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Decided it was about time I had some workshop time. So some more done to the sickle bar. Mounted the assembly bracket and rod, to the rear and that shows it was not meant to fit a long frame Wheel Horse. A custom mule drive is to be made. Now the lift threw up more problems. The lift arm is longer of course and fouled against the assembly frame. I did take a photo, but it seems to have gone a.w.o.l. After much fiddling, trying and changing, I've ended up with this. Arm lift chain was moved forward and a fresh hole drilled in the arm to take the chain in photo. With gearbox and cutter bar fitted, which are not light by any means, there is just clearance between arm and frame. Another problem then reared its head. The tractor the sickle bar is meant for, doesn't have foot plates. The C-81 does. The lift lever that raises the cutter bar upright, fouls the foot plate. So another will have to be made. So that's it so far. Next thing is to separate cutter bar and gearbox again. Make things easier to handle.

Agree with your thoughts and it is lack of maintenance. Age is irrelevant, it needed lubrication.... There's no excuse for two close tolerance moving metal parts to not be oiled or greased. A grease zerk/nipple is an oversight as all big tractors and even wheel horse include one. There's just no way you could get any oil in there to help, so after 50 years it as rusted in solid. Unlike the steering spindles which came straight out - oddly they had grease points! We have never struggled removing a pin on a wheel horse. There's a lot of posts on the IH forums on drilling the pins out and you can buy the full replacement kit. It will end up with a grease point, it's just not worth the pain.

hi all, I have just got a gold 'n' grey fe35 Ferguson, it has a 4 cylinder diesel engine, It is completely original and hasn't been touch of over 20 years. it was left outside under a tarp for 12years, with the head off and the barrels open to the elements! the paint is fairly good. we went to move the tractor in the morning on Tuesday preparing are self's for a long day of moving it! but we inflated the tyres and to are amazement all the tyres inflated and have stayed up since, this was very shocking as they are all perished and have sat for over 12years in all weathers. we then put chains around the back axels and used a van to pull it out, it came out so easy I was so surprised. we then loaded it onto a trailer with a hand winch and it is currently on my yard awaiting its own shed to be build after new year! I'm now very busy spraying everything with WD-40 and have put ceresin down the bores to free it up a bit, and now I'm cleaning the surface rust off the inside of the liners. I will have to investigate the gear box as it wont go into gear, I have freed up the H and Low lever which in-gages and disinigages, I think the little ball that drops in to hold it in gear when driving is stuck and need moving. I think its going to be easy to get running as they are good engines, I have all the parts which just need bolting on, I will see if the engine will turn over tomorrow after the wd-40 and ceresin has done its job! then if it does I will bolt everything together and get a new battery, filters and fuel as I say everything is completely original, with even the original tax disc holder, with original tax discs in!

Made a bit more progress over the last two days, cowling fitted, decompressor lever set up, exhaust fitted, main wheels and load rollers fitted. Next job will be to fit the tracks and then fill up all the oils.

Could be that the cadet lives in Yorkshire Alain. Spends most of its time under water 😰

Present for the WH Commando 8 arrived today all the way from the USA Front and rear hubcaps, second hand and needing a clean up, they are not perfect but not bad and will finish the tractor off a treat...

The Westwood looks tidy Joe

Good luck with getting it running

If its had the head of I would pour some diesel in and leave it a couple of weeks to free the rings

Good argument for fitting grease nipples.

Not sure if you have seen this before but thought someone might be interested in this, it was a set of plans available in the 1960's by Popular Mechanics to build a "Pow'r Pup" garden tractor. on the "Large home tractor plans" about half way down the page. It might give you some ideas if you are building your own tractor. http://www.vintageprojects.com/tractors/garden-tractor-plans.html

Many times I forget how lucky I am to live where I live, even though our area of Oklahoma is fairly wet (Green Country) in comparison to other parts of Oklahoma, the climate is generally dry. It is definitely much drier than the UK. I understand that it may behoove owners to alter original designs improve a machines condition and extend its existence. Good Luck

Oddly, I've only ever had to drill one out... But I do have two C-121 and a commando with seized pins in

If there was no way to grease the pin in the first place, Alain, that to me is poor design, penny pinching or not thought of.

Some pictures of engines at last crank up of the year Sorry do not know much about them but someone will And something you do not see every day a butterfly in the end of December

A well built and solid looking machine