Runners, TAKE YOUR MARK...........

[Farmwithjunk]

Hey Farm,
What a beautiful job on your tractor, that was certainly alot of effort and work, those two tone tractors are much more labor intensive !

BTW, didnt mean to steal your thread !

1st off, I'm not one to insist on one subject threads. I like to let 'em go where they go. I don't consider it "stealing".

And on the 2-tone paint jobs. They're MUCH more time consuming Even a simple touch-up is difficult sometimes. This is a picture of my 3000. It tokk all of one weekend to get ready and paint. That Ford blue is so much more forgiving that the Massey Ferguson flint grey metalic. You can't dump that metalic on. The slightest run looks horrible.

 

[scott_vt]

Mornin Farm,
You definitely got the touch ! Cant figure out whats taken me so long to do everything, oh now I know its my wife !

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Mornin Farm,
You definitely got the touch ! Cant figure out whats taken me so long to do everything, oh now I know its my wife !

Sometimes I get all ambitous. Then I'll fly through a project. Others take a while. The Ferguson F-40 and Massey Ferguson 50 I have in the barn are examples of the latter. The F-40 has been sitting for 7 years since I started dismantling it. The MF 50 has been ready for restoring since 1990. The best part about antiques.....Let 'em just sit there and they'll only get older.

I had always planned on my son helping me restore those 2 tractors. We're well on the way to my GRANDSON being involved. Hopefully NOT with HIS SON

 

[Farmwithjunk]

FWJ, it's probably just me, I thought that was a pretty fine looking machine in the early pictures. It looks great now. Thanks for sharing!!

I appreciate the comments. When I painted the tractor last winter, I couldn't find any flint grey metalic paint. New EPA regs on paint make it difficult to get metalics unless you're ser up to do it professionally. (spray booth, filters, ect) I finally found a decent supply of O.E.M. MF/AGCO paint. This tractor is getting the royal treatment. It still gets used. (more than my other tractors) I just want it looking like it did when I bought it back in 1971.

After the sheet metal is re-painted, I'm mounting an O.E.M. ROPS and canopy. Then I'll re-install the remote hydraulics. Final step will be new rear rubber. Those tires are one size larger than stock. I'll probably go back to the 13.6X28's that came originally, only in a LONG BAR/SHORT BAR tread. Rubber that's on the Massey now will go on my Ford. Then she's done for another 35 years of use.

I've also located a NOS grill assembly. The original has a couple dings that don't show too bad, but in the name of obsessive restoration, new is good.

 

[scott_vt]

Mornin Farm,
Just curious how the MF 150 and the Ford 3000 compare side by side ? Weights, HP etc, also your opinion.

BTW, both two fine lookin tractors!

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Mornin Farm,
Just curious how the MF 150 and the Ford 3000 compare side by side ? Weights, HP etc, also your opinion.

BTW, both two fine lookin tractors!

The 3000 matches up better against a 135. The Ford is RATED at 2 more HP, but the Perkins will work circles around the slightly bigger displacement Ford, and do it with less fuel. (The Perkins AD3-152 in the Massey came stock at 38 HP. I've turned up the fuel screw and slightly bumped the wide open RPMS. Now dyno's at 47 HP @ 2050 RPM. Ford dynoed at 42 HP @2150 RPM. Both PTO.) The 150 is a few inches longer wheel base. That makes it more stable with a load on the hitch. With the heavier front axle and steering bolster, the 150 is roughly 400 lbs heavier than a 135 and about 450 lbs heavier than my 3000. No need for front weights. Same Bush Hog 286 mower on the Ford as I use on the Massey and the Ford gets a little light on the front. I like the gearing better on the Massey. The Ford doesn't seem to have much difference between low/4 and hi/1st. The Massey has a little bit better spread. Those are mowing gear and plowing gear for both. Massey runs quieter. That Ford replaced the 3000 I bought new back in 1974. The original was a gasser. I had a loader on it most of the time I owned it. The front end was shot. The 3000 I have now was babied. It was a mower tractor at a small private school. It never did get used hard. I planned on mounting the loader on this one but so far, no loader. Back in the spring, we plowed about 8 acres for a corn maze our church does every year. I was on the Massey and my son was on the Ford. We both had 2X14" plows. The Massey would run off and leave the Ford in the dust under the same conditions. The 3000 matches a 135 and the Ford 4000 matched up with the 165. Massey's 150 was sort of in a class of it's own. I've always told everyone it was a 135 on steroids.

 

[scott_vt]

Thanks farm, great evaluation ! I drove by a Massey 135 diesel last year or maybe it was the year before senior moment And stopped to look at it. Looked like a real nice low hour tractor that was used mainly for some light mowing chores and came very close to making an offer ! In the end I decided that three tractors would have to get me through, since the barn hasnt been built yet But a nice lookin machine just the same!

 

[flusher]

Sometimes I get all ambitous. Then I'll fly through a project. Others take a while. The Ferguson F-40 and Massey Ferguson 50 I have in the barn are examples of the latter. The F-40 has been sitting for 7 years since I started dismantling it. The MF 50 has been ready for restoring since 1990. The best part about antiques.....Let 'em just sit there and they'll only get older.

I had always planned on my son helping me restore those 2 tractors. We're well on the way to my GRANDSON being involved. Hopefully NOT with HIS SON

Got a similar problem. The MF-135 refurbishment work is going slow because of other work. Right now I'm hustling to finish the shed for my telescope (will be an observatory once the scope is installed) before the Nov rains come.

I work on that construction in the morning while the winds are low (it really blows in the afternoon this time of the year). My to-do list has MF-135 work scheduled for the afternoon, but by lunchtime I'm too pooped from ladder climbing and muscling lumber and plywood into place (my Medicare kicks in on 1Nov). Don't like to start jubs when I'm tired. Too easy to screw up or have an accident.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Got a similar problem. The MF-135 refurbishment work is going slow because of other work. Right now I'm hustling to finish the shed for my telescope (will be an observatory once the scope is installed) before the Nov rains come.

I work on that construction in the morning while the winds are low (it really blows in the afternoon this time of the year). My to-do list has MF-135 work scheduled for the afternoon, but by lunchtime I'm too pooped from ladder climbing and muscling lumber and plywood into place (my Medicare kicks in on 1Nov). Don't like to start jubs when I'm tired. Too easy to screw up or have an accident.

Looks like it would double as a bomb shelter! Good looking framing job.

I find myself in less of a hurry on projects as time goes on. That's sort of a self-fullfilling prophecy.-------- I'm not in a hurry because it doesn't do any good for me to be in a hurry, 'cause I can't hurry like I want to.

 

[flusher]

Looks like it would double as a bomb shelter! Good looking framing job.

I find myself in less of a hurry on projects as time goes on. That's sort of a self-fullfilling prophecy.-------- I'm not in a hurry because it doesn't do any good for me to be in a hurry, 'cause I can't hurry like I want to.

I'm an old aerospace engineer. Our motto is "When in doubt build it stout".

Seriously, the winds can get pretty ferocious here in the North Valley. Last week we had steady 15-20mph winds with 30-35mph gusts at my place. Don't like to work on ladders in that kind of breeze and definitely can't handle plywood sheet while it's blowing.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Not much further, but still pluggin' away. Weather and family visiting has slowed me up. (That and pure laziness) Still need to repaint both fenders and the hood. 99% of the detail work is done though. Plan is to finish before 1st of the year.

Here's before and after, er, well, before and almost.

 

[EquipmentJunkie]

Your 150 looks terrific! I am really impressed.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Your 150 looks terrific! I am really impressed.

Thank ya! This started off as a clean-up on a 35 year old tractor that hadn't had a lot of cleaning in that time. Now it's a full blown restoration while the tractor keep's on workin'. I'm avoiding non original parts like the plague. AGCO/MF has "replacement parts", but they just ain't the same. Lots of hours of cruising EBAY. I ordered the 4 O.E.M. pieces that make up the tie rod yesterday. Those still come from Massey. I've owned this thing nearly 36 years. It's got another 36 left in it. I'm reasonably sure I don't. With that in mind, I decided to fix it like it was going to last me all of my life.

 

[EquipmentJunkie]

It sounds like you subscribe to the theory, "A job worth doing is a job worth doing right." I really admire restoration jobs like yours. Too many tractors are "restored" by spraying a layer of paint over everything with little masking. A quick spray might initially look good from 50 feet away but the details just aren't there.

I know of someone who restored his Deere 820 2-cylinder the correct way. It is absolutely perfect. There is no doubt in my mind that it looks better today than when it was delivered to the original owner back in the mid-50s.

 

[scott_vt]

Mornin Bill,
Very very nice !!!

Just wondering, did the 150 come through with that grill guard or is that after market ?

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Mornin Bill,
Very very nice !!!

Just wondering, did the 150 come through with that grill guard or is that after market ?

It's aftermarket. Biggest part of Massey's and Fords around here have same or simular grill guards. They do a fair job of protecting the grill, plus add around 60 lbs to the front of the tractor. That one was bought and installed at the dealer when the tractor was being prepped for delivery back in '71. Both the grill guard and the weight bracket are next on the paint list. Then the hood again. Finally the fenders. Right fender needs some "un-denting". I'm hoping to run on to another on EBAY. See 'em all the time when I don't need one. None to be had now. Go figure. I shot paint on the side panels last night. (below dash on each side) They're supposed to be 2-tone. As of last night they are. (Lower 1/3rd should be flint grey metalic instead of red. )

My wife calls this thing my street rod. I just want it done right

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Hey Scotty! Here's the weight bar without the brush guard. This picture was about 75% through the initial clean-up when I started on the project. I did a fast (and not very good) paint job on the sheet metal, then went to work on everything else. (Yep, sorta backwards) At this point, I'm about to remove the fuel tank and air filter assembley for clean & paint. Anyway, back to the weight bar. It holds 5 standard series 100 Massey suitcase weights, which it never needs. Bolts on at 4 points, all to the steering bolster. Not a lot of plastic used on this tractor if you know what I mean.

Oh yeah, no pictures of the 2-tone side panels. Switched brands of paint on the flint grey and got a totally different color. Back to AGCO for more o.e.m. paint.

 

[JJ. in B.C.]

FWJ, do ya happen to have a pic of the grill guard off the tractor ?. I'm in the process of buildin' one for my 135 and could use some ideas.
Thanks JJ.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

FWJ, do ya happen to have a pic of the grill guard off the tractor ?. I'm in the process of buildin' one for my 135 and could use some ideas.
Thanks JJ.

I don't have a picture currently, but the guard is coming off in a few days. I'll get a few then. The brush guard I have bolts to the face of the weight bar. Most of them I've seen on the 135's bolt to the axle itself.

 

[JJ. in B.C.]

I don't have a picture currently, but the guard is coming off in a few days. I'll get a few then. The brush guard I have bolts to the face of the weight bar. Most of them I've seen on the 135's bolt to the axle itself.

Yeah i was wonderin about that. Seems to me it would interfere with the movement of the axle tho if ya bolted the guard to it ?? Is your weight bar only supported on the 4 bolts under the front frame ?
JJ.