MF35 Restoration Help Please

Hi there, I have been using this MF 35 for about 3 years now, and figure its about time to fix the ol gal up. However, I am needing a couple of things and the conflicting information I see is giving me a headache at this point..

Tractor is a 1960, MF35, built in Detroit with Perkins Diesel. Serial SNM 210744...

1) I need a new apron/lower grille pan. Someone at some point tried to make one from scratch and it looks like hell and the grill doesn't even fit. But when I go on YT's site, I see:
Grill Panel, Lower - For models TO35 after SN# 204408 and gas only, MF 35 Turf.(Part No: 186888M91)

But on Walts I see:
UM80585 Lower Grill Pan---Replaces 186888M91
Fits: TO35 sn 204409 and up, 35 Gas and Perkins Diesel

Both the same part number, but YT's site says gas only, Walts says gas and diesel. And YT doesn't have the early grill pan, but Walt's does and they look the same. What the heck is the difference?
For what its worth, Walt's shows the grille listing as:
UM80583 Front Grill
Replaces number 191383M91 and 180656M91
Fits: TO35 and MF35 before serial number 231863
Ie, one grille fits both lower panels, but the lower panels are different?? And they only list one dog leg, so I'm lost here...

2: Decals.. From what I read on the Ferguson Enthusiast Site on the transition from the TO to MF35, my serial number range should be a Deluxe? It has dual clutch, ground and engine PTO, ammeter, fuel gauge, tractormeter, etc, but does NOT have power steering.. I am looking to get a decal kit, but 1: don't know if I should use a deluxe kit, and 2, I am trying to figure out of "deluxe" should be in the same line as Massey Ferguson 35(all on the same decal) or if the "diesel deluxe" is supposed to be on a seperate decal and if so where these things go???

Any help here would be appreciated!

Thanks

The tech reps at YT should be able to answer your concerns, no deisels in my herd.

I also need the lower section below the grill for a 1961 Perkins MF35 and have found the same conflicting descriptions. Here is what the AGCO online parts book says:

[b:654c4848f0]From the TO35 section:[/b:654c4848f0]
186888M91 Grille Assembly, Lower (Gas) - Used Tractor Serial Number 204408 and Up.

180615M91 Grille Assembly, Lower (Gas) - Used Prior To Tractor Serial number 204408.

184988M91 Grille Assembly, Lower (Diesel)

[b:654c4848f0]From the MF35 section:[/b:654c4848f0]
186888M1 Panel, Lower Grille


The MF35 section has the Perkins Diesel parts listings as well as the z134 gas and it only lists one lower grille panel. My guess is that someone at YT looked up the TO35 parts listing and saw that there was a specific panel listed for diesel and other panels showing 'Gas' but the TO35 diesel used the [i:654c4848f0]Standard Motors[/i:654c4848f0] diesel, not the Perkins. So my guess is that after serial number 204408 the same lower panel will work with both the gas and [i:654c4848f0]Perkins[/i:654c4848f0] diesel MF35s. I have not ordered one yet and this is just what I have come up with looking at the parts books. It would be nice to hear from someone with hands on experience with one of the new lower panels and a Perkins 35.

Dan

I agree would be nice if someone with hands on chimed in. I figured if so many places sell them, that someone HAS to be buying them and maybe they are on the site.

The heck with it, LOL... Im going to order the 186888M91.. The amount of time I spend trying to determine the exact proper part could probably be spent massaging another, if there even is a functional difference. If the difference is a slight body line change like one rib is fatter than the other, I don't care, I don't plan to show the thing or try to get a concourse resto here.

I have had it for 3 years, and its been in use. When I bought it, the hood came as a seperate piece, and the grille is yet another separate piece, and for various reasons the hood hasn't been on it for more than 5 minutes the entire time I owned it. I did finally get it to lay on there the other day, and started trying to figure out what the issues are. I gotta say, man it looks a ton better.

All this resto stuff got started last weekend. When I bought it, the both rear tires were shot. On the left side it had a slow leak and was severely dry rotted. Right side rear tire was on a severley bent rim, and did not hold air. I replaced the right side rim and tire when I bought the tractor, but have limped along on the left side.

Last weekend I had the post digger on it, and I was having to go on a neighboring property to replace some fence posts. Rather than drive all the way around, I took a short cut. I removed a section of field fence and then pushed up the top barb wire and drove slowly under. Worked fine the first time. After doing a few posts the tire was bleeding down so I went to hightail it back to the compressor to air it back up. On the way back through the fence, my brain got jumbled and I let the clutch up when I should have put it in and ran the radiator into the top rung of barb wire.

Ran back to the shop, found the lower radiator hose cut and coolant everywhere.

Thankfully the radiator checked out fine, but had to order a new hose that took a few days to arrive. With the down time, decided this was the week I was finally fixing that damned tire and do my alternator conversion I have been stalling on since I owned it.. The generator has just been going along for the ride, either the generator or regulator was not functioning. So I adatped a 90A Bosch alternator I had laying around to fit.
Local tire shop had to order the tire.. It was to arrive on Thursday so Wednesday I remove the rim and put it in the truck and take it to the tire place on Thursday.. Drop it off and run to Napa to pick up my radiator hose and some filters. Come back and the rim is sitting there bare.

Guy tells me the rim shell has so much rust, that if we mount the tire it will just cut the tube.. So off to Ace I go, and buy 200lbs of blast sand and spend until 11pm sandblasting, priming and painting the rim shell. Its such a pretty base coat clear coat silver LOL...

So with a functioning alternator, good tires and sparkly paint, the fact that the engine fires up and runs so good it makes my diesel trucks jealous, I am going to get the rest of it straightened up.

Beware of mission creep, its hard to know when to stop! When you get the lower grill panel, could you post back on how it fits?

Thanks!

Dan

hahah... yeah I know how that creep stuff goes..
Will difinately post back.. Im sure part of it is dependent on the maker of the part too.

Sort of an update. I ordered the lower grille pan off Ebay from southern machine.. It wasn't the cheapest, but I got frustated after repeatedly having my shopping cart on YT keep deleting parts after I had 6 line items.

It arrived last week. The one from Southern appears to be a sparex part. They put a sticker over the label to cover it up, but you can barely read the sparex part number under the label they stuck on there.

Anyhow, haven't had a chance to do anything with it yet. I finished fencing the pasture late last week, and then been building more shelves in the barn to clean up my mess before I get into anymore projects.. Im finally drawing the line. It gets ridiculous, I go from one thing to another, and the mess just gets worse and worse.