Valley Axe Man

Local vehicle day today so we had a Toby along to give them a bit of support, few photos of a few of the classics. Marshall coloured Landy was a bit of a beast with a V8 in, sounded fit 👌

Looking good John, your project 22 is making a bit of progress 👍

Sounds like they need a better system.... Or more exit routes.... Glad you had a great weekend other than that Zac 😉

Must have been a bind for you getting out of Dorset after seeing your posts with the hectic queue Zac... Well done on the rosette though

Been a busy hour or three with Gemma today, pushing the 472 a bit closer, still waiting on a delivery of bits to put the hydraulic cross shaft back together but that by the by, rear window glazed and new seals fitted, doors hung on 2 new and 2 refurbed hinges then fitted with new handles and latches before fitting the original glass in a new set of rubbers, Gemma almost a fully fledged tractor cab glazer now... Then she set about cleaning engine off, it's not seeing paint yet that will be once she's seen a few hours on the clock to know she not dripping from any seals or gaskets...then finally after a new air induction hose and a fresh air filter element, the side panels, front panels and side grilles got reffited, a bit more wiring to do now for washer pump and wires need going forwards to tank sender and headlights and horn but she starting to look like a tractor again

A couple of days away for the bank holiday weekend with Gemma down in Denbighshire, North Wales, proper off grid but nice to relax with no distractions

Managed a couple of hours this week of a night after work with Gemma to try and get job pushed on abit anyhow with Gemma taking on the top coats of the out sides of the doors, I set about re connecting the linkages to the refitted spools and Quadrant for the main lift and also to the auxiliary for the tipping pipe... Anyhow things were going well until I found the spindles in the hydraulic unit appeared to be seized .. further investigation required so without further a do I whipped the half dozen 1/2" bolts out holding top cover on, to find the problem of a cracked and distorted spindle that the main lift operates off and this in turn jamming the auxiliary, anyhow a bit further investigation found the cam that operates the fork in Draught position of the hydraulics also cracked and broke.... With Gemmas help to compress the spring whilst unscrewing the cap on the spring we had the parts on the bench.... After a chat with a fellow fan of blues it's a common fault for the cam below to break and cause the spindle to bend... Anyhow a bit of web ferriting has located the bits that are required and are in the process of being ordered.... Meanwhile attention turned to a bit of pipe bending to remake the two conduit tubes that carry the wires to the rear lights, this time out of stainless to stop any further rot.... Next job will be to get some dark blue on the ammased new rear linkage...

He certainly likes a bit of oddball stuff

Hope you have a good few days James, young Sam Hodson did well doing little borough to Dorset in 15.45 on his 880 brown... He's a fair man like for tackling that run but he done a good bit for charity 👍

Looks like you and Jasmine had a good day for the road run Smithy, and certainly looks like you been getting a bit done around the farm too...

Another couple of hours up at the yard , quick job on 804 to swap alternator as noticed last weekend that she wasn't charging... Anyhow that job done and run up to check afterwards, then out with the blue paint, insides of doors had first coat and side panels got 2 coats, also started rounding up linkage bits from what I have stashed and I've cobbled a set up of original 465 style rectangular flat bar arms to put on the 465 and then I'll use the later style Leyland arms off the 465 for the 472.... VID_20220821_100014.mp4

Couple of hours up at the yard this morning, but flying solo with Gemma off on one of her fellow midwives hen do... Anyhow side panels duly stripped and sanded ready for primer, 2 cracks in the bonnet hinge bracket welded up, then given a coat of red lead....doors then given a rub down and first coats of red lead inside and out..... Brackets for the quick release couplings straightened up and given a quick clean up and coat of primer...

Bit of a road trip down to Tractor Spare Parts today to collect an order of bits for the 472, had a wander about Bakewell on route for a spot of Breakfast then headed in down to Alstonfield and was greeted by Andrew Griffin's Marshall 100 sat staring at us as we checked to order off, collected a pair of Repro cab doors, a window glass and seal, a couple of door hinges, alternator, and a cab cladding recovering kit as well as a pair of secondhand side panels that are in better condition than the original ones, oh and whilst in Bakewell Gemma got us a Bakewell tart.... Not sampled it yet but that be this weekend project in between getting a bit more done in the tractor

Gemma at the wheel VID_20220813_122954.mp4

VID_20220813_104106.mp4 VID_20220813_104234.mp4

Another few hours on the project 22 today, seat base cladding fitted, quadrant and spools dropped back in before fitting rear quarter window, then had them out into the sunshine, and Gemma have the 472 an hour's laps of the yard to stir the oils up abit and give everything a bit of lubricant in the gearbox and axle..... Nice sight seeing a trio of British engineering out in the sunshine, Gemma also swapped the rear side window seal on the 804 as a job to keep it up to standard.... Maybes other side window seal will get changed before winter.

Another few hours up at the yard, be a bit of a shame to go back to work next week after making a good chunk of progress these past few days, anyhow stripped front panel off tractor and grille removed, and a touch of filler added to corner radius after knocking a dent out, given a good sanding, same with top panel, again center pushed back out where badge sits, old decal removed, given a sanding and both given a lash with the red lead, whilst that was drying off I ended up cutting the latch out of the pick up hitch as the pin seized in and not having access to the red and blue spanner, two cuts with the grinder had it free, brace bar then cleaned up ready for re welding when I next set the welder up, rear window frame then fitted to tractor along with new gas struts and latch, just glass to refit once I collect it... Then out with the blue paint to top coat the front panels and also gave the two side panels a coat whilst out with the paint tin

Another day and another morning spent on the 472, rear window frame had its final coat of blue and bonnet got a light rub down and a further coat, maybe she needs one more to be happy with it, pick up hitch put back together and refitted to tractor, just latch mechanism to look at, looks like it's been clagged up before so think I'll strip it and buy a new cross shaft for it and torsion spring, the latch plate itself looks like it makes good contact so can't see it being an issue.....spool block given a coat of dark blue ready to refit once under seat matting comes, in Then got front sidelight/indicator lamps wired up, not tested indicators as yet but all side light circuit tests out ok, including the dash panel light and interior light, will fit rear lights as soon as I can fashion a pair of mounting pods for them as the original rubber ones seems to have warped somewhat, but anyhow more progress achieved so that's a bonus 🙂

Another few hours up at the shed this afternoon in between doing a couple of non tractor related errands but getting chance to get a bit more done, rear window frame given a 2nd coat, pick up hitch frame top coated, a trio of link wires put in the panel on the 3 position switches to give power to the 3rd position of the switch, all tested out with multimeter then panel fitted to tractor and connected up.... Front light brackets bolted on and 3 core cables run in for the front sidelight/ indicator lamps, and lamps fitted in place,

Cheers Sean, no not tried them yet, the pan I have that came in it would possibly be good enough to recover but it be finding an automotive upholstery place to see if it's viable, the runners are still available as new old stock items it's finding a good suspension unit, but that's a ways off yet, at least with the temporary seat in the tractor it's a bit more comfortable to move it about. Needs a few hours running to see what the halfshaft seals and hub seals in the front axle are like if they haven't dried out and gone hard with being stood for a while up at Tom's before I got her.... Hopefully get switch panel refit tomorrow and then start fitting some lights and see what works and what doesn't......

Another shopping trip this morning and a quick catch up with John JMD eldest son Matt whilst down at Charnleys, anyhow few bits collected and then back to the shed, a temporary replacement seat offered in and adapter plate made to pick up on the existing threaded bosses on the cab floor to mount the new seat on, then rear window offered up to check fit before giving it a quick rub down and its first coat of blue paint, light brackets given their 2nd coat and then set about fitting up the switch panel with the switches from Tractor Spare Parts and the associated bit of loom... Ready to refit now but that could happen be tomorrow job....

Hahaha err no as much as she said she liked the 100, she said she would keep the 804, I can see her point, be a lot of money tied up in having a 100 in the shed.... especially one of the low numbers of a 2wd or 125.. let alone the ultra rare 115, saying that when we were talking with Andrew on Sunday, that rumours were floating about that the bloke that has Tom Woodhouse ex 125 was asking about 80k for it.... But saying that bloke that did that 804 up that brought it to Chipping, that Stephen Nolan reckoned that 804 was 40k when he sold it. ..

A couple of days off work so managed a few hours back up at yard to get a bit done on Project 22, had a delivery from Tractor Spare Parts of a set of window seals and a couple of panel switches for the road lights and hazard warning light, yesterday whilst up Cumbria I picked up a couple of drawbars and a set of original Leyland armrests for the original style Bostrum seat as would have been fitted new to the 472, I'm still on the hunt for a seat but anyhow with Gemma taking charge we got the two front quarter lights and windscreen reffited and new seals and sealing strips fitted. Hopefully will start making some progress again and get her pushed on again

Cheers John, aye it were a grand do, just come off M6 at Tebay at J38 and follow signs for Orton go through village on Appleby road and cafe is on right hand side just after the village hall 👌 Aye Gemma got a run in the 100, somehow think she liked it once she got hang of the twisting gear change, it were a hell of a nice tractor to drive. Caught Gemma landing back in the 100 VID_20220807_122425.mp4

It were a good spot for breakfast Smithy, cooked to order, couldn't fault it really 👍