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very unusual camper made by trojan the firm that made the toraktor

Yesterday I collected my Jacobsen built Ford 100 from Chard in Somerset. The owner, Tony, gave me the background on the Ford as referred to below: "I have what I believe to be the only Ford 100 imported into the UK . It has a mower deck, beltdrive rotorvator, bulldozer blade, and most of the bits of a trailer plough.The story I had back in the late 60's was that "it was sent for evaluation as a saleable item and used by the then boss of Ford UK. He found it too small for his needs so traded it in with a local tractor dealer for something larger. They were supposed to remove all the Ford markings before re-selling it, but they left them on!" My late father bought it. It was in use as a grass cutter for many years by my late father who passed it on to me when he moved to smaller housing. I used it either for grass cutting or rotorvating, but it has been stored now many years with only one minor attempt at renovation 7 years ago. I have no further use for it and I guess I want to sell it, but I would rather it goes into the hands of someone who can properly restore it, maybe that means it needs to return to the USA?" He carried out a light rejuvenation of it in the 70s as detailed below: "If this turns out to be successful attached are some old pictures I took abaou 20years ago before my last attempt at refurbishment. The decals, from a ford 2000 were added in the 1970's following a repaint and DO NOT really suit this old lady, hey I was a lot younger then. in my refurb I made a new seat can cover. not easy and could not source the rib moulded material, but looks MUCH better than the ragged old one. The off road tyres were a 1970's purchase when I hoped to get some 12" rims adapted to suit the hubs and gain more grip for the plough. project submerged by marriage failure. The potato ridger was added to the plough frame from a merrytiller and is not original. For some reason I dont seem to have pic of the rotovator but the drive/attachment mechanism is in the third pic along with the plough attachment. The original exhaust was side delivery but this vertical one (now defunct) and a later one now added, though awful to a purist somehow make it look more macho." I contacted the vendor and agreed to meet up in late August and a deal was struck. He was keen that it went to an enthusiast. Yesterday I collected it and drove it up the ramps onto my pickup after it was jump started. It is the first time it moved under it own power for 7 years. Previously prior to that some 30 years ago, as mentioned above, it was fired up and back in the 70s it was given a fresh coat of paint to freshen it up. The decals are from a Ford 2000. Today I unloaded it and gave it a good wash whilst assessing what needs doing. I pumped up the tyres, grease the suspension and to drive and cleaned the plug. My plan is to give it a service (oil change, air filter, spark plug, drain the tramission oils,replace the fuel line etc) and buy a battery. It's missing a belt guide on one side but it's all there and original ( apart from the stack exhaust). The Ford is based on the Jacobsen Chief model from that era. I will be picking up the Ford Tiller and front bulldozer plough in a few weekends time. Ford 100 on collection Ford 100 washed and given a quick grease up with tyres pumped up. Surprisingly a solid lump of metal.

My wife took this video of herself grabbing a Cicada bug. Kind of funny so I thought I'd share it.

I took a trip down to Exeter to collect this today......... It will need some work, the original handle bars are missing, a previous owner has grafted a pair from a child's bike onto it. The carb will probably need replacing as there is a lump smashed out of the side, its also missing half its blades, wouldn't even know where to start looking for those?

The nearly finished article at one of my local shows lined up with its siblings

I'd be happy if it made any noise at present........ honking or not its sitting silent! Not touched it, too busy with garden produce, currently doing a batch of 'chilli jam'

I think the last one could be a depth gauge. The outer dial will be fixed, the inner dial turns to give you the depth. The spindle will go straight out or in. Not revolve. I think there is one the same, or similar and a dial gauge, in my late father's tool box. I'll have a look tomorrow.

That's amazing! I must say the lawn tractors are the best!

That's a nice find Andrew, gonna look good when's she's up and running

I'm ok with this now, spent a couple of days fiddling with the mag, cleaning and changing the points. Refitted and kept moving the spocket round and finally it started, had it running for an hour and it seems ok

what do you plan on doing with it, nice find though

You'll not find one closer...

Discretion is the better part of valour, Rhys. I've seen it, James. Go for it.

I have been caught out with the the IPad auto correct a few times!

Sorry should read honing not honking, iPad auto correct!

I was going to have a fall garden, but recent rains have prevented planting and would probably prevent adequate time for growth

I'll have look what's knocking about at work, the one container suffered an attempted breakin and after what they did to the door I can't get in to it at the moment, but I'm fairly sure I've got a box of carb bits in the one unit we haven't emptied yet.You'd be very lucky if the coil is any good as from memory the mk 12 uses the villiers ones instead of the better later wico's. Rings rarely give trouble and even if very worn will still run well, odds on the exhaust valve will be badly pitted. And/ or seat. Also honking the bore can work wonders.A lot of these engines had the oil bath filter as fitted to my howard 200 when on a cultivator, but if the clips are short it would of been the red filter, if I haven't got any left I know meetens still had some last time I asked but will have a look tomorrow when I'm at the unit.

I already have a three point and dozer blade for the 1476, but it seems I bought another one and another 54 inch front dozer blade for a 250.00. I'm anticipating another early Bolens Large Frame purchase soon.The same guy I got the deck from, he also has a brinly 3 point plow, but I have two, don't need another