Trailer Queen

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Published: Friday, 26 February 2010 22:17
Written by Narraghmore Vintage Club

trailerqueen

The 35 has the distinction of being the first Massey Ferguson, as it replaced the last-of-the-line Ferguson FE35 ‘Copper Belly’ in 1957. The FE35 was itself a development of the infamous TE20, and featured a choice of petrol/TVO or four-cylinder diesel power-plants; the first of the Massey Fergusons continued with this specification, the main change being simply from the Ferguson grey/gold colour scheme to the familiar MF red/grey. However, in 1959 the Standard-based four-cylinder diesel was dropped in favour of a three-cylinder Perkins diesel, and it is with this engine that the 35 is perhaps best known. The three-pot Perkins was to find itself under the bonnet of a great many tractors in the sixties, seventies and eighties in virtually unchanged form, even tractors in direct competition with each other such as the MF 135 and Ford 2000. For any tractor drivers used to the previous 35 four-cylinder diesel, the Perkins proved a boon thanks to its easy-starting nature and far better fuel economy; the engine really brought the 35 range into the 1960s.

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As we have written about previously, in Ireland the MF 35 took up the reins from where the Ferguson 20 had left off. The relatively poor Ireland of the sixties, with its small farms and demand for varied tractor tasks, had taken the diminutive, economical, simple and reliable grey Fergie to its heart, and soon did the same with the 35. Indeed, in the more rural parts of the country to this day you can still see the odd 35 working hard for its keep, usually complete with a makeshift cab, rust-covered bodywork and odd wheels. It might be no showpiece, but any machine that can give loyal service over forty years after it was built is a special machine indeed.

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The stunning example on these pages, however, could well be called a showpiece; you won’t find any flapping fertiliser bags, empty headlamp bowls or homemade seats on this one! Owned by Ross Kelly from Athy, Co. Kildare, this Meath-registered (ZN) 35 is a 1959 model, built in the first year of the three-cylinder Perkins era. While there is no shortage of restored 35s in this country, it is rare indeed to see one on double rear wheels, and that’s even before you get to that beautiful teak-panelled trailer following behind.
First and foremost, Ross is a car enthusiast, with his chosen area being classic and retro Fords. Having restored a very special Mk2 Escort in the recent past (which we hope to bring you more on in a future issue) and with a three-door Sierra Cosworth currently receiving his attentions, you would think that he would have neither the time nor the interest in the sedate progress offered by a classic tractor. “Every second or third house around here has a vintage tractor,” Ross explains, “I used to think they were mad!” However, as many of our readers will know, a scenic day out on a tractor run is some of the best craic to be had on the old vehicle scene in this country. This attraction, combined with his memories of his first driving experiences on his uncle’s farm, resulted in Ross tracking down this 35 as a project about three years ago. The previous owners in Castledermot had been using the tractor regularly for topping work, and it came to Ross complete with a small topper, a Duncan cab and well-serviced mechanicals. In this guise, Ross ran around on it for a year, taking on mowing work for neighbours and suchlike, before taking it into the garage for the inevitable strip-down.

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While its regular use had found the 35 in good stead mechanically, it had really suffered on the bodywork front; as with most cab-equipped classic tractors, the rear mudguards were well rotten, and the bonnet was also beyond saving. In the end, Ross ended up replacing all of the 35’s tinwork, along with many components such as lamps and gauges that rarely seem to survive without getting damaged. Ross is full of praise for Stradbally Tyres and Tractor Parts, where proprietor Willy Deegan proved very helpful in supplying any and all parts needed during the project. With the bodywork and all ancillaries removed from the tractor, the services of a mobile sandblaster were enlisted to erase the old paint and muck of ages, before the real restorative work could begin. Ross was able to apply his car-restoration experience to this tractor project, completing almost all of the work himself including the spraying of the new body panels, but is keen to acknowledge the valuable assistance of his father Phil and friends Tom Hickey, Wayne King and Ken Farrington during the restoration. As his childhood tractor memories related to his uncle’s farm, which included a turf bog, Ross decided to make his 35 stand out from the crowd by equipping it with twin rear wheels; although fitting four large tyres instead of two resulted in more expense, it certainly marks this tractor out as something a bit different to the rest.

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Of course, that fabulous trailer also adds to the overall appeal. Although Ross’ initial plan was to restore an old Massey Ferguson trailer, on closer examination it was evident that too much work would be involved and so the decision was made to build a similar piece from scratch. Enlisting the help of two friends with welding skills, Kieran Davis and Paddy Gorman, the trailer was built over a six week period on evenings and weekends using all new steel. Two new stub axles and wheels were fitted to a new box-section axle, and this was mounted towards the rear of the trailer as Ross wanted to maintain an old-fashioned look; the lovely teak woodwork also helps in this regard, and with its fully operational tipping hydraulics it works as well as it looks.
Having since joined the Naraghmore Vintage Club, Ross’ 35 and trailer have already taken part in their fair share of road runs and events. One of the trailer’s recent outings wasn’t such a joyous one, however, as it was used to carry the remains of good family friend Liam Doyle to his removal, mounted behind his beloved Nuffield 342. Ross summed it up best when he told us “the trailer won’t have anything as special in it ever again.” As much a part of the Kelly family now as his fast Fords, we suspect that Ross’ immaculate 35 won’t be leaving the fold any time soon.
Narraghmore Vintage Club would like to thank Irish Vintage Scene for the content of this article as published in the February 2010 magazine. Irish Vintage Scene would like to thank Christy King for the use of his land (and cows) for these photos.

 

 

Want to Restore an Antique Farm Tractor? Here's What You Need to Know to Get Started

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Published: Thursday, 12 November 2009 19:44
Written by Narraghmore Vintage Club

Antique farm tractors are one of the hottest restoration projects going today. While the prices of antique cars have skyrocketed well out of range of the average restorer tinkering in his garage, it is still possible to find well-preserved, running and restorable farm tractors for reasonable prices every day. While the hobby certainly isn't for everyone, particularly those averse to prying forty year old horse dung out of the treads of a vintage Ferguson tractor, for many it affords the opportunity to revitalise something that is a guaranteed hit at runs, and can tackle many chores around the home that your typical garden tractor couldn't even touch.

Restoring an antique farm tractor requires more work than restoring a vintage car. While the popularity of old cars has ensured that many models now have extremely good aftermarket following, antique farm tractors are a relatively new thing to attempt a restoration on. Add to that the relative scarcity of many models, and you begin to understand the necessity for having the ability to fabricate some parts yourself, or pay through the nose for rare necessary pieces from a cranky old woman with the parts you need out in the barn. Antique farm tractors require a different kind of diligence than car restoration, and usually it has to do with finding those rare parts.

Some manufacturers of farm tractors, such as John Deere, Farmall, and Ford still have parts available for them mostly due to the fact that many of these machines still do their intended job to this day with little or no problem whatsoever. More obscure manufacturers such as Massy-Harris or even Oliver could make finding parts more difficult, but it is from these that you get the most admiring glances when you pass by in the parade. A vintage farm tractor requires relatively little, aside from some TLC, to get running again. Many times, new owners of vintage farm tractors find that just by changing out fluids and replacing the battery, the tractor will fire right up. While that is a little bit more wishful thinking for some antique farm tractor owners, you have to remember that there are no sophisticated electronic parts on a vintage farm tractor. At its very soul, the antique farm tractor is really just an engine with wheels and a seat. They are far less complex than modern or even vintage cars, and were built with that simplicity in mind. Many can be repaired on-the-spot if need be, with minimal tools, and with just a little perseverance, you will quickly find that you, too can experience the satisfaction of completing a project of this scale.

 

The best tip for restoring a vintage tractor is to know what you are getting into before you buy the tractor. When looking to purchase a vintage tractor with the intent of restoring it, first consider what you plan to do with the tractor after it is restored. If you are going to use it for tilling, does the model you are looking at have good ground clearance; is the hitch set up appropriate for the accessories you would be using? Once you find a tractor that interests you, somehow obtain or borrow a copy of the owner’s manual for that year, make and model. This is your basic reference for everything about your tractor.

Does the one you found run? Does it smoke while running? Is the smoke blue or white? Blue smoke can mean interior damage in the cylinder chamber (lots of work and expense), where white smoke might be more easily corrected with ignition or carburetor adjustments (possibly less expense, but still some work).

Let's assume it runs. Check out as many components and operations as possible. Look to see if the machine is clean, or covered with grease and oil. Dirty machines could indicate that there are oil problems. Look around the head gasket for leakage and test the hydraulics. Look for structure cracks.

After you have your machine and have identified just what is needed to restore it for your intended use. Look for associations like Narraghmore Vintage Club or Irish Vintage Society. Take advantage of the knowledge others have accumulated doing just what you intend to do. There is very little need for you to 're-invent the wheel'.

Rebuilding your own tractor engine can either be fun or frustrating, depending on how mechanically inclined you are, but with a little elbow grease and some preparation, you can save yourself time and money on tractor repairs.

Begin by purchasing an engine-rebuilding kit from an auto-part store. You will need to provide the store with your tractor's production date, as well as your engine's serial and ID numbers. Essential hand tools for working on a standard tractor include: sockets and wrenches (must be in metric), a 3/8-inch drive air ratchet, a 1/2-inch drive impact pneumatic gun, a portable air compressor, four 2-ton jack stands, and a 3-ton capacity floor jack. Caution is essential with these tools, as they are powerful, so be sure to read all safety materials provided. Also remember that the jack and jack stands must be used on concrete floors only.

To begin repairing your tractor engine, turn off the ignition key and remove the battery. Store it aside from your work area, safely away from the reach of children. Next, raise the front end of the tractor with the floor jack by following the manual instructions, and set your jack stands on the front and rear ends of the tractor. Never slide your body or head under the tractor while it is resting on your floor jacks. With these steps completed you are ready to move on to the actual repair work.

Drain the engine completely of any oil and coolant before taking off the cylinder head and removing the oil pan, oil pump, and rod bearing cap. Pull each piston out of the block, and mark all of them to ensure that they go back to their original position. Check your cylinders and pistons for cracks and wear-and-tear limits. You are now ready to send your tractor's cylinder head, pistons and crankshaft to a machine shop to be reconditioned. When this process is finished follow your repair manual to install each of the new parts.