nigel 1,877 #26 Posted September 30, 2015 Finally managed to get back to working on 137 today, pressure washed and degreased body. Cleaned all the crud out of the bottom of the gearbox. It took a chisel and a needle descaler to remove the Worcester marle from underneath but just look at the condition of these eighty year old bolts, just light brush with a wire brush to remove the mud. Interestingly I found that after the primer coat the tractor had been painted lawnmower green before it was painted blue. I wonder if they originally planned them to be green and then changed their minds? Tried to upload photos using shrinkpic but showing error file too big? Not had any problems before is there a gremlin in the works?. Donate 10quid to the cause and you won't have the problem and best of all you will turn green Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #27 Posted September 30, 2015 Very strange uploaded same photos to VHGMC site without any problem Who would I pay £10 to? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stormin 4,458 #28 Posted September 30, 2015 Go to the store at the top of page, Jonathan. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #29 Posted October 1, 2015 You learn something every day ! I have been on this forum for ages and had never realised there was a shop or cost involved. I will try again now and see if photos will upload. No still not working a box comers up saying shrinkpic has reduced the file but attach this file shows error this file was too big to upload. Any clues ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
meadowfield 1,900 #30 Posted October 1, 2015 doesn't look like you managed to check out, once done you will change to supporter status Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
C-101plowerpower 548 #31 Posted October 1, 2015 you can also try to use tinypic, then copy and paste the link here Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #32 Posted October 1, 2015 According to payPal I have now paid twice but still showing as pending in MOM , Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nigel 1,877 #33 Posted October 1, 2015 According to payPal I have now paid twice but still showing as pending in MOM , ok will try and sort it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stormin 4,458 #34 Posted October 1, 2015 Your a supporter now Jonathan. I use Dropbox for my photo's. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #35 Posted October 1, 2015 At last many thanks for those involved in sorting it out. Photos from yesterday and some from today when I cleaned off half the body and acid treated it with phosphoric before a protective primer coat. 2 diggerjames and nigel reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #36 Posted October 9, 2015 I now have the main body sanded,acid treated and spray putty primer coated ready for a skim of filler to take out the rust pits. I am steadily working my way through all the bolt on bits which have been through the electrolysis tank, shot blasted, acid treated and then primed. Because 137 is such an important machine I am trying to restore it to as it left the factory 80 years ago. using a spectograph i have analysed the original paint colours and ordered some trial aerosols to match the colour as near as i can, they arrived today so i had to have a bit test. I have chosen Ruby red and a turquoise fore the blue, both in satin finish as I believe the original would not have been a high gloss finish. At last the load rollers and idler wheels are finished. The idler rollers were worn undersize so these were skimmed true in a big lathe and then 1/2 " square bar rolled to give 181/2" dia od. which was then brazed on to the skimmed wheels. For the drive rollers, 8" dia x 1/2" thick slices of cast bar were purchased, the original roller rims were turned down to a common size of 7.25 " The cast slices were then bored out in the centre to an interference fit and sweated on to the original wheel located with rawl pins and then brazed. All in all good progress but still a load of blasting and filling to do before re assembly. 2 Alan and Stormin reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stormin 4,458 #37 Posted October 9, 2015 You'll be pleased to have the wheels and rollers back. You'll have it back together in no time now. BTW. I drank your coffee. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #38 Posted October 10, 2015 Thanks Norm sorry it was 2.30 when I arrived at Tom's after a tour of his workshop and then a tour of his toys and a coffee it was 4.30 so had to scoot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #39 Posted October 17, 2015 One of the most laborious jobs restoring MG Crawlers is renovating the tracks, the old bolts are difficult to get at with any power tool to aid removal. I have tried sabre saws, angle grinders and a hacksaw all of which are a pain. I recently tried a Fury Evolution steel cutting chop saw which works very well, the blade slips between the track plates and cuts through both the centre rubber and the two bolts on each pad without touching the pads. Result lots of smoke and mess but much quicker. Cleaning up the pads is also a chore, each pad takes about 10 minutes with a bead blaster longer with a power file and wire brush. I decide to see what happens if you dunk the pads in a tank of dilute phosphoric acid for 24 hours, another result clean shiny pads with all but the thickest rust removed. quick brush with the power file and ready to paint. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
C-101plowerpower 548 #40 Posted October 17, 2015 looking good have you tried dunking the whole track in a E-tank? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #41 Posted October 17, 2015 Might try that with the next one but ideally you would need to separate the pads and a big tank. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diggerjames 543 #42 Posted October 17, 2015 Really nice methodical work mate ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stormin 4,458 #43 Posted October 17, 2015 I've seen the results of the phosphoric acid and very impressed, Koen. Quicker than an e-tank. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #44 Posted October 22, 2015 Whilst the track pads are cooking in the phosphoric acid I decided to tackle the damaged flywheel pulley which is made of cast iron. I thought about heating and welding with MIG but decided that with my luck it would be the flywheel that would crack and not the weld so I looked at the three big chunks missing where someone had tried to lever the clutch apart instead of simply using two long bolts to push it apart. The chips were rounded and I had just found some really big thick washers which were just right to fill in the missing bits. I ground out the chips to an exact fit on the washers which I held in place with a magnet flush with the outer face and then brazed them in, cut the surplus washer away with a cutting disc and then using a power file I rounded off to the o.d of the flywheel. A lathe would have been better but too big for mine. As the washers were about 6mm thick it matched in well with the vee belt groove in the flywheel, I shaped away the surplus washer with a sanding disc to match the sides of the vee. Quick smear of plastic metal to smooth them over and a coat of paint, 3 virtually invisible mends! 4 Stormin, nigel, Anglo Traction and 1 other reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stormin 4,458 #45 Posted October 22, 2015 Nice work, Jonathan. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #46 Posted October 24, 2015 Jumping about from one job to another to keep momentum and interest going I re-cut the valve faces and seats today using a Neway cutter set, one kit cuts the face to 45deg another kit cuts the seat to 46 deg amazing pieces of kit and apparently no lapping required. The complete set costs about 2 grand so I was very lucky to be able to borrow a set. I also cleaned up all the studs and nuts for the crankcases ,timing cover and made a complete set of new gaskets for the barrel crankcase and final drives. A nice quiet day without compressors or grinders running. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #47 Posted October 27, 2015 Today's job was re lining the clutch, making new pawls for the ratchet start mechanism and cleaning up or making new threaded studs for things like the magneto mounting and barrel seals, In the process I managed to drop the flywheel and broke a great chunk out in two pieces so added fun was brazing it back together!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stormin 4,458 #48 Posted October 27, 2015 Good job it didn't land on your foot. Might not have broken if it had. Not sure about your foot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #49 Posted October 30, 2015 Discovered yesterday that someone had snapped a tap off in the end of the camshaft, fortunately I have several spare cams so all in bits again swapping it over. Also discovered that the fully rebuilt Lucas Magneto had a 10 tooth drive sprocket whereas the Wico type has a 12 tooth and the cam sprocket is 12 tooth, that would have made the ignition timing interesting if I had not thought about it.Going to refit the flywheel today after making a 12 tooth sprocket up out of the 10 and a Wico cog. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
expeatfarmer 591 #50 Posted October 30, 2015 137 engine is now virtually complete and restored with a new piston, rebuilt clutch ,re cut valve seats, made up an adapter to fit the 12tooth mag timing sprocket and set the ignition timing whilst I had the head off. Starting to look like an engine now instead of a pile of bits. The combination of thread types is a nightmare, UNF,BSF, Whitworth and UNC all on the same engine, I seem to spend hours ratching for the right nut or bolt in my various bins and boxes and failing that have to set to and make them. Just need to machine a set of new head bolts and then basic engine will be finished and sealed before I start on more rubbing down and grinding. 4 nigel, Stormin, S1g and 1 other reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
