Valley Axe Man

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 👍

Not much progress this weekend just gone as Gemma's Jack Russell passed away after 14 years in the early hours of Saturday, she'll be missed immensely at home but also Belle had taking a liking to riding in the back of the 804 last year, so she'll be missed up at the yard and around the tractors. I nipped down to Charnleys on Friday and picked up a couple more bits, but unfortunately couldn't get any front hub breathers, they had some of the brass breathers themselves but not the adaptor/protection shield... So after a bit of a think I decided to make my own, pair of 18 mm male to 3/8" male hydraulic fittings, centre hole bored out to 11/32 and then tapped 1/8" BSP to accept the brass breather, 3/8" side cut off and a short piece of tube welded on to act at protection, then a 5/32 hole drilled in side of tube wall at the base to allow water drainage... Just need a pair of copper washers and a bit of paint but will do the job.... Gemma felt like doing a bit of painting so front weights had a 2nd coat and new to us bonnet had its 1st coat of blue. New PTO shield fitted, some thought about painting it dark blue, but after thinking on, the PTO shield on our 804 which is still in red lead rather than satin black, I'm tempted to leave it in red lead on the 472 as sort of a trademark 😂. Reflectors fitted and also drawbar refitted to the pick up hitch with the top strap I picked up the other week.

Painful job there Smithy but at least there's a good deal of improvement between your first and update photos..... Accidents happen just lucky you didn't do more serious damage than you did, good to see you on the mend though

Bit more of an update, bit of blue splashed about on the weights, stabiliser brackets, drawbar and then touched up around the arms and hydraulic quadrant. Track rod got a dose as it somehow missed the blue brush when it was fitted with the new ball joints. Friday's purchase of a new to me bonnet had a rub down and a dose of red lead, wasn't happy with the original bonnet after repair so went down the route of replacement after a bit of looking Wheelies had one at a good price so hence the change... Dash top and side panels given a clean up and decided to leave as is rather than repaint, they cleaned up fairly well to be honest and the original dash will at least give her a bit of character. Brackets refitted for the door check straps and a new pair of straps fitted to to stop the doors from hitting the front sidelight brackets at the fully open position. Plough lights connected up and wiring covers refitted, trailer socket wired up whilst the wire strippers were out... Electrically I think the only thing left is the heater motor to sort and apart from a few new linch pins and a pair of drawbar to pick up hitch mounting anchor pins, the only thing needed to finish off the linkage and back end is a PTO shield. Still a few little jobs to do in the cab with bits and bobs but we are getting there.....even had one of the lads from work drop by whilst he was in the area so he thought he'd call and have a natter... To be fair I've never seen a fella so happy to be on a Nuffield 😉

Yes your right Nigel, ARM hitch, on the blue Leylands the single latch caused a few problems when worn.. build up with weld and grind flat was the answer, but better designed to a two latch system with the harvest gold Leylands in 81...

Day out yesterday to pick up a couple of bits off Nigel at Wheelies tractor spares, hellish collection of Nuffield and Leylands with a slack handful of Leyland based tractor pullers about and enough old donor tractors to keep a couple of thousand old Leylands in daily use it's a grand spot to rummage about in ...so then seeing as we were only 20 mins away from the East Coastal town of Filey we ventured down to the prom and had wander about, was a grand day if not a bit breezy, only thwarted by a squally shower just as we were sat having a coffee near the slipway.... Anyhow these boat launcher didn't really go unnoticed, 1060 in particular fitted with a rarer seat in the shape of a rest o ride.. an earlier attempt at a deluxe suspension seat and surprisingly they are fairly comfy..... pity this one's missing the actual vinyl seat cushion, but the suspension system was offered fitted with existing seat pan also, bit like the one I had on my super major ... And considering the salty conditions all 3 didn't appear to be into bad a shape. Heading home called in via a small detour to the village of Wetwang, the chippy there always used to be spot on and even though it be beck end of 5 years since we were last there, it's still a spot on chippy 👌

Have to agree with you Zac, they could have had more tractors and yet the blue force marquee was packed in tight.... Some of the traders were usual but yet there seem to be an abundance of new faces selling more Sunday market type goods than the normal requisites that you usually found back in the day at Malvern. Yes I can see the stalls bring extra funding towards costs but it won't be much of a show without the exhibits..... And going back to the marquee it seemed alot smaller than the last time we were there when we were chatting to you in the carpark which I think would have been last show before the covid job took hold. Have to be Hope Mark gets a bit of feed back and then him and Kelsey can try and aim to what Malvern used to be 👍 .

Good to see you Mike, aye I was made up with the bargain bit of drawbar I'd just collected 👍 has to be said that Howard spreader in your last few photos was as clean as owt. She still had the orange paint in the barrel, must have had an easy life with a sympathetic owner

Not much progress this week but had a good day down at tractor world yesterday... Earlier in the week I asked if any of my fellow Leyland tractor fanatics had a spare half drawbar clevis as I was missing the upper strap.. any how Robert from Queensbury Tractor Spares who happens to be the brother of my good friend the Late Kenny Beeton, said he had one that matched the dimensions that I needed... So fast forward to Saturday and after a handy start and the regulatory Toby Carvery Breakfast on route I met up with Rob at Malvern only to find the strap he had is new old stock out of a defunct Leyland Dealers in Perthshire... So after a little bit of cash changed hands I now have the last missing part of project 22s pick up hitch assembly 👍 The only other bit of progress this week was refitting the cable for the hitch lock and also the lock return springs. Hopefully next week will see more done 👍

In the Auction there was a good selection of entries but one that caught little Dave's eye was this 3c..... I've never seen a fella so happy 🤣

Young Zach's airport Fergy though didn't get chance for a catch up with the man himself

No doubt there be more photos in due course but I took a few yesterday on our trip down to Malvern with John JMD and little Dave....