brrly1

Evening all, what a busy, hectic and fantastic weekend Tractorfest has been.. It has left me feeling shattered but I can't wait for next years show
 
Anyway, my brain has been awake enough today to grab a few stills from my video footage for you all, I might of got a little carried away
 
So let's start with Kev and his finger chasing a water leak on the Weeks..
 

 
 
One of those "Gulp" moments as I do my first ever talk over a PA system to the crowds!
 

 
 
While the Showman ran off and hid from the microphone
 

 
 
Steve made a valiant start on turning the soil in the working area with the Jobber..
 

 
 
But due to the show only being on for 2 days the reinforcements were called in
 
Nigel and Noddy ploughing. This was Nigel's first time ploughing, by the end of the weekend he had it down to a fine art.
 

 

 
 
Chris on his Trachorse doing a bit of leveling..
 

 
 
But even though he tried he didn't manage to bury the cameraman
 

 
 
A Colbey doing it's soil turning stuff.
 

 
 
I can't remember this chaps name (sorry of your reading this ), but he is a top chap, always willing to help and give advice about ploughing etc
 

 
 
And this photo just because I like it..
 

 
 
Stay tuned as there is loads more to come.... I did say I got a little carried away grabbing screen shots

Back in the arena on Sunday, and here's Ethan and machine not being towed    Only kidding mate, I know the machines fought you a bit over the weekend..
 

 
 
Why does this one remind me of the alien out of er... Aliens?
 

 
 
The Weeks without the water leak.....
 

 
 
I think it was scared of fingers
 

 
 
The sound of this engine was just fantastic.. You could feel the rumbles through the ground.
 

 
 
Lot's of chattering going on in the arena..
 

 

 
 
The Wheel Horse spinning display team entertain the crowds while trying not to hit each other
 

 

 
 
It's the Wacky Racers
 

I am slowly being talked round
Yes it will have front fenders....
Thanks Ian
Got 4 days at work in London, not sure it will be a rest as I've been on hols for a week, so no doubt it will be mayhem!
Steering now complete-ish.... Very tight, with no play. The rubber damper will have to go, it made adapting discovery parts to beetle very easy, but it's twisting under load.
Engine is out as there's nothing to bolt to yet, there's no seat or fenders either. I did get 5 mins to offer the original raider footrests up, with a bit of cutting and welding they will fit just fine.

So this is how it ends for a few weeks, will continue to see how it goes and whether the GT gets the boot in favour of bendy

This has been on the drawing board for a while now.
Started life as a sorry specimen from Surrey a few years ago.

Cue a few crates and a bit of balancing

Some RSJ

Lots of cutting

Welding and drilling

And a pivot was formed

A bit more welding

A drawing

Some more welding and cutting

And the rear subframe was finished

Thanks
Slow progress this week, but I did get a delivery transmission parts, plus some big chevrons as I've said before I like big wheels....


More to come

With the original engine pulley being very firmly stuck on the original engine I had to find another pulley..
 
The closest I had was on a very dead Kohler KT-17 engine.. Slightly smaller in size but not by much.
 
This pulley was also firmly stuck on the crankshaft but as the engine was already dead (dead in a busted con rod that punched three holes in the engine case kind of way) I had no problems being a little less gentle with it
 

 

 
 
Pulley off.
 

 
 
The exhaust that came with the engine needed a little tweak to make it fit..
 

 
 
I've no idea what the exhaust originally came from, but I think it looks good.
 

 
 
The original pulley on the trans was found to be very loose due to wear and a badly done bodge with a previous owner, so it was replaced with a pulley of the correct size from a Raider 10 with the added bonus of a built in cooling fan.
 

 
 
Quite often you will see GT-14's with non original fuel tanks where heat from the exhaust has melted the plastic tank away!
I didn't want this to happen to my fuel tank so I made this ally heat shield.. Very well it works too
 

 
 
My Wheel Horse 312-8 was used for many years as a my main work horse, fitted with big and wide rear tyres and a home made roll bar.
But this year it has been put on gentler grass cutting duties only. so the roll bar was removed and bolted onto the GT
 

 
 
I think the grin on Pete's face says it all
 

 
 
As well as being the star of a few videos (see my YouTube channel link at the bottom of my posts) the GT has been put to work moving logs..
 

 
 
And moving pallets.
 

 
 
That will do for now, more of the GT story coming later.

Ande , do you have any old phots from your vist to the wheelhorse factory ?
I am going to US in June for the annual wheel horse get together .

Thank you Mark , I bought these tractors really with money that i didnt have  but like i said there was now way that i was going to miss an opportunity to lose out on some wonderful machines .
I must confess that in buying these tractors has somewhat got me into a few issues to say the least  but i feel it  was worth it , ( my good lady wouldnt agree with me though, she wanted a new Kitchen LOL)
The way that i think can some times be a bit reckless but i have allways lived by the seat of my pants & payed the consequences later  but i know i have worked hard in my life & every now & then i just have to do something indulge in something that i am  passionate about  
I could have bought myself a new van after my last one caught fire last year but i wanted to  get the senior so i spend the funds that was set aside for a new van & i bought the tractor instead .