Valley Axe Man

Cheers Paul 🙂

Cheers Smithy, aye I won't like to guess how many hours we spent on her but there's been a good few.... It's not put me off doing another one though, although next time I'd leave her in primer until after the test runs stage and then strip sandblast the tin and spray.... Then just finish her off.... To be fair she hasn't turned out too bad though despite going over budget 😂

Cheers Mike, hope you had a good birthday 👍

Some of the last little bits done this weekend, apart from a now leaking power steering ram, but with the help of John JMD son Matt I reckon we can sort it.....I'm beginning to think seeing as I refitted the refurbished power steering pump that's making a bit more pressure than the one it replaced it's found a weak seal...... Decals on with the help of Gemma's brother Michael and a few touch ups of the paint work care of Gemma and myself.... I've lost track of the hours spent over the past 16 and half months but we've got there, our goal was to have a safe on the road, half tidy looking usable tractor that could be used as and when without fear and I think we've achieved what we set out......and she looks a bit different to how she arrived but couldn't have done it without Gemma's help and determination

A couple of times now Sean when attaching photos it'll add a couple to the post but then will say say download failed and the photo doesn't get added to the post but the ones in front of it will show when posted... So hence the Leyland and and Marshall ones were in the first post and then I had to try again to post the Nuffield and the video clip.... Next time it does it I'll take a screenshot of the attachment box

More failed uploads....will try again VID_20230512_105615.mp4

Bath time in preparation for the decals......but then thought might as well do all of them seeing as the hose was out 🤣

Photo upload issues so will try again..,...

Another weekend and a bit more done, first off the tacho drive was resealed on timing cover on the 804, then after noticing the fan belt was looking a bit tired with age related cracking and a bit chewed in the top edges of the v, the decision was taken to fit a new belt and spare at the same time as the crank mounted hydraulic pump needs removing to get the belts on, so with the old belt off and a pair of new ones fitted, the second tied up out the way of the fan and run of the belt, we noticed the rubber drive doughnut again looked a bit dog eared so after a quick trip to Charnleys and a new rubber coupling, got the 804 buttoned back together and run up to temp, all seems fine.... Then on with the 472, work this week has included making and fitting a blanking plate over the Tom Woodhouse patent pending easy access clutch panel access hole, then attention turned to forming up a bracket to carry the front end of the straight bar, under the chassis leg, rear end shackles to the clevis... Not necessarily being carried for our own use but just incase one of our friends on the show circuit is in need of help... But either way much safer than a strap.... Next up was to fit a present Gemma bought me, same as the one I fitted to the 804 after the electrical fire I had during the Christmas road run pre covid... So not tempting fate but hopefully fingers crossed it'll never be needed the fire extinguisher was fitted to the left hand bulkhead... Sliding side windows refitted just the window locks to fit and a couple of small finishing jobs in the cab and she's almost ready for a wash in preparation for the decals..... Seeing as she was outside I thought I'd test the refurbished pick up hitch and latch on the Marshall barrel spreader of my landlords.... A bit sticky on the unlatch without any weight on it but seems to positively snap into lock when lifted... Could just be a bit of newness and the paint.... All in all a good few hours spent.... And with 20 days or so until her first outing we getting a good bit closer 👍

Bit more done, the new to us replacement bonnet fitted with new hinges, bonnet handles and a fresh washer jet, then swapped over with the original, Gemma taking great delight in squirting the windscreen washer whilst I was adjusting the jets 😂 then new gear stick gaiters fitted, power steering pump removed, drive gear and pipe fittings swapped over and replacement refurbished pump refitted, filled and system bled of air then road tested and found to be 100% better than previously had been with a positive responsiveness..... Just goes to show what a difference a bit of pressure loss has..... Side sliding windows popped back out and glass removed to allow buffing of the aluminium frames... Hopefully get them back together and refitted next weekend. Meanwhile I noticed that the 804 looked a bit damp on the timing cover so a partial strip down for better access to investigate, looks at this stage to be from around the tacho drive for the tractometer but I'll delve a bit further yet.... Also got the weight carrier hung on back of 804 before I started stripping her back. 472 is getting there though, another step or two closer 👍

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 😉