I started off removing the bonnet, air filter and exhaust etc. The bonnet is one of the straightest I’ve ever seen with just a bit of panel beating and a small crack welding required.

The radiator is in good original condition, after straightening out a few fins and a new cap followed with a coat of paint. Here it is.

Last night I started removing the rear rotor covers. Once off they were actually worse than I thought. With this project I’m trying to stick to a strict budget so I’ve dug out a good second hand set and have started the laborious task of stripping the old paint off.

That’s what I thought. The previous owner was a land scape gardener. This was the first machine that he had a go with when he was about 10. Unfortunately health and safety meant he no longer felt he could give it to his employees to use, but didn’t want to see it scrapped. I said I could give it a good home. So here it is. I’d been after another Sachs diesel gem since I sold mine when keri told me she was expecting, but every example that had turned up was too expensive. Looking through the ports the bore and piston is still like new. I would say that it has been very well looked after over the years.

Progress has been slowly getting on. The bonnet has had the crack welded up and ive reshaped the front as well as I could, now the longwinded task of filling it.
The injector has come back from being refurbished, not bad at £65 with the carriage.
All the paint has been stripped off the gearbox and handles, just got to wait for it to warm up outside so I can wire brush it.
Also ive now had the factory records back on this one, it was apparently built on 10/03/1962 and dispatched to W.Wood Ltd in Horsham on 16/03/1962. The records also confirm that the engine is the original one.

It does have its disadvantages though, firstly it’s a 30 mile round trip from where I live, and secondly it’s size means a 47kg of propane only lasts about 3 weeks in our space heater this time of year.