Identification 1925?

audiobull

Member
Hi all

I have just got my fordson home. I thought it was an early model but could not pin point which one.
Can anyone help me please.
The serial indicates it is a 1925 engine on the engine block. I cannot find any others yet but do not know where to look.?

There is some odd parts on the back which I have been told are where they made the back axle shorter to allow it to go back and forth on a vineyard.

The wheels are home made so need to know what it would have been before hand please.

The tank shows made in USA not in England?
The tank seems to have 2 fuel types and says only start with gasoline.

Pics coming up
:D
 
I have no idea why the last time started a new topic.


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Crack in the engine block. I am hoping this can be stripped and repaired by someone?
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I think those are adaptors, both front and rear to allow the use of rubber tires.
Kind of interesting. Most farmers would cut off the iron wheels and weld on
rubber tire rims.
It also has an after-market distributer, which in turn must
use an after-market front engine cover.

Altogether an interesting example of what was
done with Fordsons.

A skilled welder might be able to braze the cracks. It may
be necessary to heat the block. If too hot, you could melt babbit and distort
block. Or you could go full speed and have it furnace-brazed with silver brazing
material. You will then have to re-machine the block to correct distortions. It
would have to be because you want to. You could probably buy a complete tractor with
a good block. English engines from about 1930 - 1952 should bolt in. Most that I've
seen are also cracked. Too lazy to drain them at the end of the working season, too
cheap to use anti-freeze.
 
Just want to update.
I started to strip it yesterday and give it a general rub down. I have started removing all bolts (one by one) cleaning and cleaning around it so they will come out easy at a later date.
Found a brass tab on the other end of the tank with the numbers 786.
The end looks poorly welded and upside down but it was the hidden end. This may allow me to get the end removed and have the tank repaired or refurbed and then the end re-welded without causing damage to the actual tank.

The head also has a crack in it. Am I correct in thinking the head part and where the engine crack is, is just for water so no compression will be there?

I have spoken to a cast iron specialist who says they can repair it using metalock. Metalock engineering ltd who I was recommended to speak to.

All the steering components have been welded poorly in the past as repairs so I am trying to source new parts for them.

I cannot find any other numbers on the Fordson as someone said there should be numbers between the bellhousing and engine block?

The air box looked like it had a birds nest in it and I found a cap in the bottom too.

The valve cover came off and started to get cleaned but I need more time hopefully today :O

Engine turns and has compression but I will still put some new bearings and piston rings in.

Looking for a set of original wheels people so please keep an eye out for me please....

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Has this tractor been recently imported to the UK. A friend of mine has recently bought an imported 1918 ladder sided F from your part of the UK. I am from Newark and one of the orginisers of the Newark tractor show in November. MJ
 

What would you class as imported lately? It came from France I think. I have no idea when but pretty sure it has been in the UK for some years.
I did not get this from Hampshire I got it Oxford way.

An update coming lots done today.
 
I have seen your other photos on a different site. I find it a little upsetting that you
are so insistent on going back to factory configuration. Plenty of those about. What you
have is unique, with a history. In this hemisphere, rubber tires are much preferred, for
comfort in riding, and so that the tractor can be used in parades and loaded on trailers
without tearing up the ground.
You should by now realize that the "bearings" are integral with the block and the rods.
They need to be scraped and shimmed, or totally melted out and recast in place.
Since you are reworking the magneto, be aware that 85 years tends to make some of the magnets
crack at the screw in the bend. The outer screws, being brass, are likely to be in a weakened
state. It's just a metallurgical fact of life. There are replacements for Model T's. Not
sure if Model F has the same problem. There might be stainless steel screws that would work.
(non-magnetic). I can't tell if your camshaft and cam followers would be a worry or not.
They may serve for another 50 years, or maybe not. The front of the camshaft appears to have
the helical gear welded(?) on in place of the timer fitting. It is quite fascinating what they have
done in that department.
Your front wheels appear to be Model N wheels cut off and welded to the current rims. I think the
hub bearings carried forward for many years. You are right to say the front axle has been narrowed.
The radius rod (wishbone) is essential to keep the front axle aligned and upright. It is most likely
that the narrowing was done before the wheels were modified. The rear axle, if narrowed, would have
demanded some pretty special welding and machine work. Perhaps the rim is offset enough to do the trick. Fenders would have been an extra cost option. They protected farmers from the clouds of dust stirred up by the lugged wheels. They were seen in salvage yards both with and without fenders.
With narrowed tread, they would interfere. (PS. "Wings" in England)
 
Hi thanks.
I insist on going back to original because whoever added the wheels etc done a pretty awful job and I think it looks absolutely awful. The welding was done just to do a job and it simply looks terrible in my eyes.
I am not looking to sell and so will make the tractor how I wish to keep it. I will keep the wheels and setup so it will not be left and forgotten. It will simply just not be fitted.
I certainly would not say there is "plenty" of factory model f's around but I see what you are saying and it is a fair point.
I guess if it will rip the rally field up I will not take to rallys but will keep and dry store for a very long time.

It is odd you say that because the crank bearings at the end seem to be shells or they are at least loose. I have given them a wobble but yet to spend time trying to remove. The middles I have not looked at. I do wonder if anyone in the UK can still do bobbiting? I will update with a pic of what I found while wobbling the crank bearings on the block.

The wormgear at the front has been bolted to the crankshaft. It looks original so I thought it would then just have had a timer fitted onto it? I do not know enough to say that however.
You are right the magneto has certainly seen better days. I think it is wood? this has started to rot/corrode from the poor/contaminated oil.
The magneto I will buy a refurbed unit for the US and look at getting mine restored as a spare.
I have yet to look at the ignition system so cannot say what had actually been done to it. I would rather go back to original not only to be original but to experience what it was like originally to maintain and run it. Again I will keep the current ignition system and get more pics etc so others can see what was done.

I have tried to register on the fordsontractorpages.nl forum but have had no luck being activated by the admins. I think that is a pretty poor forum management especially as I have emailed and there is no other way to contact the owners/admins. A great forum with plenty of helpful information and members but no new members being activated. It has been a fair few weeks since I registered. I certainly need to be able to go through the posts on there so I can get to know the workings of the tractor and so I am not talking rubbish and not knowing what has changed and what hasnt changed on my tractor.

I will get more pics on what has been done to the rear axle when I get that far. They look like standard axles and they have made some sort of spacer that goes over the part of the axle that dips down which then allows the tractor to be narrower.
This is all fine but the wheels have been completely home made and I hate the welding on it.

I am on the look out for a model N which I will not be so worried about things being original or not.

Thanks for your post all info is very helpful and much appreciated. As you can tell I am new to it all and I am still on the learning curve.
 

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