Author Topic: Austin Tractor 1922  (Read 13897 times)

cobbadog

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Re: Austin Tractor 1922
« Reply #30 on: 30 November, 2019, 02:30:26 pm »
So long as you are happy and enjoying it.
Sounds as if there are no shortages of things to do today.
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.

Rob Templin

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Re: Austin Tractor 1922
« Reply #31 on: 28 December, 2019, 02:32:53 pm »
I have removed the top of the gear box, diff, and pulley drive. The gear lever is rusted solid but the gearbox its self looks just fine. No apparent wear just add oil and it ready to go. It has two forward  gears and reverse and a slot for the side pulley drive. Next will be, unstick the gearlever pivot point, and then the two hand brakes (one per wheel ) that are rusted off. I can then paint the rear half. The engine is still being a problem. But I don't spend much time on it as my own list of jobs is long. The tractor was once painted years ago with an acrylic water based paint and apart from where it has worn off in the weather it is impossible to remove. Even a wire brush on a drill or angle grinder doesn't do much. Perhaps I'll just paint over it. I'll do a test first as I am going to use Kill Rust oil based enamel in a dark blue. This was the normal colour for them although a few were yellow and some green. They had red wheels. I must say I am relieved that the back half is ok and a very easy restoration just paint really. There is a bit of surface rust mainly on the wheels.

Rob Templin

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Re: Austin Tractor 1922
« Reply #32 on: 29 December, 2019, 09:09:45 pm »
Getting the head off has become another problem. It has studs and most nuts have come undone but a few studs broke off the rest seem to be well rusted to the head. Despite some quite serious hammering with a very long thin wedge it hasn't moved. I have soaked it in phosphoric acid but still no joy. I have tried fine angle grinder blades for fit but they are too thick. Perhaps I could use a hacksaw blade and hopefully cut out the head gasket and studs.  :o :o  >:( >:(  Perhaps not. Perhaps a little heat? I really don't know what to try next.

cobbadog

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Re: Austin Tractor 1922
« Reply #33 on: 30 December, 2019, 11:15:27 pm »
I use short pieces of a power hacksaw blade as scrapers and grind an edge on them. Maybe a couple of these along with some heat just might persuade it to start to move.
With the painting I woul at least go over the areas with the wire brush to remove any loose stuff then a coat of under coat primer before your kill rust goes on. I think that bkill rust claims it doesn't need a primer but by putting one on eit gives the top coat a good base to attach to and is all one colour . If a reaction happens to the primer then you know the top coat will too.
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.

Rob Templin

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Re: Austin Tractor 1922
« Reply #34 on: 31 December, 2019, 07:14:22 am »
Thanks John. I wasn't going to use undercoat but I think you are right so I will. I have a hole to weld some plate into near the steering column and that has been bent so will need to come off and be straightened. Slowly slowly. I do have another display that is getting to a stage where it needs my input and though I have a couple of other workers I might need to put in more time with that. Though I do prefer the challenge of the tractor where as the other display has few challenges with a lot of mundane work. Like building display shelves.

Rob Templin

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Re: Austin Tractor 1922
« Reply #35 on: 07 January, 2020, 06:03:44 pm »
Took the top off the gear box and all those looking in were surprised at how good the gears looked with no obvious wear at all. The gear lever was freed up with a bit of WD 40, a file, and some hammering. The selector forks don't line up correctly to allow forward and backward movement of the selector rod with out some encouragement from a big screwdriver. Not sure how to aline them but will spend a bit more time looking at that. I can now get neautral  and top gear but the low speed and reverse gear has to slide on a spline and it is siezed. Not by rust but probably just old dry oil. I have decided not to fix the brakes, they are not on and as the tractor only does 6 miles per hour flat out I doubt they will be needed as the few short drives it will hopefully make are not on steep hilly country. To fix the brakes I need to remove the rear wheels and apart from the weight of it all the very large nut is recessed and would need a very big socket and I imaging a lot of pressure to undo it, as it is all rusty and painted over. May be I'll relent at some point and do them. The engine still sits there, defying my efforts to be disassembled any further. The bent steering column has been removed. It is a worm and gear device and the shaft that connects to the gear is also siezed. On Monday I have a trip with my tandem trailer to pick up another dray for the wheel wright. So one does get roped into other side issues.

cobbadog

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Re: Austin Tractor 1922
« Reply #36 on: 07 January, 2020, 10:00:17 pm »
At least that is progress and that is encouraging. I suggest that all the old gearbox oil be dropped and fill it with diesel to start soaking it and to help free up any stuck gears like the ones mentioned. It will not cause any harm and is an acepted method of cleaning insides of boxes and getting rid of loose crap sitting on the bottom, even to the point where they say to drive the tractor around slowly hitting the brakes and accelerating to make it slush around.
Now you have discovered the age old railway technique, big problem big hammer, works every time. Once the gears can be manually moved the selector may start working or become clearer as to how it was designed to operate. Keep nibbling away at it.
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.

Rob Templin

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Re: Austin Tractor 1922
« Reply #37 on: 20 June, 2020, 01:26:50 pm »
Well the restoration slowed to a stop due to the virus but after a lot of thought I have decided to completely rebuild the radiator just keeping the two plates that hold the copper tubes and bolt them to the bottom and top tanks. I have purchased 42 metres of 3/8 straight copper tube. To cut to length and then I need to fit about 8000 copper washers to the tubes. The original washers were steel on to the copper tubes but recovering the copper is too difficult and the steel is rusted on and doesn't really exist good enough to provide any air flow. I have designed a punch that I hope to use in a 20 ton press to push out 14 washers at a time from hot water system copper tanks. Slow work but should be satisfying if sucessful.

cobbadog

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Re: Austin Tractor 1922
« Reply #38 on: 20 June, 2020, 04:10:26 pm »
Sounds like a good game plan and will be better than original once done. Yes, these things can be time consuming but what else is there to do with all this spare time?  ::)
I just went on a copper washer buying spree,  a total of 2 were needed one was so easy and cheap but the other was not as easy to find. None in the local area from all the good places but a mate came to the rescue today with as many as I want and that is only 1. It needed to be 38mm od x 32mm id was the required size but at least now when I'm going past his place next I can have 1 of his many spare ones.
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.

franco

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Re: Austin Tractor 1922
« Reply #39 on: 22 June, 2020, 02:14:14 pm »
Hi Rob,

Are you aware that you can still buy gilled tube radiator tubes with the correct type of washers already assembled ready for installation?

http://www.vintagecarradiatorcompany.co.uk/Products/25/70/Round-Crinkled-Gilled-Tube/

I dread to think what they cost, but it would save a hell of a lot of time soldering on each of 8000 copper washers!

Frank.
Cairns, Queensland

Rob Templin

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Re: Austin Tractor 1922
« Reply #40 on: 22 June, 2020, 03:37:06 pm »
Thanks for the headsup. Unfortunately I have already spent quite a bit of money on copper and tube and so while I agree it would save a lot of work I cannot afford another expense. I am funding this restoration for a museum. So keeping the cost down is important. When it is done I do not have any means of recovering my expenditure. If the tractor was my own and I could possibly sell it then I could recover some costs but unfortunately this isn't the case. Just out of interest I wonder what they cost?

cobbadog

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Re: Austin Tractor 1922
« Reply #41 on: 22 June, 2020, 04:00:39 pm »
Not only cost to buy but then there is delivery from the UK and believe me that is not cheap.
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.

wee-allis

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Re: Austin Tractor 1922
« Reply #42 on: 22 June, 2020, 07:12:48 pm »

Rob, it's not always about the cost or recovering what you have spent. Just think what it will cost you to buy a new shirt when you rightly stick out your chest in pride, having completed this mammoth task and it works.

Go for it. I wish I had the skill and determination to tackle such a complex job.
Steve.
If it's old, treat it like gold.
 38 Allis B,50 Morris Six,  Moruya, Sth coast NSW.

cobbadog

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Re: Austin Tractor 1922
« Reply #43 on: 22 June, 2020, 09:22:27 pm »
Well said Steve.
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.

Rob Templin

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Re: Austin Tractor 1922
« Reply #44 on: 23 June, 2020, 05:22:39 am »
Thanks mates for the supporting messages.