Restoring the dashboard.

Time to clean up the dash a little. First I took it apart and removed the broken old gauges.



Then I cut out the rusted battery tray, and I noticed some of the old spot welds had come off.


So I welded that back together.


Time to tackle the paint on the sheet metal.

Someone pours colour on my rust pile.

Late May, and the paint is flaking off.

After I returned from my trip, it was time to get back to work on my project. I had been working insane amounts of unpaid overtime, but I was able to take it in flex time.

Time to get rid of the rest of the paint.




This little spindle used to hold the clutch pedal. With an electric motor, I have no need for a clutch, so I took the pedal out. Turns out the pedal was also keeping the spindle in the transmission casing, and it goes right into the gear chamber, though it doesn't connect to anything. It was originally welded, but the weld had cracked. I welded it back up so I didn't have a 1 inch hole leaking gear oil all over the place.


Almost done now.


Looks a hell of a lot better.

Taking the rust off, and trying to avoid lead poisoning.

I've been blacksmithing for over a year now, so I'm quite used to running an angle grinder with a wire wheel on it.

The amount of work required to remove the rust and paint from the tractor was in another level.

It took me 3 hours to clean this one side of the wheel off. Lead paint acts like a paste once you heat it up, the wire wheel barely scratches it.


At least the cast iron wheels take primer well.


In order to save my sanity, I buy some paint stripper. 1 litre of this stuff covered the remaining paint on the wheel, the other wheel, and most of the transmission casing. I let it sit for over 3 weeks.


I had a business trip that took 3 weekends away from me, so I had to let the stripper sit on it. However, before I left, I cleaned the chassis frame, which was much easier.


I also did the front axle.





April is now over.

Initial tear-down and clean-up

60 years of abuse and outdoor storage takes its toll on any machine, this tractor was no different.

I started by jacking up the frame and taking the wheels off, which would allow me greater access to the various parts.

The wheel studs are wedge type, and they were completely seized. I broke nearly all of them trying to get the rear tires off.



Fenders off.



Rat nest removed from steering mounts.



20 pounds of grease soil removed from transmission face.



Wheels off.



Steering column and dashboard removed. Floorboards off.



This is the brake connecting rod. The rod must have broken years ago, as a previous owned "fixed" it with a wire coat hanger.

Evaluation.

The tractor was in rough shape, but it wasn't too bad considering it's over 60 years old.



The differential casing still had lead paint on it, the drawbar looked ok, though it could use a bit of a fill on the hole. There's a plug missing from the axle.































The transmission input shaft leaks like crazy. There's an oil seal and an o-ring in there that need replacing. Though at the time I didn't know that. The soil you see here is all held in place because of oil leaking out and adding to the pile.

The steering area looked pretty good. That universal joint is completely worn out, it still worked, but it would not last long.

Project begins.

This page is intended to track the progress of my project to convert a 1948 Massey Harris 20 standard tractor to use an electric drive system.

I took delivery of this rusty heap on April 11 2009.



The frame was in decent condition, though rusty, and the engine had been removed at my request by the previous owner. The tires, save one at the front, were all complete write-offs.

It came with all the sheet metal, and everything that I required to complete the project.


Though the sheet metal does require some work in order to restore it to a usable condition.