Tractor restoration

Shauny2010

My young fella is interested in restoring an old tractor, he loves tractors and machinery and I guess you could have worst things to be wasting your money on!
I have an empty hayshed which I think would be ideal but no equipment of any sort.
I'm trying to steer him towards restoring one of those old MFs as I would have use for a smallish tractor but must be able to lift a silage bale but be nimble around a tight yard.
Is a MF165 big enough or too big, what about the fords, which ones would suit.
Also what are labs paying for these old "rust buckets" to begin with??
How much are a good set of tools?
Is their any clubs or meetups for this sort, I've seen a fre tractors around done up but never found out are they bought in or are other farmers doing this too?

Who2

I’ve seen lads throw ten grands worth of parts into tractors that cost 4-5k and finished up with machines worth 7-8k. Tools can be got for basics for 4-500 but you could spend thousands too. It’s an expensive hobby but a great learning curve for anyone interested.

Shauny2010

From looking at donedeal I can buy a fully restored tractor for only a couple of grand on top of the cost of the original. But I think the real value will be from the learning and satisfaction you'd get from the hobby.
I'm only worried that some of the mechanical work may be too much for a first timer starter out.

Who2

Shauny2010 wrote: »

From looking at donedeal I can buy a fully restored tractor for only a couple of grand on top of the cost of the original. But I think the real value will be from the learning and satisfaction you'd get from the hobby.
I'm only worried that some of the mechanical work may be too much for a first timer starter out.

Get a 35 then, nothing to them four cylinders harder started but handier bought. No good for bales but handy never the same

Shauny2010

Who2 wrote: »

Get a 35 then, nothing to them four cylinders harder started but handier bought. No good for bales but handy never the same

I see some of those 35`s can have a loader fitted, would the loader be able to lift a bale?
Is restoring a 165 or a ford a big step up from a 35?

Who2

If you could get a 5000 you’d be ok. Hard to find a 165 or 5000 for handy money

Shauny2010

What's the story with the Tax books on these tractors. I see some are for sale without them. Does this mean I can never register it. Can a new Tax book be got for these when the original is not there.
Also how does the change of ownership work on the old tax books?

blue5000

What's the budget? A reasonable 4000 could be got for €1500, cheapest 5000 would be around €3000, not sure about MF prices. Try get something with good tinwork, that's where the money seems to disappear fast.

Most old UK made tractors have imperial nuts and bolts, spend the money on good quality tools, hopefully he'll have them for life, look on ebay for good used stuff. You'll only have to pay once. Continental tractors are all metric and there is hardly a nut or bolt left on them if it's anyway accessible.

Check out vintage or classic ploughing match rules too. Might be nice for him to get involved there when he has it finished. No point in having a 4000 when a dexta or major is needed for vintage IYKWIM. Expensive hobby, but it is probably more rewarding than the xbox;).

Gravelly

Restoring old tractors is the same as restoring old cars - do it for the love of it, not in the hope to ever get the monetary value back, because you won't.

Tools don't have to be expensive, you don't need to spend money on snap-on type tools for restoration, and they wouldn't do for much of it anyway. You can pick up loads of cheap but good quality old imperials tools at car boot sales, jumble sales etc. Get in touch with a local vintage club as their help can be invaluable - often you'll find someone will chip in to help.

keepalive213

165 would be great yard tractor and simple to work on. Great lock in tight spaces and will handle a fusion bale on the flat, if its not wet stuff, albeit with a bit of weight on the front. Definitely not on the end of a loader though.

Square axel with the wet brakes, 212 Perkins engine preferably.

168 is a bit longer and probably handle bales better but are rarer.

Just don't spend more than the tractor is actually gonna be worth.

mycro2013

keepalive213 wrote: »

165 would be great yard tractor and simple to work on. Great lock in tight spaces and will handle a fusion bale on the flat, if its not wet stuff, albeit with a bit of weight on the front. Definitely not on the end of a loader though.

Square axel with the wet brakes, 212 Perkins engine preferably.

168 is a bit longer and probably handle bales better but are rarer.

Just don't spend more than the tractor is actually gonna be worth.

Try and get in him to work with a local tractor mechanic to the test the water. As we all have romantic notions regarding the restoration of tractors, the reality being somewhat different. I've seen lads drop thousands and end up with a collection of parts in the end.

If you do go down the route of restoration purchase the best available one to begin with and work from there. From then on each project can become progressively more difficult as yer skill level increase and budgets increase.

twin_beacon

Shauny2010 wrote: »

I see some of those 35`s can have a loader fitted, would the loader be able to lift a bale?
Is restoring a 165 or a ford a big step up from a 35?

the loaders for a 35 would handle hay alright, but I wouldn't put a silage bale on it. Bear in mind, the 35 doesn't have power steering so it would give you a good work out when you add the weight onto the front wheels.

a 35 is a great tractor to restore, we have one and got it restored in 2012. Its a very basic and very common machine with loads of new parts available. A 165 is much bigger, but also very common, and lots of parts available.

Kevhog1988

Theres a 35 on adverts for 1150

vincenzolorenzo

Whereabouts in the country are you?

anthony500_1

There is a thread in the haulage and heavy machiery section on here of a lad doing a full restoration on a 135, most is documented by pictures and text, he seems very good and goes through every inch of the tractor in detail. It might be worth checking out as he might be able to point you in the right direction

Shauny2010

Still wondering about the Tax book issue. I know of a 165 in a shed near me but no Tax book or any record for it. Its going cheap but I dont want to restore something that it turns out that can't be Taxed for the road after. Is their any hope for this tractor?

patsy_mccabe

I do a bit of work on my own tractor from time to time. I find it invaluable knowing an experienced mechanic who has worked on the same tractors. They have all the tricks of the trade and know all the pitfalls. They can supply you with the parts too.
As blue said above, get an imperial set of wrenches if needed. You'll destroy imperial bolts with metric spanners. Also photo everything as you take it apart. Great reference when putting it back together.
To me, there seems to be 2 types of people that do restoration. Those that only do the superficial stuff, like bad paint jobs, new seats etc and those that fully strip a tractor. This is where the real knowhow is. Not everyone can replace the picton rings and bearings in an engine.
The problem is the first type are giving the second type a bad name. Both sell on Donedeal. The challenge as a buyer, is figuraing which type you are dealing with.

vincenzolorenzo

Shauny2010 wrote: »

Still wondering about the Tax book issue. I know of a 165 in a shed near me but no Tax book or any record for it. Its going cheap but I dont want to restore something that it turns out that can't be Taxed for the road after. Is their any hope for this tractor?

You need to get a letter from a MF dealer confirming the chassis number and engine number are genuine massey and you can get a new tax book issued for it

_Brian

I think this would be a fantastic project to get into with your son.

Yes all the talk of being able to buy a restored tractor cheaper and you’ll never get the money back is all true. But the time spent working on it with your son just can’t be measured in €€

I’d say go for it. Go for something like a 35, smaller and easier to manage parts which should be plentiful.

the_pen_turner

I would go for a 35 or 135. All the parts are readily available.. you can get all the cab parts and even a guy in roscommon selling new ones.


We are doing up a 265 .all the mechanical parts can be got but the cab is a nightmare.
Looks I've we will spend about 3-4k more than it will be worth.

twin_beacon

id love to do up a 35 at some stage, so many new parts available and an easy machine to work on. The only problem may be getting a 35 that needs some TLC. most of the ones on done deal are already restored!

TheBoyConor

A 35 for 1150 probably has major issues that will cost much more to fix.

Not a hope in hell a 35 loader could lift a bale of silage. And if it does, it won't be safe. The loader or a hose could give and take your head off. Or the front axle or a wheel could collapse resulting in injury.

Make no mistake about it, whatever you think it is going to cost, add on 50% and then double it twice.

blue5000

TheBoyConor wrote: »

A 35 for 1150 probably has major issues that will cost much more to fix.

Not a hope in hell a 35 loader could lift a bale of silage. And if it does, it won't be safe. The loader or a hose could give and take your head off. Or the front axle or a wheel could collapse resulting in injury.

Make no mistake about it, whatever you think it is going to cost, add on 50% and then double it twice.

Have to agree with this, I know of a county that cost 5k to buy, they've spent 8k on bits and there's still a few bits to be got. Whatever tractor you pick Shauny, start collecting parts first.
Another tip is if you really get the restoration bug specialize in one particular make and model of tractor. There's two reasons for this;

First you'll get to know it inside out,

secondly, whenever herself gives out about another tractor in the shed, just tell her it's for parts for the one over there, and point vaguely in the direction of another one. But don't be too specific about which one.;)

emaherx

blue5000 wrote: »

Have to agree with this, I know of a county that cost 5k to buy, they've spent 8k on bits and there's still a few bits to be got. Whatever tractor you pick Shauny, start collecting parts first.
Another tip is if you really get the restoration bug specialize in one particular make and model of tractor. There's two reasons for this;

First you'll get to know it inside out,

secondly, whenever herself gives out about another tractor in the shed, just tell her it's for parts for the one over there, and point vaguely in the direction of another one. But don't be too specific about which one.;)

Yes but county parts are expensive and some (the non-ford bits) are rare.

35 parts are plentyful and a 1150 euro 35 could be put right for a few K easily.

the_pen_turner

blue5000 wrote: »

Have to agree with this, I know of a county that cost 5k to buy, they've spent 8k on bits and there's still a few bits to be got. Whatever tractor you pick Shauny, start collecting parts first.
Another tip is if you really get the restoration bug specialize in one particular make and model of tractor. There's two reasons for this;

First you'll get to know it inside out,

secondly, whenever herself gives out about another tractor in the shed, just tell her it's for parts for the one over there, and point vaguely in the direction of another one. But don't be too specific about which one.;)

If you have them in parts it's a lot harder to count them

J.O. Farmer

blue5000 wrote: »

whenever herself gives out about another tractor in the shed, just tell her it's for parts for the one over there, and point vaguely in the direction of another one. But don't be too specific about which one.;)

Reminds me of the weather forecasters and why they use wide open sweeping hand gestures. No pointing because it might be too specific.