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Farmall & IHC Tractors Discussion Forum
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Need your opinons on my (a) restoration Im working

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Jonathan Mirgon

10-04-2003 16:22:12




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I am restoring a 1940 farmall (a) and have made every effort to make it perfect.My question to all you experts is in reguards to the body work. I have taken the time to fill all of the imperfections in the tourque tube, engine block steering gear etc,etc.I am using either bondo or glazing putty to cover the rust pits, I have even gone to the extreme of fixing imperfections in the castings that were probably there from the factor when the tractor was brand new in 1940.I have massive amounts of time in this part of my restoration (bodywork) and I am only halfway done. I intend to only show the tractor and run it in parades when done, and be sure that it is always garaged and never gets wet. After looking at the time involved in the body work , My question to all you experts is : IS IT WORTH IT ! just wondering if I should continue the filling work.
Thanks for your opinions good or bad
Jon Mirgon

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Paul in Mich

10-05-2003 07:08:31




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 Re: Need your opinons on my (a) restoration Im wor in reply to Jonathan Mirgon, 10-04-2003 16:22:12  
Jonathan, There are restored tractors, which every attempt is made to put the tractor in the same state and condition as when it came from the factory. There are reconditioned tractors, which allow more latitude in that you clean it up, paint it up, replace worn or non working parts, etc. Then there are modified tractors, which will look more automotive when finished. It really depends on what you have to work with, and what you want it to be when you finish. I'm sort of a purist myself, but I can appreciate almost any kind of tractor that is running and resurected forn the scrap heap. I just bought a 1940 A myself, and would love to put it back to as close to original as possible, but given that it has a replacement engine block, that will be an impossibility, I do know, that when I get it finished, it will be one I can be proud of and talk about at length. By the way, does yours have a starter? Mine is totally manual. No lights, no starter.

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Jonathan Mirgon

10-05-2003 01:25:10




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 Re: Need your opinons on my (a) restoration Im wor in reply to Jonathan Mirgon, 10-04-2003 16:22:12  
Thanks for all your input !



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CNKS

10-04-2003 19:39:24




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 Re: Need your opinons on my (a) restoration Im wor in reply to Jonathan Mirgon, 10-04-2003 16:22:12  
Addition to my post below, after rereading your post. Don't go too wild with the glazing putty. it was made mainly to fill pinholes in body filler, and perhaps very shallow sanding scratches. It is nothing more than thick primer and is apt to shrink if used too thick, this might not happen until after you are done painting. I am talking about the single stage stuff that comes in a tube, not the two part putties that are similar to body filler. However they should be kept thin also.

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CNKS

10-04-2003 19:28:15




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 Re: Need your opinons on my (a) restoration Im wor in reply to Jonathan Mirgon, 10-04-2003 16:22:12  
Cast has to be pretty rough before I will fill it. I have one really deep place on one of my Super H wheel weights, it's too big to fill, and would definitely looked repaired. If I can't stand it I have an extra set of weights on another tractor. I did fill a relatively small hole on one of the front wheels, used JB weld, as bondo will crack or fall out on something that deep. As I said, the repaired places will still show, since you can't duplicate the appearance of the cast, particularly after they are painted. I would concentrate on the sheet metal, and perhaps some of the other metal parts that may be a little rough. It "may" be possible to smooth out the cast by knocking the tops off the peaks by sanding, then several coats of sanded primer surfacer. However in my opinion, for orginality cast should look like cast.

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Dave Repinski

10-06-2003 23:44:14




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 Re: Re: Need your opinons on my (a) restoration Im in reply to CNKS, 10-04-2003 19:28:15  
Just a reminder...in 1941, did the original tractor look show-room perfect when built??? Probably not...it was built with the material they had at that time. I see a lot of people put a real nice automotive paint job and three coats of clear-coat on their tractors, and we all know no tractor shined like that, ever. I personally don't believe that is what I would call "original".



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Bob in SE Nebraska

10-04-2003 19:20:25




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 Re: Need your opinons on my (a) restoration Im wor in reply to Jonathan Mirgon, 10-04-2003 16:22:12  
I saw a Farmall H that had been completely smoothed and finished and it was fantastic. I have also seen tractors that were totally original like they would have been when they were new and restored tractors that had after market modifications that were used on that particular tractor. All of these tractors were great in their own way and I really think it is up to you as to how you want to finish it. Post a picture someday!

Bob

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Dave_Id

10-04-2003 19:20:14




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 Re: Need your opinons on my (a) restoration Im wor in reply to Jonathan Mirgon, 10-04-2003 16:22:12  
Of course it's worth it, unless of course you are counting hours and expect more than a buck an hour for your labor.



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Nebraska Cowman

10-04-2003 18:33:14




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 Re: Need your opinons on my (a) restoration Im wor in reply to Jonathan Mirgon, 10-04-2003 16:22:12  
It would not be worth it to me but then I am not the Judge, Am I? If you like it smoothed off then by all means continue your work. You will have something to be proud of when you finish. Every restorer has little details that are important to him alone. There is plenty room in this hobby for all of us.



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Paul in Mich

10-05-2003 07:42:39




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 Re: Re: Need your opinons on my (a) restoration Im in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 10-04-2003 18:33:14  
Amen to your last sentence. We Farmall lovers are appreciative of any of our brethern who are commited to getting these magnificent beauties out of the fence rows, and back on their feet. I have heard of horror stories, (can't back it up, because I wasn't there) that some JD purists would turn a tractor away from the gate because a decal wasn't right, or some other cocamammie reason just because someone who may have traveled hundreds of miles had a tractor that wasn't exactly original. We need always to remind ourselves that any tractor loses a certain degree of originality the first time a filter is replaced or a tire, muffler, or a multitude of other things. One thing that intriques me at shows is to see a tractor that even tho it may not be perfect, is one built with a special purpose with unique equipment packages. I remember seeing a MV-LP cane special on steel that was definitely "used", but rare, at least to me. As long as we're all having fun, then nothing else matters.

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Jon Mirgon

10-05-2003 15:51:01




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 Re: Re: Re: Need your opinons on my (a) restoratio in reply to Paul in Mich, 10-05-2003 07:42:39  
Paul,
I bought two a's that were both ready for the scrap heap and built one from the two. The 1940 orginally had the tourque tube without the starter hole. I know that mine wont win any awards for originality beacause I used the tourque tube from the other tractor do that I could have electric start.But I have been told that electric start and lights were available as an option in 1940, So will any one know the difference ? Out of the two a's that I bought, both had cracked blocks after removing the head, so the block serial doesent match.My intent is for the tractor to look like a brand new one, The originality end of a restoration would be almost impossibal in my opinion, Over that long of a time period rust takes a serious toll on sheet metal parts and aftermarket is the only way to make it look good.

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Paul in Mich

10-05-2003 16:40:18




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 Re: Re: Re: Re: Need your opinons on my (a) restor in reply to Jon Mirgon, 10-05-2003 15:51:01  
Jon, The majority of people who attend tractor shows, aren't going to know a hill of beans as to what is correct or what isn't. Only the hard core people would know to check casting codes, serial numbers, and other tell tale signs that designate a particular year or configuration. I think most of us here fix up out tractors to please ourselves. As to polishing and filling of castings, its strictly your choice, although they weren't polished from the factory. There were many imperfections such as casting seams, rock pits, just to name a few. Even the sheet metal wasn't painted with an automotive quality process. Many of the tractors I see at shows have much better paint jobs than ever came from the factory. Lots of 1939 and 1940 models have had different hoods with the U shaped clips rather than the zeuss type fasteners. That doesn't make it any less attractive tractor. We'll scour the earth trying to find original tires, and as you go, you'll run into a multitude of things that you just can't replace with original type parts. My 1940 A has had the Magneto replaced, and I have no idea where to find an original for the 39's and 40's. I guess, I like you, will do the best I can with what I have to work with and the time and money I have to put into it. Thats the wonderful thing about this hobby. There are so many things to think about. I think of things in my sleep, or a lack thereof.

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James Williams

10-04-2003 18:25:06




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 Re: Need your opinons on my (a) restoration Im wor in reply to Jonathan Mirgon, 10-04-2003 16:22:12  
Jonathan,you need to continue becaues you will never be satisified,you are your most critical judge.I agree with Rodger we get carried away with tractor restoration,These tractors werent polished and shined when new



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Roger

10-04-2003 17:41:41




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 Re: Need your opinons on my (a) restoration Im wor in reply to Jonathan Mirgon, 10-04-2003 16:22:12  
I have seen tractors that have had the castings smoothed out with bondo. The one I saw was a Farmall H. I don't know if the owner even ran that tractor, since it had such a perfect paint job. If you didn't sandblast all the castings down to bare metal you may have problems with the bondo bubbling if the tractor even sweats in the winter even in the shed. I consider myself to be a moderate purist in that I think smoothing out the castings makes the tractor not look original. I buy aftermarket parts (when I can't find any good used ones) and try to replace most parts with salvage yard parts that are original. Roger

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