expeatfarmer

Today I began dismantling 137 the oldest known MG2 motor cultivator dating from 1936. Amazingly every bolt has come undone without any brutal activity other than a big bar on one of the implement frame pivots. Some bolts have obviously never been touched in 80 years, once the bolts are out the holes are still shiny metal, quality stuff theses old Ransomes. I spent an hour or so last week giving every bolt a squirt of plus gas and it has obviously paid off. The final drives are all in good order and should just need a clean up and new seals, the drive rollers are both shot so I will cut them off with a plasma cutter and weld on new rings. Although rusty the body has very few pits, I think I will power sand it rather than shot blast, there are a couple of wear scars where the tracks have cut into the body, I am going to cut these out and weld in donor steel from the half MG2 that came with it. Two of the load rollers are good and still full of oil, the other two need new bushes.

it is nice to have toys you actually get to play with.

The digger has been put to work over Easter landscaping in my son's garden digging out large shrubs and trees, re planting and moving soil around, worked really well, managed to pull a track off right up against a hedge but I was able to walk it out on the bucket. It was my own fault the track was a bit slack and I was sitting across a slope pushing soil. The wide tracks are very good on soft ground and hardly leave a mark on the grass. I even had my own service crew!

After two days sorting through all the bits I now have 137 and 431 sorted out into their respective piles, there was also a pile of MG5/6 and 40 bits in amongst it to add to the confusion. 137 is now on the ramp ready strip down to begin. MG2 number 431 is up for sale if anyone is interested, all the parts are present except magneto which I may find, it has the replacement TB engine ,the barrel valves and piston have been renewed but never used.

On the cards Norm thinking about one of those fancy oak frame jobs.

Dont tell Janet but target is 22 models. Here is a picture of the new MG40 petrol number 15343 dating from 1965

15 just bought a petrol MG40 as well .

The half one is an MG2 that was cut in half and made into a half track with steering front wheels.The tracks were wrapped around the drive wheels !!! There are two complete!!! MG2 137 is the one at the front it has a Sturmey Archer T engine the one at the back is a 1937 model with TB engine. Just trying to get my head around where to put it all, the back of the car is full as well. There is also a TVO 5/6 engine hiding in the middle.

Thank you Norman, I will start a thread once restoration is underway.

If anyone has an earlier MG2 tractor please shout it would save me a load of work!!

I have just managed to obtain a new project, it is the earliest known surviving MG2 number 36 off the line in 1936, I bought it from a chap I met at Tractor World. 2016 is the 80th anniversary of the Ransomes crawler. The plan is to stage a display at the 2016 tractor World of at least one of every model MG tractor that Ransomes built, my aim is to totally restore 137 and display at the show. I have yet to finalise the detail of the display with Mark Woodward but if any other MG owners would be interested in joining the display please let me know. It would be fantastic to gather as many MG2 as we can alongside the other models. They do not need to be restored, original condition and patina of age is great. Dates are March 12th and 13th 2016 at the Malvern Three Counties Showground, the display will be inside.

You are welcome anytime Norman, another machine arriving at the weekend and off hunting end of next week. The finish on those Atco machines at the show was amazing, nice man too lent me a spanner.

I would like to go ,are you exhibiting stormin, which one shall I take?

Even loaded it with a Ransomes, that little MG6 with built in Boughton winch is a super machine I must find one

Was a great show with loads of interest in the Ransomes and Whitlocks, I did not know I had won until I asked the guy with the Atco display. I took two machines down but brought three back thanks to the chap who lent me a 32mm spanner so that I could take the blade off the digger to squeeze them on. On my spec sheet for the Whitlock loader I had written that only three were known to exist, when I took down the sheet at the end someone had tucked a note behind it saying that there were four because he had one that also had a crane jib. Unfortunately there was no contact detail so I am unable to gain any more information. The crane is another of those machines that are rumoured like the digger but never seen or recorded. If the owner who left me the note is on this site I would love to hear from you thanks for the note anyway.

Much to my surprise and delight my Ransomes MG6 Digger won first in class 10. It was a very enjoyable show if a bit cold, the organisers were so helpful with set up , I would definitely exhibit there again.

I woz there Stormin What do you want to borrow?

I have a Drummond lathe that dates back to 1902, it was used for model making and only has a small keyless chuck . Does anyone have a 6" chuck available I could mount on to a backplate?

I have used Danish oil in the past for preserving the patina on an old machine, it air dries to a hard finish several coats form a deep shine. Normally used on wood but it works well on old metal.

Decided that having two types of pad was too much . I offset the pads on both tractors 30mm to make sure they clear the lift platform.

Digger finally finished, oak swamp blocks made and fitted. Machine all polished up ready for Tractor World. Just the Whitlock to finish off, the tracks are complete and fitted, clutch plate replaced new silencer to set up and waiting for new diesel tank.

I tried patience but she threatened to tell my wife and as for percy!!!

They were a factory option to lower the ground pressure on soft ground and increase the stability. They are also a lot better on grass for not chewing up the ground when turning. For me they will stop or reduce chewing up the garage floor and the drive.

Started the task of fitting wooden swamp blocks to the new WR8 tracks. Firstly cut 128 blocks of geen oak ( enough for the WR8 and digger dozer ) Set up a simple jig to drill and counter bore two holes in each block. using a router I cut rebates on the back side of the blocks to clear the track rubbers and trimmed the blocks to width with a power plane. The green oak is full of tannin which appears to be corrosive so for a few pence more I used stainless machine screws washers and nuts to bolt the pads on. To start with I made the blocks one at a time and bolted them on but this was apparently painfully slow progress so I took ten blocks at a time through each stage rewarding myself with a cup of coffee or a puff on my pipe after each set. Listening to Planet Rock turned up loud also eased the tediumand the back ache. The digger pads are slightly different in that they bolt on above the tracks using an alloy spacer block , I have the pads ready to dress but not started fitting them yet. I have been using a small Clarke bench drill and found it very disappointing that the spindle turns out not to be vertical to the work table such a shame that for a few quid more the tool could be really useful.

The clutch plate has been returned re furbished and re lined. Whilst i was waiting I cleaned up the engine and engine bay and re sprayed them as a part refurb ready for a full rebuild later. Now have it all back together just waiting for a new fuel tank