How to paint a tractor...

[john_bud]

If you think the body work and pre-paint prep takes a strong stomach, try adding getting it apart and back toghether. It almost looks hopeless at a few points. Especially when you decide you need to rebuild things like the front end, transmission, engine, clutch, differential, etc.

I guess if it's worth it in the end...

 

[flusher]

Not sure if this is the right place for this thread, but it's as close as I could find. I just bought my first tractor, Ford 6610. I bought it on the internet, so I don't really have any local contacts tractor-wise. It's generally in pretty good condition for a 1991 with 4,000 hrs, but there are some spots that I'd love to have touched up, or just have the whole thing painted. Problem is, NO ONE seems to paint tractors around here any more.

First: Aany locals (central KY) have a clue who might be willing to do this for me?

Second: If not, anyone have any advice if I decide to do it myself? I don't know much about painting, or have the equipment. I've heard one "tip" so far, cut the paint with gasoline when you spray because it will leave a really good shiny finish, but keep a flame burning on the ground and fan going to control and disipate fumes.

Or, should I just accept the tractor as is with some character because it's going to look like that again in a few years even if I do paint it.

Here's the photo's from the internet ad, I haven't taken any of it yet.

Last month I finished painting my 1964 MF-135 diesel. First tractor restoration project I've attempted.

To keep cost down I used a $40 HVLP spray gun from Harbor Freight and $35/gallon Valspar tractor paint from Tractor Supply. I thinned the paint with VM&P naptha per the instructions on the paint can. The engine, tranny and rear end are MF silver and the sheet metal is MF red. Three coats.

Of course, it's important to get the tractor really clean before spraying. Detailing that tractor probably took upwards of 100 hours since it was filthy. I power washed the entire tractor about 5 times (not including the radiator which was cleaned by hand). Then I detailed the tractor using Simple Green, Dawn dish washing liquid and mineral spirits. Lotsa nooks and crannies in the engine had to be cleaned (tediously) by hand.

To do the job right you should strip all the sheet metal off the tractor. In the case of the 135 the fuel tank had to be removed to clean the top of the engine. I also removed all the gauges, the steering wheel and the instrument panel that carries the gauges. I replaced all the gauges except the fuel gauge/sender unit and rewired the tractor. I set up a temporary spray hood on one of my workbenches for painting the parts that I had removed from the tractor.

When I get the tractor reassembled I'll post a few photos. In general I think the paint job turned out OK, considering my limited ability with a spray gun. You can spend a lot more than I did ($500 spray guns, $100/gal super paint), but I'm a novice at this so I started small and cheap.

 

[scott_vt]

Mornin John,
Yeah, now thats what I call rollin up your sleeves and gettin into the thick of it ! Id be comfortable in that shop !

 

[Spiveyman]

Wow, JB, looking at those picture gives me heartburn!

Awesome job though. I'd love to have the confidence mechanically to rip one down that far AND be able to put it back together. I'll DEFINITELY start smaller, a panel here and there. Like I said, maybe hit the real trouble spots to hold them over until the whole thing really is ready for a make-over.

One question on the job above... did you have any parts left over after putting it back together? Or am I the only guy who's done that?

 

[Harvey7]

John Bud

I'm amazed how guys like you can strip a tractor down into hundreds of pieces and get it all back together, by the way it looks great.

Harvey

 

[Soundguy]

Heck.. sometimes we are too...

Soundguy

I'm amazed how guys like you can strip a tractor down into hundreds of pieces and get it all back together,
Harvey

 

[Kendrick]

LOL I always have an extra screw. The only reason i would repaint any thing would be to repair or rustproof it. Me car hood gets painted as soon as we get moved in. that paint proly wont look good or match the rest of the car but once i get that rust off it is goin to stay off!

 

[john_bud]

John Bud

I'm amazed how guys like you can strip a tractor down into hundreds of pieces and get it all back together, by the way it looks great.

Harvey

Well, there were a few points where my head kept on saying, "What the He#$ have you gotten into?" But, being more stupid and stubborn than realistic, I went ahead.

On old iron, 44 years old in that one's case, there have been many *ahem* shall we say, "customizatons". You look in the parts book for the break down, find that what you took off ain't what Ford put on. That's hard. What's worse is finding broken things that need fixing. I just picked a sub-assembly to do every week or two and pretty soon it was done.

As for extra parts. Well, there is a 5 gal bucket full of gears, shafts and countershafts from the transmission. I replaced the instrument cluster and back sheet metal so there are some left overs there. I had to design and bend up from scratch the PS hard lines and have soft lines made to fit. Many rev's of tube that got bent at the wrong angle. Had to figure out the boomarang shaped pivots for the hand throttle and foot throttle from pictures and then cut them out of sheet stock & grind to fit. So, there's some extras there too. Then there's the trans case that was too cracked to save - had to replace. Ditto for the differential housing. So, there are a few extras laying about.

It is weird, but I have a feel for bolts and can tell you pretty much what each one is for and where it goes. But, when you are holding a part that needs a half dozen bolts and you don't even remember taking it off ! That's why I bought over $300 in bolts and nuts (grade 5 and 8). Many of the take off bolts were a total mish-mash of what ever some clown had handy. Allen head's next to grade 8 next to who knows what. Age and rust also take there toll. I'd guess that over 1/2 of the nuts and bolts on that machine are new. Easier to get a true torque reading on a new bolt. Also, went thru a lot of locktite 242 and a jar of neverseize. I firmly feel that every bolt/nut either has locktite or neverseize.

 

[Spiveyman]

Ha! That's great John Bud. I love the line "You look in the parts book for the break down, find that what you took off ain't what Ford put on." That cracked me up. Wow, you must have a nack for mechanical stuff. I'd love to be able to do that. The only things I can work on are things that have broken in the past. I learn by necessity, but that job would overwhelm me big time right now. Just need to dig in and get my hands dirty some day. Thanks again for the pictures and stories.

Unfortunately I won't get to do any work on my tractor to fix those trouble spots for quite some time. I'm still trying to patch up the back doors on the house and have to get the FEL installed next week. That alone will hamper some of my work because I'll just HAVE to play with that FEL once I get her installed. And we have about 40 calves that need tagging, and branding, not to mention the fence work that I'm discovering. Should be fun in the 100 degree weather we're having!!!

 

[john_bud]

Well Spiveman, if you are able to deal with calves, put on an FEL and fix the house you're probably able to fix a tractor. Just takes persistence and a large wrench.

Remember that anytime you get to a problem, there are TBN troupers ready to virtually parachute in to help.

Keep hydrated in the heat!

jb