My 1966 Massey 135 Tractor (Pics)

[Soundguy]

It's a pain, but sometimes one has no choice but to wait, and wait, and wait. Restoring an old tractor definitely takes a lot of... patience.

heck.. sometimes FINDING the parts to buy is the hard part too!

 

[MasseyWV]

heck.. sometimes FINDING the parts to buy is the hard part too!

I know exactly what you mean and have encountered that problem as well. That, and finding good quality parts that aren't made in China or some other third world country is also a challenge.

 

[Rford]

I've enjoyed reading your thread....it started out with "I bought a 135 today and its in reasonably good condition" and now its turned into a museum quality restoration...I hope to pick up a 135 or 150 someday and when it comes time to work on it I'll be using this thread as a guide....

 

[MasseyWV]

I've enjoyed reading your thread....it started out with "I bought a 135 today and its in reasonably good condition" and now its turned into a museum quality restoration...I hope to pick up a 135 or 150 someday and when it comes time to work on it I'll be using this thread as a guide....

I'm glad you enjoyed my thread, there is much more to come. A full restoration was always part of my long-term plan, it just "happened" a bit sooner than expected. Eventually, I plan to get a 135 or a 150 with a Perkins diesel to restore, but that will have to wait a few years. Yep, I've definitely been bitten by the tractor bug.

 

[MasseyWV]

Today, I finished sandblasting, priming, and painting the voltage regulator. It was fully functional, but looked a bit rough cosmetically. The generator components were finished a few days ago, and simply await new brushes and bearings before it can be reassembled.

I also called the parts dealer to check on the status of the parts (engine kit, gaskets, bearings, seals, etc...) I recently ordered, and most of them are in except for a few small parts which should arrive soon.

 

[Mike476]

You'll be ready for them I'll bet, all the prep work is done and now it's time to build, nothing better.

 

[Lava Rancher]

We're all waiting with baited breath.

 

[MasseyWV]

Currently, I'm working on my Continental Z-145 engine's Marvel Schebler carburetor. So far, I've disassembled it, and have all the parts soaking in carburetor cleaner overnight. I was very careful during disassembly, so the gaskets are all in great shape, but replacements are cheap so I may order a basic carburetor kit soon. The next step will be to wash off the carburetor cleaner, then carefully mask off or plug any sensitive areas before sandblasting the body and various other external components so they can be painted prior to reassembly.

Speaking of painting the carburetor, I plan to paint it and the distributor a burnished aluminum color to match the original colors, but have had trouble locating good spray paint that actually looks like burnished (satin or dull) aluminum.

 

[The kid]

Currently, I'm working on my Continental Z-145 engine's Marvel Schebler carburetor. So far, I've disassembled it, and have all the parts soaking in carburetor cleaner overnight. I was very careful during disassembly, so the gaskets are all in great shape, but replacements are cheap so I may order a basic carburetor kit soon. The next step will be to wash off the carburetor cleaner, then carefully mask off or plug any sensitive areas before sandblasting the body and various other external components so they can be painted prior to reassembly.

Speaking of painting the carburetor, I plan to paint it and the distributor a burnished aluminum color to match the original colors, but have had trouble locating good spray paint that actually looks like burnished (satin or dull) aluminum.

Look at Walmart or Autozone for a good quality wheel paint. Then shoot a coat of satin clear over it.

 

[MasseyWV]

Today, I pressed the old bushings out of the rocker arms and pressed new ones in using my bench vise. I could have used a shop press, but found the bench vise gave me more precise control. Nickel anti-seize was used as a pressing lubricant to prevent galling. Note that the oil holes and oil passageways must be positioned correctly, or poor oil flow will result.

With the exception of the flywheel, I've decided to do all the machine work myself, which includes reaming the rocker arm posts/bushings to fit the new rocker arm shaft, and cutting the valve seats in the cylinder head to accept the new valves. Purchasing the special tools required doesn't cost much more than the fees the machine shop would charge, so I'm opting to ensure that it's done right, with the added benefit of having the tools to use on other future projects.