[expeatfarmer]

37 is alive and well!!!! After three solid days of trying everything I could think of to get it running I was at the point of despair and so knackered from cranking that I thought it safer for me not to try again whist my wife was out in case I had a stroke or something daft. Whilst she was out walking the dog I put the decals on and just sat and looked at it trying to think of something else to try. Some time ago I came across a very rusty ancient mica insulated three point spark plug which was in one of the heads that came with 137, I sand blasted it and polished it up as a keepsake. 137 had fired a few times, once it fired a five bang run so it was not far away. I took the plug out put some oil down the bore and then sat for about half an hour just turning the engine over to try to loosen things up. Put the plug back and tried again fired once and stopped. I then took the plug out and fitted the three point ancient plug turned the crank and off it went running like a dream. I ran the engine for half an hour checking for oil flow in the dry sump and any leaks. Stopped the engine and had a celebratory coffee and then tried to start it again hey presto off it went again. Thank goodness for that . Now I can make up a bumper, fiot some floor boards and then crack on with some other machines for Malvern.

Attachments:

1. 

[expeatfarmer]

I think that may be the problem I have sat and turned the engine over with plug out and oil down the barrel to try and loosen it off and bed things in managed to get 5 bangs so some progress. Cant swap carb as manifold is different it is screwed into the barrel and then carb fits with clamp.If I could tow start it I am sure it would go.

[expeatfarmer]

Starting the engine is proving to be a real challenge not to mention hard work, you have to crank it over on decompression to charge up the magneto< I have a tell tale on the plug that shows I have a good spark, engine fires once and then will not run on, It may be that is is all tight from the rebuild and I am not getting up enough inertia, initially when you released the decompressor lever the engine stopped dead but seems to have loosened up after two days of cranking.Yesterday I changed the jets in the carb, the originals were stamped 5 on the main jet and 4 on the slow running jet from another MG2 carb I have installed a 25 on the slow jet and 100 on the main jet, I think the numbers relate to fuel flow rates. The handbook says to have the throttle lever closed for starting as there is a small bypass hole in the carb body but the actual slide seems to close this off, if you lift the slide slightly on the cable so that the hole is clear it still won’t start, it fires once. I have a petrol drill which I can use as a starter motor on MG5 and MG6 but it wont even turn 137 on decompress!With a machine of this age that arrived as many boxes of bits it has to be very much trial and error as to which bits are original and which are bits collected up that look right. The magneto was professionally rebuilt and seems to be in perfect order, I have fitted a long reach plug which the tell tale shows is sparking well on decompress but you cant crank on compression and watch the plug so it may be that the plug is failing under pressure I am going to take the plug from the digger and fit that as I know it is working. I am also going to fit a different carb. slide which has a groove by pass in the lower face. Fingers crossed.

[expeatfarmer]

Today was track fitting and lubricating hubs,final drives and track rollers. The arduous task of tensioning both tracks was also finalised 29 track pads per side, two bolts per track , 116 bolts to tighten to achieve a spacing between track plate faces of 21/16″. Boring and laborious but has to be done, planet rock on the radio a glove on the right hand and get stuck in! two hours later ,job done! Using a ratchet spanner on one side and a long spanner on the other makes it bearable. Both tracks set for pitch and then tensioned to 1 1/2″ below load roller for correct track tension. I used three clamps to hold the tracks in position whilst I made the join. Tomorrow I will top up the engine and main gearbox oil and then fingers crossed start the engine, no idea how long it is since this engine ran but I hope I have everything at optimum to achieve a good start without breaking my wrists as these engines are notorious for doing. I have a secret weapon which I hope will make it both easier and safer.

Final jobs are to make up floorboard sections, front bumper and then final touch up.

And finally to apply the two decals to each side which are the only Ransomes reference on the whole machine. Over it’s life 137 was serviced by a main dealer and had a number of later fitments such as a tool box and track mudguards but my ideal has been to restore it to a condition in which I believe it left the factory some time in February 1936.

Attachments:

1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 

[expeatfarmer]

Made a bit more progress over the last two days, cowling fitted, decompressor lever set up, exhaust fitted, main wheels and load rollers fitted. Next job will be to fit the tracks and then fill up all the oils.

Attachments:

1. 
2. 
3. 

[expeatfarmer]

The underside is not so pretty I have had to plaster it with resin to give the whole structure some rigidity. Just hope it does not melt!

[expeatfarmer]

Being a gentleman I would say that both will be very welcome.

[expeatfarmer]

Well done stubborn little beggars when they want to be! No choke cable required.
Bring it along to Malvern at the end of February.

[expeatfarmer]

Lots of small jobs today, made a replica of the Vokes air filter pipe, fitted fan belt, I have used a joinable belt on the basis that to replace the belt you have to remove the engine or at least slide it out of its mounting. Fitted the patent flash at the back which is 1/16 of an inch bigger than later ones of which I have a stock so Chris at Vintage Brass plates scaled one up for me.Timing chain cover fitted and logo painted. Bought some cycle chain for the starter mechanism only to find I had such a thickness of paint and filler on the sprockets that I had to file them all down to get the chain to sit properly. And Finally I have sprayed a topcoat on the engine cowl which has taken hours and hours of bashing,brazing,filling and sanding to get it to look as it should.

Attachments:

1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 

[expeatfarmer]

engine back in today, bolted gearbox top back on with new studs, fuel tank mounted with leather cushions as per spec. Can’t fit drive wheels until I have completed pin-striping, waiting as long as I can to make sure paint is dried through.

Attachments:

1. 

[expeatfarmer]

Made a very stupid mistake yesterday, I masked up the pinstripes on one side and painted them in only to realise that the side I had masked up was only final painted the night before as I peeled of the making tape it removed the topcoat down to the grey primer! Managed to redeem the error with the amazing cellulose putty I have which filled the removed paint.l137 is now turned around and the right way up ready to accept the engine! I have
protected the vulnerable parts for onward restoration using pipe lagging rescued from the mice in the loft that seem to thrive on it. next step is engine back in.

Rebuilt the second track today, I set out all the various parts on the bench and then using a 2x 2 aluminium extrusion I happened to have I set about reasssembly the two by two is invaluaable in that it kicks up the pads enough to make fitting the rubbers and washers without hassle. I used an air wrench to take up the slack in the bolts up to the Nylock. I find tha if you tension the tracks to final spec at this stage the tracks are un manageable in terms of wrapping them around sprockets and making a join I leave item loose to the Nylock until atter final fititing

Attachments:

1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 

[expeatfarmer]

Moved on a bit today, one final drive fitted, drawbar seat mounts and lift system fitted and final painted.

Attachments:

1. 
2. 

[expeatfarmer]

Finally managed to put a coat of blue on the whole tub, had a disaster yesterday primed one side and top coated another only to find that both paints came up in little blisters due to moisture on the surface, the primer settled back but the blue dried with a surface like sandpaper which required half a day rubbing back to smooth. Increased the workshop temperature and upped the speed on the dehumidifier also went over both sides with a heat gun before I started any painting today. Bolted on the pto shaft and gearbox plus a few other bits and bobs ad then spent a couple of happy hours cleaning up nuts and bolts to bolt back the other major components.

Attachments:

1. 
2. 
3. 

[expeatfarmer]

Finally managed to put a coat of blue on the whole tub, had a disaster yesterday primed one side and top coated another only to find that both paints came up in little blisters due to moisture on the surface, the primer settled back but the blue dried with a surface like sandpaper which required half a day rubbing back to smooth. Increased thge workshop temperature and upped the speed on the de humidifier also went over both sides with a heat gun before I started any painting today. Bolted on the pto shaft and gearbox plus a few other bits and bobs ad then spent a couple of happy hours cleaning up nuts and bolts to bolt back the other major components.

Attachments:

1. 
2. 
3. 

[expeatfarmer]

Having used Upol filler to skim over the marks remaining from welding up the scars on the tub caused by worn track idler bearings, I decide to try using celulose putty from a tube to fill the remaining rust pitting, it has worked well and is a lot quicker than filler due to the finer grade of the paste enabling you to literally apply a smear over the surface which is quickly flatted back with 800 and 1200 grits on a block. Result is that all bar two sides of the tub are now first coated with the final colour albeit gloss rather than satin. I have decide to reverse the coating and apply the satin as final coat as for some reason the gloss does not show the filler through that the satin does. I have also restored a fuel cap from rusted out scrap condition by buffing away all the rust pits using a Dremel grinder and my lathe, I produced a very shiny polished finish with wire wool and cutting paste which I then nickel plated. For some reason the plating has not formed on a couple of patches so I shall have to buff it off and start again. I can only think that there was some grease on the cap which did not come off in the degreasing process.

Attachments:

1. 
2. 

[Author]

Posts