TRACTORS
From page 43
corner of a field , there to quickly become overgrown with brambles and weeds , hence appearing to have become part of a hedge . Parting with a few hundred quid , the new owner will be allowed to extricate the machine from its dank and leafygrave , loaditontoa trailer and cart it home , there to discover the full magnitude of the restoration task ahead . First off , the wet English weather will probably have claimed the “ tinwork ” ( bonnet and mudguards ), which will need replacing . These are often available as newly manufactured items , or reasonable quality ones can be sourced from other restorers who may have bought tractors simply to strip for sought after parts . Any fluids remaining in the machine , such as sump oil and hydraulic fluid , will long have turned to sludge , so these cavities will need stripping off and cleaning out . The big question in any restoration , of course , is the condition of the engine , gearbox and hydraulics . Hopefully , the engine can be cranked by hand , showing that it is not seized . Either way , a true restorer will strip it and replace pistons , rings , bearings etc . And when all is cleaned , painting and rebuilding will be carried out .
True restorers will want to paint their tractors exactly as the manufacturers had them , even to the extent of using the original paint formulations . In any event , the paint jobs achieved with modern equipment and care often far surpass the sheen achieved on the originals . Next , the electrics , and here comes a decision : On older tractors ( and cars ) the electrical system was 6V . It was only in the 1950s that tractors ( and cars ) began commonly to use 12V electrics . To be true to the restoration , therefore , one must decide whether to remain with ( or revert to ) a 6V system , which is less reliable and for which parts are harder to come by , or to go with a more common and “ modern ” 12V system . Whichever way , one need not worry about the wiring looms . These are available for some makes in kit form , with the wires already cut to length and fitted with the correct lugs and connectors . All one has to do , therefore , is fasten the loom to the tractor and plug the wiring in . After many months of work , and not a few skinned knuckles and sprained muscles from undoing frozen bolts and stripped nuts , the restorer ' s pride and joy will be complete and after a little running adjustment will be purring sweetly and ready for the road . But what is a tractor without an implement or two ? If the intent is to use the tractor for road runs , the most popular item to hitch up behind is load box . In essence they acted as a wheel-less trailer and enabled the farmer to cart feed , soil , manure , fencing material etc about his farm . On a road run this enables the UK restorer to carry his lunch , drinks , rain gear , etc .
44 www . sasmallholder . co . za