Valley Axe Man

Cheers John 👍

Aye we did Smithy.. well remembered, I got a tractor, Gemma got some chocolate.... Then we had a brew and some of her home made chocolate orange caramel shortbread.... And there's one or two on here that have also sampled the same at either Newby hall or Carlisle last year and I'd think they would agree that Gemma knows her way around a bakers kitchen 😉

2 years today since we headed up into Scotland to bring the 465 back home..... She's been a good tractor and cheap to keep, not wanting much over the past two years to keep her mobile, a rear crank seal when she came, a pair of new old stock track rod ends a steering box to idler drag link, and a throttle cable.... Think she's been the cheapest to keep tractor I've had and although she's out numbered now by 4wds she can stay a good while longer yet.....

Need someone like Stehos aka Sjack on here to give us some info 👍

It's a KFD narrow major... Has a different cast swept front axle to a normal major... I'd put a pound on it being a bit of a rare thing

Bit of a wander down into Wales with Gemma to the Llandudno festival of transport a few less tractors than in previous years but but still nice to see a trio of county's and a nice KFD narrow major.... Bumped into John JMD having a wander

Half hour spent last night with 3/4 drive torque wrench borrowed from work yesterday, run round the wheel nuts and PAVT wheel clamp bolts just to make sure they up to what they should be... Will need to check them on a regular basis as a couple of fellow Leyland friends have all said they have had the clamp bolts work loose over the first 150/200 miles after having them fresh on the tractor, so will keep eye on them... Nothing moved when checked so didn't do a bad job at getting them to 340NM with leaning in my breaker bar 🤣

No but will do John, will have to make sure there's some tissues for him 🤣

Smithy, that Nuffield badged Marshall coloured 4wd IMT you posted, once lived in South west Scotland, I went to look at it with the intention of buying it but was slow on the road and a bit big and numb... But saying that it pulled well, Perkins powered, Gordon lad that had it sold it and then it re appeared about 8 months later at a dealers in Penrith the disappeared again until you posted . It's one of a batch of 6, that were an export deal that fell through and were just badge engineering IMTs one got sold as a Marshall all rest were sold as Nuffield. The 100 with loader on I believe sold at 20500 plus vat and commission, which by the prices of ford 7810s didn't seam bad for a much rarer tractor and there was a 4 wd Cantatore Nuffield in and think hammer fell at 8800 again plus the vat and commission but also rarer than the similar age and spec Roadless converted Majors.....

Sorry to hear, thoughts and condolences to you and the rest of your family

Stunning work as always John... Hell the Jcbs look real in the photos and you done a cracking job on the Landys, you definitely don't disappoint when you post an update

Haha.. it is but Was a good night Smithy Cheers, aye head not too bad this morning, didn't get too much ale in really. Though might have been different if they had of had a few different beers on tap 🤣

The Nuffield/Leyland/Marshall family, after all they are pretty much one and the same thing....... Close 2nd would be the SG2 cabbed 50 series Deeres

Had a good night last night, as one of my favourite bands played a local gig on the last night of their current tour, so when heard that the Lancashire Hotpots were playing the Grand, we managed to get tickets, so a couple of pints in town and then a couple of hours at the Grand.... Reet do... First time Gemma seen them live and now I think she's a fan ......

Also this week saw a bit more fabrication, in the shape of a linkage mounted tool box/weight frame, a few hours spent at work see a bit of thick wall box section welded up into a tee with lugs welded on for top link and arms.... After a couple of brews and a bit of inspiration in the shape of a few chocolate hobnobs it dawned on me that we had no where to mount the weights of either should either one nerd recovery back to the shed with the straight bar, now that both tractors are weighted up, which in the past hadn't been an issue as the 465 wasn't weighted up so the weights could have transferred over and access to the front towing clevis be restored.... The lay in the shape of an old weight frame off the front of an old Leyland. The frame been laying about a while as was a bargain buy a while ago, with the intention of it finally ending up on a 10/60 to allow the sharing of wafers rather than it being fitted with the big cast weight block..... ( The 10/60 hasn't come to fruition yet) so I fired up the grinder and put the old Leyland weight frame on a crash diet 🤣 trimming it to suit the frame I'd made and then welded it up..... Cleaned up at the shed and given a couple of coats of red lead, the tool box design should allow it to be removable and slide in on a leg down the upright by the top link. Another few hours this week should hopefully see a bit of stainless sheet bent up and welded into a tool box shape .....that is if I can get enough time at work to get a start on it 😉

A few hours yesterday up at the workshop doing a bit more to push project 22 on. Mid week saw the pedals and axle hub breather mounts get a visit from a bit of dark blue paint, so first off the mats and newly acquired gaiters for the hand clutch an hand brake were fitted followed by the door tread plates to hold the mats in place at the door. The centre cover plate over the main and range gear sticks had a coat of rattle can black to freshen it up so was left to dry before fitting the gear stick gaiters. New knob put on the PTO engagement lever which apart from a centre cover cap for the steering wheel and a cover plate to make for the Tom Woodhouse patent pending easy access clutch panel access hole (cut by previous owner) the cab interior now is almost getting there. Further bits done were the brass breather were fitted to each hub and a third one to the main front axle casing itself, the front tyres were replaced as with age had very bad cracking in both tread and side wall, which after our good Friday road test had started opening up a bit.... so a pair of 12.4x28 BKT cross plies replaced the knackered radials and with more luck than judgement the BKT match the tread pattern and also the shoulder lug design of the existing rear tyres....so even of both different manufacturers they appear to be a matched set 🙂 once tyres done the re painted wafer weights came off the temporary storage facility that was the 465 and got hung on the 472, then to stop them rattling about between themselves a length of 12mm threaded bar pushed up through the bottom of the lower slot and secured either end with a plate washer and a lock nut same as I did when I hung the wafers on the 804 when she came to live here in the Valley. Bigger jobs left to do now mainly include fitting the new replacement bonnet top along with its newly purchased hinges, and handles, the sliding side windows need popping back out to address the rattling between the panes of glass. If time allows with the up coming bank holiday weekend next weekend I hope to swap the power steering pump for one I had reconditioned by the late Dave Packham when he re sealed the Danfoss orbital unit when I had my 802, think a less tired pump that produces a bit better pressure will help the steering feel a bit less vague should Gemma be behind the wheel, and then final job I think will be a good clean and Gemma's brother to come and do the decals 🙂

Little trip down to Alstonfield to Tractor Spare Parts, dropped in at Bakewell and picked up a couple of freshly baked Bakewell tarts and a Bakewell pudding before headed on down for some more bits for the Leyland... But whilst there we got the tour and a brew and couldn't resist admiring these two, 954 a rare beast... The 100 not too common either

Cheers Smithy, aye we getting a bit done, just on quick brew at work and ordered a few bits to finish off inside cab and a few other bits and bobs... As for the T Cakes... Well they go with owt... Though I did save some for Gemma next time she's up at the workshop 😉

Another couple of hours, a couple of coffees and a couple of Tunnocks chocolate t cakes 👍 bonnet given its final coat, cab to bulkhead bolts fitted, rubber floor matting cut and trimmed, handbrake and hand clutch refitted, linkages cleaned, lubricated and re pinned and adjusted the MK2 front axle breather mounts that I made had a dose of primer and a pair fitted with a fresh pair of copper washers to replace the cracked plastic original ones. Shopping list made for a few more bits but she's getting a bit closer to being finished. Hoping to lift the mats back out and get pedals a dose of dark blue and breather mounts one night this week ready for a bit more done next weekend 🙂

Sounds well Zac 👍👍 what's next, start making a shopping list?

Once you hear that 6 fire into life and get warm to know she's not mixing or low on pressure then you half way to knowing your on to a winner. Rest is just time and money.... Big question will be if your leaving her with the rubber engine mounts or making her solid and back to like a 4 pot set up with a proper chassis

Leyland doesn't look that bad Zac.... But my advice is walk round it and make a list of what you think it needs, then add the prices up of said bits and add roughly another 75% on top as I found with the 472, once you get into it you always find further stuff that needs doing and your budget for the project gets eaten up fairly quick..... Will make a nice thing though 👍 just be prepared to spend a few £££

Little update, been for a look to see what's leaking after yesterday's run out... Slight weeping around the drop box output shaft and bit of a leak from timing cover where power steering pump mounts... Latter be a fresh gasket, t' other be output shaft oil seal... Though means dropping back end oil....

Good Friday for all the right reasons today, had the 472 out for neck end of 25 miles around and about the Valley, and apart from the rattling side windows she's behaved herself fairly well and been nicely warmed through, have to see now what leaks appear 😂 Had Gemma in the 804 acting as international rescue should the worst have happened and we needed a recovery but the 472 runs well and doesn't seem to have many issues, maybe need to look into a damp spot at the power steering pump and as mentioned the windows rattling but other than that she needs a gallon or two of diesel and some more road under her.....other progress involved another couple of coats on the bonnet and weights now hanging in storage on the 465 out the way... Another couple of hours spent yesterday with the Tig welder and a few bits of scrap resulted in a MK2 in the hub breather mounts, which I'm more happy about. Still a few bits to do but we getting there, hopefully be finished in the next 6 weeks ready for her appearance at the Steam fair at end of May VID_20230407_103829.mp4

Another recent addition courtesy of John (JMD) Via Graham Goodwin, in the shape of a FWT 455 (Four wheel Traction) based on the 10 speed Leyland 255...I didn't actually know if any 455s were built but Charnleys do own a FWT 470, based on the 10 speed 270... Not many of these exist and I don't think many were actually built... But it opens up looking for a brochure for the 470..... FWT also converted a few various models of MF one based on a 590? Was at this year's Malvern show..... Cheers John 👍