Massey Harris parts in Oz?

[Donkeyhead]

Is there anyone in Oz selling parts for Massey Harris tractors, I need to buy a new head gasket for my 44KS and would obviously prefer to support a Aussie if possible, I've sent a email to Automotive Surplus in Melbourne and am waiting for a reply, I believe that tractor has the Continental H260 engine, I may need a decent used distributor too.
Thanks

[cobbadog]

There used to be an add in TOMM and I am not sure if it is still there of a company that makes head gaskets here in Oz. No doubt someone with a better memory and knows a lot more than me will help.

[Donkeyhead]

Hi cobbadog, It is Swanson Gaskets in Sydney, I saw their advert in the Tomm magazine and phoned them yesterday, the gentleman said it will cost about $100 for a 4 cylinder head gasket, I thought that was very reasonable for a one off job so have sent up the old one as a template. You can buy new valve grind kits for this tractor in the USA for about $100 Australian dollars, but you still have another $75 or $80 in postage costs, plus the risk of it being bent in half when it arrives.
regards
mike

[cobbadog]

I just did a full engine rebuild on our David Brown Cropmaster. I ended up buying 99% of the parts from the UK. I had similar concerns about how things would arrive, and the outcome was all good and safe. I had our local engineering shop do the regrind on the crank and then they did the full service on the head. Fortunately the head was not cracked, all valves and guides were in good shape just needed machining along with a surface grind on the head and where the manifold sits.
I am not sure what a 'valve grind kit' consists of ! So I don't know what could be bent. Usually these Companies that send parts around the place have a safe way of doing so. As you mentioned, postage out of the USA is expensive now and it never used to be that way.

[Donkeyhead]

Hi John, It sounds like my Massey Harris head will get much the same treatment as yours, though mine is warped so hopefully it machines up OK.

A "Valve Grind" gasket set is usually the gaskets you will need when you remove the head, like head gasket, exhaust / inlet manifold gaskets, rocker cover gasket and water manifold gaskets.
Regards
Mike   

[cobbadog]

Yes that is the only gaskets I needed to make but I did buy the copper head gasket and a manifold gasket as I have no way of cutting accurately manifold gasket material that has aluminium through the middle. Scissors or snips made a mess of it so I bought it. Even new hole punches were making a mess.