MM U Restoration

MinniMan

Member
I am in Canada and in the process of restoring a MM U tractor. This is my first attempt so I will be asking many questions as I go I am sure. But I appreciate all the comments and answers from those more experienced than I.
A bit of history first:
The spring I was born my Dad purchased a 1951 MM U tractor to farm with. Guess that lets my age out of the bag!!!
Well I learned to drive it and in fact still have it although it sat in the corner of old machinery row for too many years. It has seized, rusted, and tires and rims rotted to the point I feel it would not be worth the effort to try to restore. "SO" I went on a search for one as close to it as possible which would be a better candidate and use Dad's as a donator for parts. That way some of his sheet metal etc will still be alive and perhaps as my project progresses I can help someone else with a part or two they are searching for.
I have checked the serial numbers of both tractors and believe that the one I ended up buying is an early 1950 compared to my Dad's 1951 U.

Dad's tractor serial plates read as follows:
Tractor Serial No. 01204948
Engine Model: 4 1/4 X 5 283A4
Engine Serial No. 01911999
Crankcase: KE151G
Cyl Block: 10A149A
Heads: GE30E (I can't find these listed in any of the MM head Data sites)

My Replacement U Tractor reads:
Tractor Serial No. 0125001049
Engine Model: 4 1/4 X 5 283A4
Engine Serial No. 0195002988
Crankcase: KE151G
Cyl Blocks: 10A149A
Heads: 10A4209

My first questions are:
1. Is the replacement tractor I am working on an early 1950?

2. What is with the weird head numbers on Dad's tractor?

Sorry for the long post but I will look forward to hearing back from you.
https://photos.yesterdaystractors.com/gallery/tphotos/c142289.jpg
 
Yes, the other tractor is a early 1950 model. The GE30E and 10A4209 heads are the same. The earlier heads(late 1940's) all had the "GE" prefix. In the early fifties they started changing all parts to a common "10A" prefix, thus eliminating all the old ones such as JT, KT, YT, RT, UT, CE, GE, etc. The 10A4209 head is just a GE30E head with the new number.
 
(quoted from post at 23:26:19 09/25/13) Yes, the other tractor is a early 1950 model. The GE30E and 10A4209 heads are the same. The earlier heads(late 1940's) all had the "GE" prefix. In the early fifties they started changing all parts to a common "10A" prefix, thus eliminating all the old ones such as JT, KT, YT, RT, UT, CE, GE, etc. The 10A4209 head is just a GE30E head with the new number.

Thank you for the info on the heads. Sounds like I am on the right track age wise. So far only difference between the two models appears to be the fender mounts and PTO shield. Smaller with different engagement mechanism.

I would like to post a couple pictures of progress but had no luck so far getting them to up load. Tips would be helpful if anyone is interested.
 
There is a difference; The 10A heads have stalite exhaust seats, the GE heads do not unless they have been changed by someone.
MMDEL
 

Stalite exhaust valve seats I assume would be considered more durable than whatever was used in the later 10A heads. Since I know Dad had the valves ground and replaced a number of times over the years replacement would be possible although as I also know where he had this done - a small local shop - that may not be the case.
An interesting bit of information which I suppose could be useful if this were to be a puller tractor which it is NOT.
I am giving it to my son when it is finished so he has something close to what his grandfather owned as his first tractor.
At the moment it is running very well so I am concentrating on more cosmetic finishing. Hope this doesn't disappoint the purists too much!
 
They needed the stalite seats for the LP tractors. So they just went to that in all heads, to make things simple. Then about that time the whole industry went that way. There were a lot of heads converted when they went in for a valve job.
MMDEL
 
(quoted from post at 16:52:57 09/26/13) They needed the stalite seats for the LP tractors. So they just went to that in all heads, to make things simple. Then about that time the whole industry went that way. There were a lot of heads converted when they went in for a valve job.
MMDEL

That makes sense as I expect the LP runs hotter and would put more stress on the seat and valves. Particularly the exhaust ones.
We had an M 670 LP tractor and also still have a LP G1000 which is awaiting a trip into my shop for a restore job.
Did the U's use a higher compression head as the G1000's do for LP as compared to a gas model?
Thank you for the info.
 
(quoted from post at 14:21:30 09/27/13) I'm located in Canada and can supply most parts new or used for a U or most MM's.

What part of Canada are you located in? I will be needing a price including shipping on an exhaust manifold and heat riser valve completed with gaskets and the stud bolts to mount the heat riser and attach the intake manifold if possible.
 
Been pretty busy this past while getting things ready for winter so haven't spent as much time on the minni as I would have liked.
Now I am not sure if I should post this question in this form or go to the one about sheet metal restoration. If that is the case please tell me and I will post there.
I have been cleaning the grill, hood and various parts of old paint and RUST! Where there is paint left the metal cleans up real well with a wire brush on an angle grinder. It also removes the surface rust BUT where it is eaten into the metal and pocked I am running into difficulty getting it down to clean metal for the primer.
I have sand blasted some areas and although the glass bead leaves it rather ruff it does smooth out ok with a sanding wheel in the angle grinder.
Am I on the right track doing this? Naturally the parts I am working on are off the tractor and outside as long as weather permits which all too soon will come to a halt in my part of the world.
I would appreciate any comments on whether I am doing this right or not.
Thanks
Is there a way to post a picture so those who wish can follow the progress even though it is rather slow?
 
Been pretty busy this past while getting things ready for winter so haven't spent as much time on the minni as I would have liked.
Now I am not sure if I should post this question in this form or go to the one about sheet metal restoration. If that is the case please tell me and I will post there.
I have been cleaning the grill, hood and various parts of old paint and RUST! Where there is paint left the metal cleans up real well with a wire brush on an angle grinder. It also removes the surface rust BUT where it is eaten into the metal and pocked I am running into difficulty getting it down to clean metal for the primer.
I have sand blasted some areas and although the glass bead leaves it rather ruff it does smooth out ok with a sanding wheel in the angle grinder.
Am I on the right track doing this? Naturally the parts I am working on are off the tractor and outside as long as weather permits which all too soon will come to a halt in my part of the world.
I would appreciate any comments on whether I am doing this right or not.
Thanks
Is there a way to post a picture so those who wish can follow the progress even though it is rather slow?
 
Been pretty busy this past while getting things ready for winter so haven't spent as much time on the minni as I would have liked.
Now I am not sure if I should post this question in this form or go to the one about sheet metal restoration. If that is the case please tell me and I will post there.
I have been cleaning the grill, hood and various parts of old paint and RUST! Where there is paint left the metal cleans up real well with a wire brush on an angle grinder. It also removes the surface rust BUT where it is eaten into the metal and pocked I am running into difficulty getting it down to clean metal for the primer.
I have sand blasted some areas and although the glass bead leaves it rather ruff it does smooth out ok with a sanding wheel in the angle grinder.
Am I on the right track doing this? Naturally the parts I am working on are off the tractor and outside as long as weather permits which all too soon will come to a halt in my part of the world.
I would appreciate any comments on whether I am doing this right or not.
Thanks
Is there a way to post a picture so those who wish can follow the progress even though it is rather slow?
 
Been pretty busy this past while getting things ready for winter so haven't spent as much time on the minni as I would have liked.
Now I am not sure if I should post this question in this form or go to the one about sheet metal restoration. If that is the case please tell me and I will post there.
I have been cleaning the grill, hood and various parts of old paint and RUST! Where there is paint left the metal cleans up real well with a wire brush on an angle grinder. It also removes the surface rust BUT where it is eaten into the metal and pocked I am running into difficulty getting it down to clean metal for the primer.
I have sand blasted some areas and although the glass bead leaves it rather ruff it does smooth out ok with a sanding wheel in the angle grinder.
Am I on the right track doing this? Naturally the parts I am working on are off the tractor and outside as long as weather permits which all too soon will come to a halt in my part of the world.
I would appreciate any comments on whether I am doing this right or not.
Thanks
Is there a way to post a picture so those who wish can follow the progress even though it is rather slow?
 
Been pretty busy this past while getting things ready for winter so haven't spent as much time on the minni as I would have liked.
Now I am not sure if I should post this question in this form or go to the one about sheet metal restoration. If that is the case please tell me and I will post there.
I have been cleaning the grill, hood and various parts of old paint and RUST! Where there is paint left the metal cleans up real well with a wire brush on an angle grinder. It also removes the surface rust BUT where it is eaten into the metal and pocked I am running into difficulty getting it down to clean metal for the primer.
I have sand blasted some areas and although the glass bead leaves it rather ruff it does smooth out ok with a sanding wheel in the angle grinder.
Am I on the right track doing this? Naturally the parts I am working on are off the tractor and outside as long as weather permits which all too soon will come to a halt in my part of the world.
I would appreciate any comments on whether I am doing this right or not.
Thanks
Is there a way to post a picture so those who wish can follow the progress even though it is rather slow?
 

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