rather re-use the stock front axle then you can leave the mounts there.  If your tractor has them, you should also grind off the tabs on the inside of the fenders that hold the interior in.  This will clear the way for a roll bar later on. Up till this point we have been removing material from the tractor, now it is time to start putting some back.  The first thing to do is rejoin the two halves of the tractor.  I usually use super glue to bond the two halves together.  If you are planning on reusing the stock front axle, make sure to install it as you join the two haves back together.  Once the glue has cured, you can fill in the frame with automotive body filler as necessary to fill the holes created by removing the fuel tank and steps.  While you are at it, you can also fill the rivet holes and the center seam.  Once the body filler has hardened completely, sand it all smooth.  If you have not done so already, also sand the fenders smooth to remove any trace of the cab. Your tractor should now be ready to add a little bit of detail.  No puller would be complete without a nice set of wheels and tires.  Standi and other parts suppliers sell the 30.5R32 “double cut pulling” rear tires with aluminum rims that a common on most 1/64 custom pullers.  Steel or brass rod can be used for a rear axle.  Drill out the rear axle holes as necessary to accommodate your axle.  There are a wide variety of front tire and rim sets you can use.  If you are reusing the stock axle, you can purchase a set of 11.0-16 tires with aluminum rims when you get your rear tires.  A trip through your local Wal-mart toy aisle can also usually produce something suitable for less than a couple dollars.  One toy I have found particularly useful for this purpose is the RC/Ertl Sprint Car.  It can usually be found for $1.50 or less and has nice rib treaded front tires with chrome rims.  Glue a ½” section of 1/16” brass tubing to the front frame of your tractor to run your front axle through.  Now is also a good time to drill your holes for your exhaust pipes.  For these I drill a 3/32” hole and cut a section of 1/16” aluminum tubing for the pipe.  If you want to add a set of engine side shields, now is the time to make those as well.  Use a thin sheet of aluminum or the side of a pop can to make your shields.  Cut them to fit as desired.   Your puller is also going to need someplace for a driver to sit, so you need to put in a seat.  The original seat can often be reused in the puller, although since most interiors are made to fit to the cab, which you have now removed, you may have to do some trimming to get it to look right.  I use an exacto knife to cut away the majority of the interior, leaving just the seat and cab floor.  Many modern pullers often have roll cages to protect the operator.  These can also be purchased from toy tractor parts suppliers or, if you have a fair amount of patience, you can make your own.  I use paper clips to make my rollcages.   Bend and cut a hoop to get it the right size and shape.  Do this with the seat in place to make sure you leave room for it.  Once I have one tube bent the way I like, I make two more just like it, and then position them all in the tractor.  To hold these hoops in position, I put some “poster putty” in the areas I intend on gluing the rollcage to the fenders or floor.  It does a good job of holding them in place as I bend and cut the two rear bars and then glue it all together.  Once the glue has dried, the rollcage can be removed from the fenders for painting.   Unless you are trying to recreate a particular puller, you have much more freedom with the paint job than you typically do with custom stock tractors.  Feel free to use some creativity as you come up with your own paint scheme.  If you plan on painting your rollcage and side shields to match the rest of your tractor, go ahead and glue them on prior to painting.  Otherwise, leave them off for the time being and paint them separate. Once all your paint has dried, you are ready for final assembly.  Install your seat and steering wheel.  Your steering wheel will most likely have a hole in the mounting tab that was used to hold it in place between the two casings.  Cut a section of the tab out to make the hole into a slot and you can snap the steering wheel into place with the two sections already joined.  Install your side shields and rollcage if you have not already.  Add your smoke stacks, tires and decals to finish it off.   Because pullers are so varied, not all the steps in this article may necessarily apply to your particular project.  However, I hope they will be a good guide to help you along the way.  Good Luck.

TTT June 2003 Page 5

Back to the index