Refurbishment of Case 1294

[voodoo]

Thought I might show you guys my recent project just completed.
It is a Case (David Brown) 1294 FWD manufactured in 1985.
Purchased just over a year ago in reasonable mechanical order, but starting to get tatty after life on a mixed farm, last used as the yard scraper tractor, which usually translates to: - "it's on its last legs. If it dies it goes to big scrapyard in the sky"

Anyway, these machines are becoming too rare to let rot away so decided on a complete strip down to bare cab and chassis and then reconstruction to the finished article.
Plenty of pics of the process along the way if interested.

Nigel

 

[voodoo]

First and most pressing repair was a leaking fuel tank.
All the grass and straw built up around the carrier bracket had formed a nice acidic compost to rot the edge seam, but also to prevent the fuel do more than weep. Of course, once pressure washed, extent of leak became readily apparent.

Stripped out tank and mig welded seam, stopping every 20secs to prevent a tank fire !!
I was told afterwards that the best way to do this would be to run a flexible pipe from a running exhaust to the tank, apparently the exhaust fumes will omit oxygen from the tank and prevent a fire. Oh well, will know for the next time.

 

[voodoo]

Strip down began properly at the start of March when I had a few days holiday leave due.
Weather was kind and much of the panelling could be removed outside in the spring sunshine.

Some of the photographs start to show the work ahead with holes at the door cills and rust to the cab frame.

 

[red4now]

Looks like you will have a nice little project for the next while. If you are taking it to that level of stripping down and repairing it, that should be a nice looking unit when you are done. Any concerns of getting parts for it in your area? That was one of the reasons we did not repair one of our loader tractors anymore a while back - parts were becoming a problem.

We also used to have a David Brown - pre-Case days and only 2WD but it was a tough tractor - either a 880 or a 990 if I recall. Was running fine when we traded it in - just was not big or heavy enough anymore for the loader work we needed.

Have fun!

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Big task but it will be a keeper when you are finished. Keep up the effort.

 

[voodoo]

Unfortunately spring weather is never consistent enough to work outside, so the next stage was to complete the strip down of the panels and get them inside for preparation and spraying.
As you can see, some were not in great shape.
Panels were all stripped back down to bare metal, mainly using "Nitromors" paint stripper and wire cup and flap wheel on grinder. All remaining flash rust was then treated with rust converter preparation before welding, filling and sanding as required.
The bottom of the side panels was built up with glassfibre resin as the roll on the bottom edge made it impractical to weld in a patch.

 

[voodoo]

Next stage was complete strip to shell.
Four wheel drive had been poorly engaging and sometimes only operated in reverse.
Took the opportunity whilst on the stands to open up the drop box for the driveshaft to see what was the problem.
The drive is provided by a straight cut dog clutch from a cable operated lever. The cable had become stiff and partially seized, meaning that the clutch did not fully engage when lever applied. As a result the leading edge of the dog teeth were all worn back to a bevel and the shaft float was allowing the teeth to jump out on forward motion. In reverse, the teeth were being engaged on the reverse side which still had clean edges, hence drive was available.

Released the seizing cable and adjusted up the linkage mechanism so the clutch slide moved further onto the teeth and problem solved, fully operational 4wd again.

 

[voodoo]

Cab stripped out and repair carried out to doors. New frame piece made and welded in to base of door skeleton frame and new section set in to cill of cab.

 

[voodoo]

Tractor repainted inside and out.

All panels twice primed and 3 coats of enamel to provide sufficient build up of white colour.
Wheels primed, and then top coated first with a darker red to provide base and two coats of David Brown power red. Darker coat will mean that any chips / scratches will not show through as white base primer so readily.
The chassis and cab has received two coats of gloss black tractor enamel.

The front grille was especially challenging. As you may ascertain from the earlier photographs the original was not in good shape. It had been split effectively into 3 pieces and previously been spliced together with tin backing plates and rivets.
Stripped apart and rebuilt with glassfibre resin and fillers.

Cab interior next on the list for an overhaul.

 

[voodoo]

As you can see, the original cab interior was very tatty and beyond reasonable repair.
Fortunately the David Brown Tractor Club The David Brown Tractor Club were able to point me in the right direction for replacement panels. Turns out that one of the main suppliers of vintage tractor cab linings, especially early Fords, lives about 15 miles from me.

Replacement floor and side panel linings were easily obtained, but unfortunately roof linings were no longer available. (the original was missing).
Managed to get foam backed lining sheets from the supplier and then made up and fabricated headlining myself. Wife was very surprised to find me sitting at the kitchen table one evening with a needle and thread sewing up foam lining panels.

Replacement decals for cab and bodywork were all obtainable through the David Brown club.