Tractor Shite - The Grey Menace

[UltraWomble]

Anyone else just gone to eBay to see how cheap old tractors can be had?

 

 

 

 

Edit:

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/allis-chalmers-tractor-/222320112548?hash=item33c34fb3a4:g:7EYAAOSw44BYMJ2k

Yup, and that one is on my watching list too.

 

I wont need to worry about my plums being squeezed in that bike suit if I come home with this one thats just up the road from me...

[DodgeRover]

it's warming and also slightly concerning that a bunch of total 'strangers' on the internetz are the only ones that are interested and really understand... I feel at home here.

 

Unfortunately, it can't be driven home because one of the items that needs attention is a major (possibly terminal on a long run) oil leak and a similar situation with the radiator. Van and trailer required.

 

It's a straight petrol version, so I can, and indeed will, be topping it up at the local ASDA. Garage shots will be provided.

 

Lovin' the DB by the way.

Wierdly both the family Fergies are much more economical (in terms if gallons per hour) when running on petrol than on TVO, they smell much better when working hard on TVO though...

 

If you get stuck for a radiator we've got a spare but no idea how good it is.

 

Somehow we managed to register one of ours solely at the post office paying only the £25 lost log book fee, I think Friends of Ferguson Heritage did the dating cert for ours as the dvla claimed they didn't have a record of what plate was put on it when LWA1 was transferred off

[omegod]

My uncle has one in Ireland, it's absolutely fucking lethal and he conforms to every single carrot cruncher stereotype, his pants are tied up with string, even his bloody shotgun is gaffa taped up. My 13 yr old daughter loves driving his fergie when we are over there  

[capsuleboy]

Is insurance much of an issue for a 55 year old who passed thier test back in the 1970's?

[wuvvum]

My neighbour had one of these a few years back - got rid because he wasn't using it enough.  I'd like an old tractor myself some day, although as others have said they're not cheap. 

 

The bloke who runs the garage I take my cars to has had a succession of old Zetors - he swears by them, and they seem to be quite cheap.  Mind you, he also has an MB Trac, which wasn't cheap at all.  It has Unimog diffs fitted and will cruise at 50.

[cros]

Using TVO tractors everyday was fairly horrible. The only upside was the cheapness of the fuel as road excise duty-free petrol was not available in the same way that 'red' diesel was, at least in the UK. Some TVO converted engines worked better than others, all had to be started from cold on petrol and changed over when the manifold was hot enough to vaporise the much less volatile fuel. Where I worked petrol was deliberately kept in short supply, if you needed more than a gallon a week the foreman would suspect you of nicking the odd pint for your own use. It was 34 pence a gallon for fucks sake.

Early morning start ups would involve much coughing and spluttering if the changeover to TVO was made too early in an attempt to save the precious fluid. Misjudge it and the engine would die completely meaning the carb would have to be drained so that you could start from the beginning. (The usual 1000 pardons to all the octogenarians here who are familiar with this garbage)

Finland took rather longer to realise that all of the above was a pain in the arse and Valmet (also a tractor manufacturer) produced a version of the Chrysler Horizon which 'ran' on their equivalent of TVO.

Top Trumps in weird tractor starting rituals (how did he get in here?) has to be International's WD6 which starts on petrol and is switched to diesel when warm. This is achieved by pulling a lever which changes the compression ratio. If you have a lever that can do this you have died and gone to shite heaven.

[Faker]

 

 

 

 

Fantastic looking toy!

[Six-cylinder]

Is insurance much of an issue for a 55 year old who passed thier test back in the 1970's?

We insure ours as a Classic car including road use for a modest sum added to our Hagaty policy. As a toy they are cheap to insure, not sure about commercial use.

[scruff]

When I insured the fordson a couple of years ago it was £35 or something.

[JJ0063]

Bit of a random one but you're not by any chance buying it from a chap called Philip are you? in Necton? It's just you mention Norfolk, I used to live next door to a chap who owned one the same colour, I think.

[83C]

I too have been scouring eBay. And I could put one to use around the yard where the buses are....

[RRT22R]

Nice Fergoid. I grew up with three. First thing I ever drove aged about 8, I had to stand on the clutch pedal, luckily it had "child friendly" footplates fitted and not just the pegs poking out the side of the gearbox.  Grandad still has them as pets, though the days of driving one 50 miles to a steam rally are behind him now. I seem to be surrounded by Farmalls and Internationals these days with the occasional Field Marshall tinkering required. 

 

Where are you based RRT? Maybe we should have an Autoshite agricultural meeting.

 

The Autoshite Agricultural Branch has a certain ring to it don't you think?

 

I'm based in Sunny Suffolk and a 5 hour tractor ride from anywhere. . 

[RRT22R]

Wierdly both the family Fergies are much more economical (in terms if gallons per hour) when running on petrol than on TVO, they smell much better when working hard on TVO though...

 

If you get stuck for a radiator we've got a spare but no idea how good it is.

 

Somehow we managed to register one of ours solely at the post office paying only the £25 lost log book fee, I think Friends of Ferguson Heritage did the dating cert for ours as the dvla claimed they didn't have a record of what plate was put on it when LWA1 was transferred off

 

Thanks for your kind offer - Not sure what the exact situation is with the rad yet, but I may be in touch...

 

I'm hoping the registration should be fairly* straight forward* as it still has it's original data plate and hasn't been registered before. I should be able to get an age related number, with help from the Fergie Club.

[RRT22R]

Bit of a random one but you're not by any chance buying it from a chap called Philip are you? in Necton? It's just you mention Norfolk, I used to live next door to a chap who owned one the same colour, I think.

 

No, not  from Necton and not from Philip... It's coming from Brundall. 

[Bobthebeard]

Fond (!) memories of driving my first tractor at the age of 16. Was a Fergie. My first job after leaving school. The brakes didn't work at all. I ran into the wall of the cow shed and caused a lot of damage to both tractor and wall. The tractor just would not stop despite all my teenage efforts. I got sacked but am still fond of tractors...

[RRT22R]

Yo Tractor Boys.

 

Collected the Little Grey Menace last Saturday. No petrol station shots i'm afraid. 

 

 

 

 

Generally, I'm pretty pleased with it. A check of the serial number shows it' was built in 1950 and it's a properly engineered piece of kit. The previous owner did a bit of work on it, and it now kinda falls in the 'not-restored-but-not-original' category, which it a bit of a shame really. Apparently, there are an infinite number of 'Ferguson Grey' shades - This tractor has most of them. The black rectangle under the grille will have to go...

 

I've not had much time to have a play, but I had a quick look at the fuel system, and it needs a bit of a clean-out...

 

 

I popped the rad out, and it's borked  - So pm in-bound to Mr DodgeRover...

 

 

The tyres are a bit past their best, but it came with the correct front wheels and a pair of rear tyres. Those rear tyres are Goodyear and have diamonds on the outside. These are very important. Apparently.

 

 

 

I've sent my application off to join The Ferguson Club and applied to the DVLA for form V55/5, so hopefully should be able to get in registered in the next few weeks.

[JohnDeere]

That's lovely - though Drum's Aston Martin David Brown is the perfect spec for me - topper on the back and shovel on the front. I do actually need one too....

[AMC Rebel]

My mate and schoolfriend runs this outfit -

 

http://old20tractorparts.com/

 

When we were teenagers we used to go to tractor rallies on his David Brown Cropmaster (petrol TVO) - which he still has, with a tent and a couple of sleeping bags strapped to the back.

 

As for weird starting - those fag paper things for starting a Field Marshall (sixish litre single cylinder two stroke), combined with the starting cartridges (like shotgun cartridges) must rank up there.

[For Fiats Sake]

I remember my late father telling me about some of the starting procedures, one started on petrol and ran on paraffin, he mentioned the tapers and of course the shot gun cartridge starter.  Didn't a few have starting handles too?

Another one here who's first drive was a Fergie!

[captain_70s]

There are loads of them up here, old tractors seem to be more popular than old cars. The show scene can be very competitive, I was speaking to a chap recently who's mate had spent £2k having his Ferguson's wheels re-painted...

 

There is a completely fucked one in a hedge on my commute, I prefer them looking like that...

[Richard]

 

 

The black rectangle under the grille will have to go...

 

 

I think that's meant to have the registration number painted on it.

[Six-cylinder]

I have just retaxed my 1958 MF35 FE for Free, no MOT needed!

[Richard]

Do any tractors need an MOT?

[Mr A Lawrence]

Do any tractors need an MOT?

No.

 

Have you seen some of the shit running around in the countryside??

[cros]

Along with TVO as a challange for everyday use, the single cylinder diesel Field or Track Marshalls give them a run for their money. Being a two-stroke they have a total loss lubrication system not unlike "autolube" equipped motorsickles. Except that it's not a total loss because a fair amount of oil is recovered from the exhaust by the drivers face. Because many curmudgeonly farmers tipped old sump oil into the tank to start with the resulting mess was of dubious benefit to the complexion.

The Fowler Challenger was a relative of the Marshall but fitted with a much smoother Leyland 600 type engine. I drove one of these (pictured) pulling a subsoiler. I wouldn't want to do a 14 hour day on anything less.

[scruff]

The shot gun cartridge is a good party trick but they start OK on the handle (most of the time). 

 

This is my mate's Series 1 about to tow our trailer home from a rally, it's got high top gear, the lighting kit and winch, it's lovely and he spoils it rotten. You wouldn't believe it lives outside under a sheet and roads everywhere.

 

 

 

[Lacquer Peel]

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Zetor-7745-tractor-/172409649248

 

I popped my 'tractor cherry' in a forestry spec version of a tractor very similar to this. Why so expensive? Cool though, I liked the buttoned velour headlining and mastering double de-clutching because it had no gear syncromeshes, either by design or abuse.

Great thread, feeling the tractor love.

[scruff]

I love the giant cabs on those so you can take the whole family shopping in it. 

[Richard]

Giant cab you say?

 

70 Trantor Tractor series 1 (1980) by Robert Knight, on Flickr

[UltraWomble]

Popular those Trantors

 

However- this Yugo IMT fooking Rocks!