tired-retired

I've been meaning to give an update on the progress of the AV restoration project. I signed in a couple of times and realized I had forgotten how. So here goes. I have pretty much stopped pulling her apart and am now spending time making repairs on sheet metal and dents in gas tank and the like. Not much of a sheet metal man, but I have made some improvements. Got around to priming several parts over the past few days, but the weather has kept me from doing any painting except in the shop where I have heat. We had a couple of warm days last week and I was able to get some primer on the tractor frame and enging block. Have a picture of that to share with you. I was planning on putting on some red paint one of those days last week just before a real cold snap. Worked all morning getting set up and then right after lunch I opened the paint and started to stir it up. It was some that I had gotten from an ag supply nearby because a friend told me I could save some money. However, when I opened it up I realized my mistake and it cost me the days work because I had to just put everything away. I live too far from town to just drop over and pick up some paint and then the weather changed. I just went back to priming everything I could carry inside. We had to go to town during the cold snap and I was able to get my paint from an automotive outlet. The weather warmed up today and I was able to start painting. Another day like this and I will be able to put some parts back on. During the cold weather, I took the head to the machine shop and they shaved .003" off and got it flat. There were no cracks. Got the head back and lapped in the valves and have reinstalled them. Still haven't gotten around to ordering the gaskets. Take a good look at the picture that shows the fender. They were pretty rotten on the lower part and I had to cut that out and weld in new metal. Didn't end up with a "Work of art", but they'll pass for a farmer. I feel like we are pretty lucky to have warm breaks like this in January.

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tractor beam

All I can say is "WOW"! Throw it in the tractor of the month........

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For strip-mined mountain's majesty above the asphalt plain.
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tired-retired

Up close, she won't look all that good. I know folks that would be doing a lot better if they were amind to. Best not make my head swell, my wife might bar me from the computer. This is my 3rd restoration project in the last few years so I imagine it might be my last, but it's been fun. I think the most interesting was a 1923 Model T. I went through her from stem to stern and really enjoyed learning all the aspects of what people already knew back then. The transmission was most interesting. It looked like a pile of rust and pure junk when I brought it home but we enjoy taking her out for tours with a couple of car clubs now and then.

Cublover

Don't stop restoring till they throw dirt over you! Looking GOOD!

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Thomas

Dang..indeed you got the nack.

BelarusBulldog

Congratulations, the hardest part is over! From here on in, everything you do, is headed towards the finish line.

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Plowing, it's snow much fun!

tired-retired

You're so right, especially now. Today I had another great day painting the rest of the parts that I have removed. Finished up with the fenders and all. The only painting I have left will be the wheels and that seems like a piece of cake since the weights and all those parts are cast. No more sheet metal to contend with except for putting it back together and that's the fun part for me. I can take the wheel weights and the wheels and put them in the shop where it is warm and work on them as the winter rolls on. No big rush. Just glad to get all these small parts painted up today. Temperature got above 60 here today and paint worked like a charm. Thanks for your interest.

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tired-retired

Been wondering for a few days how I would get a piece of rat wire set into the grill of the AV. It has a few wrinkles and the contours aren't in perfect shape, so it makes it a little harder to make the wire fit here and there. I showed it to my son and he suggested that I hold it in place with silicon rubber. All I had to do then was figure out how to make it fit the bends and humps. I ended up making some little blocks and boring them for 10-24 screws and using one block on the outside and one on the inside to pull the ratwire to the grill. Doesn't look all that good right now, but the end product is going to shape up pretty good when the RTV cures and I get the clamps off. Attaching a couple of pictures just in case it might give some of you some ideas in the future.

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BelarusBulldog

Very clever idea indeed. Was there a screen in there before? Are you going to paint the screen, if so, what colour?

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Plowing, it's snow much fun!

tired-retired

Yes, there was a screen in there originally. It was held in place by clips that were installed and spot welded over ribs that were inside the grill. I was in the process of making some clips and placing them on the ribs in a similar manner, but I was going to have to silver solder them in place and do some heat damage to my new paint job. By doing that, I was not going to be able to make the screen fit up close behind the bars of the grill, but it was all I had thought of at that point. I hated the thought of soldering the clips in, due to the fact I would have to touch up the paint and I'm not the best at that. Also, I would not have been able to get the screen right up against the bars nearly as well. The screen was originally white, so I painted mine white before installing it. With the bars of the grill not following the original contour exactly, the clamps and silicon allowed me to bring the screen up againt the back of the bars a heck of a lot better. He sure turned a light on for me. Reckon that's the difference between a young brain and an old one. I had also considered leaving the screen out since I couldn't make it fit the grill worth a hoot with the clips I was going to install. Probably end up taking him and his wife out to dinner as a showing of a suggestion award. But, that's always a good thing.

tired-retired

Took the clamping blocks off this evening. The picture doesn't show all the humps and bumps, so the grill doesn't look quite as good as the picture makes it look to be. However, it really does look one heck of sight better than it did a month ago and better than I thought I'd ever get it.

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BelarusBulldog

Now that really does look good! If you ever have any issues with heat softening up the rubber, you could try tacking it on with "JB Weld". Looking at that grill picture, reminds me of a helmet that knights would wear into battle! That's what I like about old iron, built rock solid! Great job, keep the pictures coming.

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Plowing, it's snow much fun!

tired-retired

Thanks for the input. That's another good idea. I might have used that in the first place if I had thought of it. I doubt I'll have a problem, the rubber is a very good product for jobs such as this. The fan will be pulling in cool air and the greatest amount of heat will be blown back toward the engine, but I will keep that in mind.

I saw on this site, where you had put in for me to be called your friend. If I was good enough on this computer, I would have filled in the blanks to sign up. Maybe I'll stumble on to it again sometime and give it another try. We can enjoy being friends, even though I can't do much with this thing. I enjoy our chats.

Thanks again,
Jim

tired-retired

Thanks for the input. That's another good idea. I might have used that in the first place if I had thought of it. I doubt I'll have a problem, the rubber is a very good product for jobs such as this. The fan will be pulling in cool air and the greatest amount of heat will be blown back toward the engine, but I will keep that in mind.

I saw on this site, where you had put in for me to be called your friend. If I was good enough on this computer, I would have filled in the blanks to sign up. Maybe I'll stumble on to it again sometime and give it another try. We can enjoy being friends, even though I can't do much with this thing. I enjoy our chats.

I also saw a page that indicated they only wanted "one Bump per day". Got any idea what that means? What is a bump? Is that the same thing as posting a reply?

Thanks again,
Jim

kau

I don't have a comment, looks good though and I'm watching this thread!

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wjjones

Looks pretty good to me keep us updated...

jhngardner367

I think it looks really good! I'm sure the finished tractor will be beautiful.

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KellyTractors

Excellent results - thanks for sharing.

tcreeley

Good for you- a real pleasure seeing these tractors restored! Last summer I sold my '48 cub for $125 because I knew the guy would restore it- something I wouldn't do- needed a clutch and battery and was sitting as a lawn ornament. Ran smooth. As a neighbor once told me- powerful little tractor.