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Chris

Bolens 1886

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Had this kicking arround for years.

 

Plan is to get the old girl up & running & put the deck back on & use it for mowing this year

 

I doubt its run for 30 years but will be a beast of a mower when running again B)

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Yes will do a project when I start it. Been saying I will get it going for the past 5 years!! All I have done is get the tyres fixed so I can move it

 

Plan will be to get it running & keep it in working clothes. The pic makes it look better than it is. If I had 2 years I could make it like my HT20 :P

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Looks like a great project Chris!! There's just something about those Bolens that look tuff, and I'm going to have to own one some day. By the way, that HT20 is amazing! :bow:   I look forward to seeing your progress. :thumbs:

 

Matt :USA:

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Trust me it has got dirty & the paint work is damaged which I may get re painted

 

The pic was when I had just finished the restoration

 

Just look what it was like when I got it!! Very sad & needed some love

 

Hi Nigel!!!

Edited by Chris

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Right, started to pull the 1886 apart today.

 

My plan is to just free it all up & get everything working. Then just oil up the paint work. Its going to be a working tractor, not a show piece

 

The engine is going to come out for an overhaul, it turns but the front cowl is rotted through & had a large mouse nest inside!

 

Lucky I have 2 other dead engines which I can rob some bits off

 

Amazingly most of the nuts & bolts came undone to get some of the larger parts of the tractor apart

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 Glad to see your getting a start on it. I'll enjoy watching this thread to see if you can really just put it back in working order without doing any painting or things to make her look better. :yankchain:  I have a very hard time not painting them. I've started many projects with my intentions only being to get them working again, and before I know it, they're all tore apart, and getting a coat of paint. :D  You do amazing work Chris, so I'm sure it will turn out great! Good Luck! :thumbs:

 

Matt :USA:  

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Amazingly most of the nuts & bolts came undone to get some of the larger parts of the tractor apart

There's something about that old school hardware. If that was some newer POS only a couple of years old, you probably would have snapped half of them. 

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Spent an hour on it again tonight & got the engine out. Boy thats a heavy lump!!! :o

 

The grub screws on the drive shaft came out but that was that, so out with the gas!! Warm up the UJ on the engine end & with a few belts with the hammer it came off. 1st time since 1974 when some guy in the US put it on :D

 

The engine turns so far then stops :huh:  So hoping its just a stuck vavle etc. We will see

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Just to say that the engine can be saved with some love.

 

The exaust vavles were stuck hence the engine would not turn over & the bores were full of rusty dirt.

 

I have removed the pistons & found dirt between the rings & a stuck ring. That would not have run for long if I left it!!

 

With a light hone, the bores will be ok. :D

 

Got the old spark plugs out of the heads using the gas! never had to warm plugs to get them out before :o

 

Just going through cleaning & checking items now

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Engine slowly going back together now.

 

With the rings freed & light hone its all ok so far.

 

Had to replace an exhaust valve as one was bent. With a good grind in & set up they are working ok also

 

Christ its got some compression now!!

 

The chassis had been steam cleaned & the linkages freed off & oiled up

 

More to follow later

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Got the very heavy engine back in today. My poor back!!!

 

With the parts I have robbed off my spare engines, I hope this should be a good unit. At least with a good cowl on the front, it will now keep cool as thold one had rotted out with the mouse nest!

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