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Today (Friday) is set up day at the Newby Hall show We set up the IH Cadet 81 and the harrows and had a look around at what had arrived so far... Here's some photos...

Glad you approve Today has been mostly about changing the front tyres and cleaning up the wheel rims.. If you want to see how I removed the old tyres click on the link below http://myoldmachine.com/topic/1975-tipswhere-tyre-removal-and-refit/?p=21837 A cautionary tale for you all... There I was busy cleaning a wheel rim with a sanding wheel in the electric drill. I can't hear anything over the sound of the drill, so I'm in a little world of my own.. I had no idea that Nigel had been behind me for a few min's trying to get my attention.. When he finally did get my attention it made me jump and knock the wheel I was working on off the bench! The wheel hit the concrete floor with a bang and a flash! I thought the flash was the wheel hitting a bit of flint mixed in with the concrete.. Until I looked at the rim.... Hang on.. That's the sort of mark only an electrical arc could make! The flash was not flint, it was the rim cutting through my extension lead!!! Anyway, have a pic of a nice clean wheel rim... It was soon given a couple of coats of red oxide followed my some grey primer before putting the new tyres on. Here's how she looked by the end of today.. Not much left to do

And here she is unloaded at the show today...

Thanks Andrew, the next on the list is below Air filters fitted, here's one of em. All the pedals are fitted and connected up. Nigel being the good bloke he is spent a while this afternoon cleaning up the welds on the front wheels.... A before and after kinda shot. A close up. As much as I liked the look of the rust on the hood it has to be painted red, so I made a start on the rust clean up.. Not fun! As much as I had hoped to have her ready for a drive tomorrow, she won't be ready in time... So it will be Monday or Tuesday next week now..

A friend of mine in the vintage tractor world rang the other evening asking if I know anyone who would be interested in a small tractor which was getting in the way in his garage. When he mentioned the make and model the radar went up as there were only 100 of these made (so it's rarer than a Mayfield Merlin) Wendy and I braved the ice and snow/rain/sleet for a short (6 mile) trip this morning to pick it up, it's a Martin Markham Colt Deluxe with a 10hp Kohler in it, these were made between 1965 and 1970 by Martin Markham in Lincolnshire. Also pictured is the brochure that arrived a few days ago.

Very nice Paul, the fenders look like those from a J.I. Case 400 series tractor and the hood almost looks like an early Case GT, size is close as well, but the Case tractors were Hydraulic drive (not hydrostatic), but I do think some models were geared. Very interesting.

Just acquired a Martin Markham spreader to go behind the tractor, just need to get it couriered home from Harrogate now...

That's OK then.

It's a hell of a lot of engine to polish! Some bit's like the rocker covers, carbs, inlet etc will be polished to add a it of contrast.

Loaded and ready to roll. I think I need a bigger trailer.

Last day of preparation Wooo Hooo

and the vice

Got the polish out and sprayed the tyres with Armor All... Also removed the front deck pin, this will be cleaned up and painted when the 81 is out of the workshop