Opinions on an AC WD 45

[Iplayfarmer]

Nice!

How much did that paint job cost you?

 

[boomer4snow]

it's a PPG single stage urethane ,3 coats and 2 coats of self etching primer. I had it mixed to match some original factory paint that was under the battery box on an inspection cover that never got faded. I had to rent a pressure washer so that was $50, paint and materials was around $225 sandpaper, wire wheels, paint stripper, dynamite etc around 30-40, finishing compounds to buff it all out was aroud 40. I used rattle can spray paint for the rims/wheels. allis persian orange and aluminum. The rims have a hard life, and I wanted something easy to touch em up with instead of a full blown repaint. the rattle can actually worked very well, just let em sit in the sun for a while and it bakes up pretty good. All in all 350-400 for everything except my time. It was one of my first times painting anything on this scale, but it went pretty smooth. I cant wait to start on another one. Just have a good paint gun, a clean area with lots of light, and absolutely a good respirator (this stuff will ring your bell quick) Clean everything about 75 times and take your time with the painting, smooth and steady, if you start rushing, you will miss stuff. (kind of like mushroom hunting)

 

[Nat]

Gene, a WD 45 doesn't have the high and low as you are talking about, just in and out. The high and low started with the D-14. A WD45 is around 45 HP and a tough dependable tractor, a little slow in high gear, but tough as nails. Also the poping out of gear wasn't a problem on the WD/ WD45 line. That started with the D line. The WD/WD45 had a Snap Coupler hitch, but most have been converted to a 3PH. They were available with the narrow or wide front end, but would get around better with the narrow.
As to the hand and foot clutch, the PTO was transmission driven when using the foot clutch, but the tractor could be stopped with the hand clutch and the PTO still running. The lift also worked when using the hand clutch, but would stop when the foot clutch was depressed. Around here in centran NC a good running WD 45 with a loader will bring 2500.00 HTH, Nat

 

[Iplayfarmer]

Boomer,

I'm impressed that you did the paint job yourself. Do you use this tractor still, or is it a "show tractor" now?

How much do you figure the paint job added to the value of the tractor?

Also... <font color="blue"> dynamite </font> ??? I'm guessing that you're not talking about the same stuff we use around here to "move" lava rocks out on the dessert.

 

[boomer4snow]

Thanks for the kind compliments. I used it for darn near everything BB, grading, running a snowblower, and pulling a trailer. I bought a NH tc40da because the AC was too hard for my wife to run safely, and she wanted to help with the property clearing (building a house) The NH just did everything soooooo much easier the old allis got stuck pulling a trailer, and thats about it. I pulled it into the shop one fall to just give it a tune up, and well got carried away. It was an old dead fence row tractor so most of the aftermarket stuff was a modern replacement for what was missing. I really enjoyed it and look forward to doing it again in the future as it was a lot of fun and I learned a lot. you would simply not believe how much crud and gunk will accumulate on one of these things after 50 years, Dynamite is a bit of a stretch, but with more bolts broken off than were good, it was a thought a couple times. (BTW I have a lovely collection of factory original bolt heads and vintage bailing wire in a coffee can /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif)

I wound up selling it to a guy that bought my M crawler, he took one look at it in the shop and made me a price so good that my wife wouldnt let me pass it up. He uses it to pull floats in parades now.

One last thing, AC purists are a strange bunch, They will stop their cars, trespass on your property, bother you working just to tell you how much you have ruined a rusty old tractor that wasnt running anyway. but not to hijack, they are a great tractor, and a lot of fun for not much $

 

[BadDog]

Sounds like you want to get rid of the horse regardless.

Sounds like you are looking for a project regardless.

I'd say your mind is made up.

 

[wd45]

J, super WD. The original paint was closer to the lighter orange on the body than the brighter orange on the wheels, but I'm no purist, I think you did a super job. We (brothers and I) still use our WD to pull corn wagons and things like that, it was bought new by my father in 1960, but it's a '59 model. I still remember the truck delivering the tractor new, we thought it was the most fantastic tractor we'd ever seen. We had been using Farmall A's so the WD 45 was a big jump up. Our's has the tricycle front wheels, slam on either steering break, lift the disk and you were facing the opposite direction in no time, but it was a bear to steer with the front cultivator on /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif. We no-till now so no cultivator /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif. All said though, the modern tractors are much more user friendly and easy to use nowdays. I just bought an Agco GT45 4 wheel drive, its still orange but a world of difference to operate. I sure like to see people preserve the old iron. Ours is pretty much original except 12 volt, its been in a shed since it was new, keeping one under cover makes a huge difference. All and all, the WD 45 was a great tractor!

Mike

Agco GT45, Quickie loader, Woods 72" tiller, Woods 72" two way power tilt/angle rear grader, 72" Bushhog Squealer rotary mower. Borrow my brothers stuff too /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.