[AT] Diamonds in the rough?

[JParks]

Mike
When repairing cylinders/replacing rods I try to steer people to machine
shops who replace the chrome rods with hi-alloy rods.  They are much cheaper
than chrome, and will not knick/score/chip the way chrome will.  (about 1/3
the cost too)  In our area we have a couple of machine shops who carry
various sizes in stock, but if not on hand, a day or so of UPS/FedEx ground
shipping usually gets the right size in.  They cut necessary threads on one
end, and weld the pin eye or clevis on the other end.
John
Boise,Id

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Sloane" <mikesloane at verizon.net>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>;
"ford-Ferguson mailing list" <ford-ferguson at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Friday, September 21, 2007 9:13 AM
Subject: [AT] Diamonds in the rough?


> Yesterday was interesting, if uneventful.
>
> After a county government meeting, I met my friend Kirk to look at a
> tractor. He is recovering from a torn Achilles tendon and limping pretty
> badly with a hefty boot/brace, but he can't sit still. So he is looking
> for more old tractors to buy and fix up (note that he buys them, but he
> never seems to get around to fixing them).
>
> The tractor is a Massey Ferguson 202 or 2002 (I am not sure which, and
> it isn't clear from looking at the tractor). This is an early 60s
> machine with a somewhat integrated loader and detachable backhoe. The
> backhoe is sitting in a field by itself and appears to be whole but not
> exactly ready for work. The biggest problem appears to be the crowd
> piston whose rod is rusted beyond saving. It also uses what looks like a
> huge hydraulic motor for swinging the boom, unlike every other backhoe I
> have ever seen that uses two opposed cylinders for swing. That is the
> big unknown. On the plus side, there doesn't appear to be much wear and
> tear  that I could see - nobody used to to break rocks - no cracks, no
> welds. It also has a spare large "muck" bucket.
>
> The tractor had been pushed back into the woods on the other side of the
> property and appears to have had a plastic tarp over it until recently.
> It has a 4 cyl gas engine, presumably a Continental like the one used on
> most similar MF tractors. While the tractor is mostly all there, it is
> pretty tired. The tach has about 3500 hours on it, but the generator
> that had a tach drive has been replaced by a GM alternator some time in
> the distant past, so the tractor could have 7000 hours on it for all I
> know. The engine does turn easily when I pulled on the fan, and I could
> feel compression. The transmission appears to be a three speed with
> Hi-Lo and a shuttle shift. The owner died some years back, and the widow
> said that she had turned down an offer of $500 a few years ago. Nobody
> seems to know why the tractor was abandoned. One plus is that the
> tractor has a PTO and three point hitch with draft control, although the
> lower arms and lift pieces are missing (and there is paint on the lower
> pins, suggesting that they were never installed). One front tire looks
> like it is junk, and the other three are bald and tired, but they are
> holding air.
>
> After we left, Kirk said that he had another one to look at nearby. This
> machine is sitting along the road, and I had passed it several times in
> the past and wondered what the story is. It is a Case W-3
> backhoe/loader, apparently a little older than my Case 430CK but earlier
> than the famous Case 580 series that is still very popular. While we
> were "kicking the tires", a woman drove up and asked us if we were
> interested in buying the machine. She apparently either inherited it or
> somehow came to own it and was asking $800. She said that all she knows
> is that it runs and has a hydraulic leak. The fact that it runs makes it
> much more desirable than the MF in my book, and the tires were much
> better. If I was really in the market, I would jump on the Case - it is
> a real construction machine with a diesel engine, not a converted gas
> farm tractor like the MF. The leak appears to be in one of the swing
> cylinders, which makes it a very simple repair - it is easy to get at
> and likely relatively easy to repair or have repaired. The tires are
> decent R-4 "industrial" tires and look to be fine.
>
> I put images of both machines up on my Fotki album.
> <http://public.fotki.com/mikesloane/babes-in-the-woods/> Any thoughts
> folks might have about either or both machines would be appreciated -
> While neither of the will cost much to buy, I suspect that bringing them
> up to working condition might require some time and money.
>
> Mike
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