Greetings!

I am reuniting with an old friend for the first time in 34 years.  It is an Oliver 88 gas tractor that I grew up operating all through high school.  My former boss (and dear friend) has just sold it to me after owning it for 50 years and I'm hoping to pick it up in about 30 days.  

It has been completely rebuilt mechanically.  however, the sheet metal is in pretty rough shape.  Where is a good source for getting hood and grill sheet metal?

Thanks!

Bill Johnson

p.s.  I just talked to my friend and he also has an 88 diesel that is freshly rebuilt that he wants to sell.  The tractor's ready to work, but does have some rim rust and needs tires and batteries.  He rebuilt the tractor sometime around 1998 using Super 88 sleeves and pistons and was disabled in a tractor accident (on a Ford) shortly thereafter and the tractor hasn't been run since.  We'll probably put a new battery in it and start it up when we go to pick up the 88 gas tractor sometime around the third week of March.  The tractor is in Kentucky about 35 miles west of Louisville.  Just email me if you or someone you know may be interested.

Update 3/16/05  We retrieved the 88 gas tractor yesterday (runs great!) and started the 88 diesel that's for sale.  I loosened the line to the injector pump and pumped the fuel pump by hand until the line was full.  I reconnected the line and we pulled the tractor less than 10 feet and it started right up.  It runs great with absolutely no blue smoke and just a trace of black smoke when the engine is accelerated.  No smoke of any kind is evident when the engine is idling or running at a constant, no-load  speed.  I also checked the gearbox and it runs fine in all gears.  The tractor also starts right up using the electric starter.  The steering gear is tight with no excessive play and the tractor steers easily.  The mechanics overall are in great shape but the sheet metal and cosmetics are in poor condition.  I put a brand new battery in it and added 5 gallons of fresh diesel fuel.  I can email pictures if you want to see it and also a 2.9 or 7.7 meg .mov file if you want to see it and hear it run.