meadowfield

That's why I built a hoist, makes life a lot easier. Hoist was £30 off that auction site.
 
 

With all the front drive train bolted back on the foot rest thingy needed a little trim to clear a UJ.. I will add a cover over the shafts/UJ's to add some leg protection should something go bang and start flapping about the place.
 

 
 
Before I started to cut any more metal out I put some strength back in with a nice bit of curved tube that clears the UJ
When the frame is stripped back down I will add some extra metal to tie the tubes together neatly.
 

 
 
This join between old and new tubes just had to go!
 

 
 
Hhmmm, nice rust inside one of the few remaining bits of the original FourTrax frame... It felt good to remove it
 

 
 
There is no neat way of joining big and little tube together, at least the other end is easy
 

 
 
For extra strength a length of steel bar has been added inside, you can just about see it where the tubes join.. The steel bar does go all the way up and in the larger tube.
 

 
 
I like getting good value for money, think I might of got the maximum use out of this cutting disc
 

 
 
Compair it to a new disc!!    While on the subject, some cheap cutting discs are better than others, I can't remember the make (Germany is mentioned on the Fleabay ad) but they are by far the fastest wearing most easily broken disc's I have ever bought!
 

 
 
That looks better..
 

 
 
Way better than the bit I removed
 

The original exhaust which.was used for the test runs was unsuitable for scale appearance and was also in the wrong position.
 

 
A 180 degree bend to fit within the side panels was needed.  I tried a length of flexi pipe I had but this wouldn't bend into a tight enough radius.   A piece of 15mm copper pipe was bent up using an ancient and crude pipe bender ( found at friend John's place ) where else, which gave the required result.
 

 
The exhaust stub on the engine is approx 22mm outside diameter although the bore is a lot smaller.  An adapter was turned up to suit.
 

 
During the clear out at John's various stainless steel silencers were found which John had made at work.  This one was removed from a mower and cleaned up.
 

 
This was connected to the copper pipe via an old 90 degree plumbing elbow after cleaning off all the muck.   After finding a length of chrome plated pipe a posher version was bent up. No prizes for guessing where these came from.  Not sure how this pipe and the plating will stand up to the heat but not the end of the world if it doesn't.
 
An extension was made for the silencer, again from copper pipe, as I didn't have anything else of a suitable diameter.  This was drilled and the lower end plugged as per the full size.  An adapter ring was turned up, drilled and tapped to hold everything together.  This ring also located the assembly into the grill surround. 
 

 
The completed parts and after fitting.  Still need to make some adjustments.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

That's why I built a hoist, makes life a lot easier. Hoist was £30 off that auction site.
 
 

That's why I built a hoist, makes life a lot easier. Hoist was £30 off that auction site.
 
 

That's why I built a hoist, makes life a lot easier. Hoist was £30 off that auction site.
 
 

Wow this is turning out great. 1st time I have read all of this
 
Glad that engine is a runner even if it did need alot of work. So mutch for my mate saying it wont take mutch!
 

Well you can't have it.

That is really interesting and I can see some striking similarities between US Dynamarks and Westwoods:

I am sure you're right because their appearances too close to be a coincidence. The chassis and panels seem only very slightly different between Westwood and Dynamark. I would love to know what the closest equivalent Dynamark is (and it'd be cool to own one too  ). I take it this is the Atco you mean: 

 

more coal more like...

more coal more like...

Exactly, I noticed that the lights were wired up to the engine so that when the engine is running it not only charges the battery but also the lights run off the engine, not the battery! For a 70s machine that's pretty clever. Even I was surprised. Haha. I also came across an early Westwood, same model as yours on YouTube, but unfortunately has been adapted with bigger engine etc.
 

After looking for a suitable steering wheel on the internet without success, one was made up.  Lots of ready made wheels but too large, too small, near enough the correct diameter but with a rim much too thick for scale etc.
 
A local metal fabricator advertised various scroll work items for gates, garden furniture and so on.  A visit was made expecting them to have a ring rolling machine.  "Never heard of one" was the reply from one staff member.  He called another older person, same answer.  When I asked how they made the scroll work they advertised, "We don't, we buy it in ready made from China".
 
Mr Showman had previously mentioned that a friend might be able to roll a ring up.  Within a few days I had a 7:1/2" ring x 3/8" section.   The hub is a previously drilled cap screw with the spokes from flat strip jammed between two nuts after having a bend made at the inner ends.  After trimming the spokes to length and clamping down Chris welded all the joints up.  Thanks Chris.   I keep thinking I ought to buy a welder but it probably wouldn't get much use.
 
Grinding the welds down was easier than expected, especially around the hub, using a Dremel.    A slot was cut in the cap screw head for a roll pin which together with a nut held the wheel onto the column. Two short pieces of tube were pressed / hammered over the nuts and all the joints blended in with filler.
 
The last photo shows the pin resting on the head of the cap screw which is the column bush.  This still needs a sleeve over it to finish off.  Also a cap made for the wheel center.   I should have made the spokes with a steeper angle but too late now.   My great grandson, pictured above,  liked it anyway.
 
 


 
 

I think I have a Steiner 425 manual on my machine at work...

My new Tractor arrived today,a Ransomes (Steiner )  Turf Trak 425 21,5 Hp 3 cylinder Kubota Diesel, 4 x 4 hydrostatic transmission with two speed axles. Very similar to my existing 420 but a bit bigger. Seems to be excellent condition with just enough bits to sort to make it interesting. Number two cylinder running badly ( loose injector pipe joint ) number three cylinder glow plug has a dead short, quite a few stray wires that seem to do nothing but generally very pleased with it. There are a couple of trim panels missing from the front end.

happy birthday son!

The focus was on the engine now, I had already stripped the engine down of any unnecessary parts and we had tried to start it. then it dawned on us that the engine didn't actually have any compression. We didn't really want to have to remove the head as the only replacement parts are NOS ones. Anyway we removed the head and Found the exhaust valve stuck open. As you can see the valve and the valve seat is incredibly rusty and pitted, I left the block and valve with my uncle who managed to grind it down to a useable state and the engine runs quite nice now. As for the head gasket I managed to find someone in Greece who was able to make a replacement from a scan of my old one for the cost of £4 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
We also managed to remove the old exhaust which had rusted in
 

 
 

Happy Birthday Ewan, hope you have a great day and dad brings you home lots of presents, 

thats not good Norm

went to get in the landy on friday and...
 

 
 
some 12ft lengths of 6x2 that have been stood up for 2 years decided they didn't like it anymore...
 
not looking forward to the mess this winds leave!

went to get in the landy on friday and...
 

 
 
some 12ft lengths of 6x2 that have been stood up for 2 years decided they didn't like it anymore...
 
not looking forward to the mess this winds leave!

We had 4 of them last year at Newby hall, from this pic I took, I think one must have been unreliable
 

flipping bonkers you two!!!!

flipping bonkers you two!!!!