MF 135 restoration

Kevhog1988

Just bought a mf 135 and am planning on restoring her to her former glory. Said i will post pics here for everyone to see.

She is a bit rough at the moment
see pic from done deal



So far i have stripped off the old bad panels


Heres my little helper.. he's tractor mad

Kevhog1988

Engine is very good but i am buying a rebuild kit for her anyway as would be a shame to have her stripped and not do the engine.

Dad has picked up a second hand bonnet and mudguards that are in good nick, just in need of paint. (i will be respraying the whole tractor.




Panels are not fixed, they are only sitting in place

Thelostcountry

Lovely little Tractor them.

Packrat

Thelostcountry wrote: »

Lovely little Tractor them.

Yup, was reared in one. A tractor guru down my way swears that they were the first tractor ever fitted with 4wheel drive - as an experiment, but that sounds like bullcrap to me.... anyone ever hear of a 4x4 one?

Kevhog1988

Packrat wrote: »

Yup, was reared in one. A tractor guru down my way swears that they were the first tractor ever fitted with 4wheel drive - as an experiment, but that sounds like bullcrap to me.... anyone ever hear of a 4x4 one?

Have seen dextas with 4wd

jimmyw

Good choice there, these are flippin bullet proof.A farmer near me has a 1971 model with cab and she was not used what you would call sympathetically :P all her life.
She went on fire a few years ago and I thought, thats it, she is for the scrappy now.But no, he got her done up with a fella who I guess was not too good at doing so.Took a long time to do it, and he was constantly back doing odd jobs on her.

Anyway she is back flying now with a different engine and used for small jobs, i.e spraying etc.She is not used solely as he also has a modern tractor for the day to day stuff.

Another eccentric farmer had one with no battery, or any wiring whatsoever.He used to start her by bump starting her in a sloping field to bring up cut hay to put in a cock.Worked fine apart from that though .

case956tom

Packrat wrote: »

Yup, was reared in one. A tractor guru down my way swears that they were the first tractor ever fitted with 4wheel drive - as an experiment, but that sounds like bullcrap to me.... anyone ever hear of a 4x4 one?

4wd was out long before a mf 135 was ever thought of,massey harris built some in the mid 1930s called them the "general purpose"most had steel wheels.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB8e-TxQg_Q

newmug

Whats the story with all this square axle and round axle talk you'd hear?

emaherx

newmug wrote: »

Whats the story with all this square axle and round axle talk you'd hear?

Square and round axels normally refers to larger Massey's like the 165 - 188 ranges. Round Axel versions had dry breaks, square axels had the much preferred wet breaks (internal disc breaks in the Axel).

On a 135 however some people call the later models with the straight front Axel as a square Axel version, as opposed to the earlier models with swept back Axel similar to the 20's and 35's

mickey1985

Hi just wondering where you got the parts for this restoration? Any finished pictures

marlyman

I love these tractors. I have six variants of this tractor a 35 tvo, 35x, 135 X2, 148, 240 and a 550. They're so easy to restore and the red is just gorgeous to look at. If you need any help just shout.

Kevhog1988

Soo

After 7 years shes almost done

photos of it being blasted

135 blast and paint by Kevin Hogan, on Flickr

135 blast and paint by Kevin Hogan, on Flickr

135 blast and paint by Kevin Hogan, on Flickr

135 blast and paint by Kevin Hogan, on Flickr

Kevhog1988

Primer

135 blast and paint by Kevin Hogan, on Flickr

135 blast and paint by Kevin Hogan, on Flickr

Kevhog1988

Painted and some panels fitted

IMG_20200613_215837 by Kevin Hogan, on Flickr

Kevhog1988

Wheels Painted

Wheels by Kevin Hogan, on Flickr

Wheels by Kevin Hogan, on Flickr

Kevhog1988

Bonnet etc fitted

20200801_150515 by Kevin Hogan, on Flickr

zetecescort

That looks a great finish on the paint. Have you done much of it before?

Kevhog1988

And shes done her first bit of work, spread a bit of fert on Friday with it.

20210402_165704 by Kevin Hogan, on Flickr

20210402_130826 by Kevin Hogan, on Flickr

20210402_125714 by Kevin Hogan, on Flickr

Heres a pic of the little fella from when we started and when we finished.... About time she was done. I learnt to drive on a 135 so delighted hes doing the same.

20210402_225959 by Kevin Hogan, on Flickr


A few things still to be done:

** tidy up small bits of paint on body etc**
** organise tax book with vrt/nct crowd**
** finish and spray cab**
** Fit work lights to the cab**
** get a front weight bar for her (a parking sensor for the young lad)**
** the speedo and fuel sensor arent working so i need to check that out**

emaherx

Looking good Kev. Make sure there is no fertilizer left in any little nooks after that job