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Harry Ferguson Tractors Discussion Forum
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Some Red, Some Grey...Why?

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StahlMaster

03-18-2008 18:04:11




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A friend of mine has a 1952 TO30. Serial #100819.
I see some of these tractors with red hoods, red grills, red fenders and red wheels and some that are all grey. Which is correct for a restoration? Which are the original colors? What color were the engines?




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Ohio Ed

03-20-2008 17:15:50




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 Re: Some Red, Some Grey...Why? in reply to StahlMaster, 03-18-2008 18:04:11  
My 1958 TO 35 is red and grey, but there may be some tan under the red and the hood emblem says Ferguson rather than the MF logo. Is this a sign of not having original sheet metal or is this correct for 1958?



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Jeff-oh

03-19-2008 08:23:40




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 Re: Some Red, Some Grey...Why? in reply to StahlMaster, 03-18-2008 18:04:11  
People are discussin models all over the road her. Bottom line All TO-30's were grey. The red ones would have been given a re-paint to update to the MF colors. These updated red paint jobs could now be 50 years old and thus look original but are not.

Jeff



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Alex MacEwing

03-19-2008 03:23:56




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 Re: Some Red, Some Grey...Why? in reply to StahlMaster, 03-18-2008 18:04:11  
I have a 1951 TEA 20 (20-85). I believe it still has the original paint except where I have touched up some rust spots. It is totall grey, however it has a red primer underneath...Alex



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Bob (Aust)

03-19-2008 02:11:44




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 Re: Some Red, Some Grey...Why? in reply to StahlMaster, 03-18-2008 18:04:11  
Certainly all the TE series tractors to 1956 were gray. Some of the industrial tractors TEP, TER, TES and TET may have been produced in Council, military or special order colours. I've seen an old post war photo taken on a UK airfield, indicating some Ferguson industrial tractors may have been used by the RAF as aircraft, fuel cart and bomb trolley tractors and were painted a dark colour (black and white photos), possibly dark blue/gray.

The paint primer "Titamine" (spelling???) used on TE series tractors was orange ochre colour. No idea what was used as paint primer on the US built TO series.

The final year for all gray TO series in the US may have been earlier. I think all Ford-Ferguson tractors were also gray.

One rural legend suggests Harry Ferguson got a good deal on surplus battle ship gray paint after the war! :lol:

The pre War Ferguson Black tractor was black.

Bob in Oz

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Bill Brox

03-19-2008 05:21:20




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 Re: Some Red, Some Grey...Why? in reply to Bob (Aust), 03-19-2008 02:11:44  
Hi,

TE and early TO series painted all grey, battelship grey. Your MF dealer carries it: Vintage Ferguson Grey 3931028m5 1 litre (paint mix changed to correct shade Dec 2004)

Correct spelling is Titanine. But, Titanine is not a primer, it is an aircraft jointing compund used on all the bolts / studs screwed in to the electron castings on the TE 20 series produced at the Banner Lane factory in the UK.
The TE series got a red primer on all components except the transmission housing. On the transmission housing they used an yellow/orange primer suitable for an aluminum alloy.

If any TE 20 series tractors left Banner Lane with any other color than grey, it must have been a very large order over many days or weeks. This because so many parts were dip painted and the factory was not set up to paint different colors.
From what I hear the tractors with other colors were painted after they left the factory.


Bill

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John (UK)

03-19-2008 12:13:07




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 Re: Some Red, Some Grey...Why? in reply to Bill Brox, 03-19-2008 05:21:20  
Absolutely spot on with all that Bill, I was going to write a comment or three but you have saved me the trouble...John



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Toora Stephen

03-18-2008 18:54:40




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 Re: Some Red, Some Grey...Why? in reply to StahlMaster, 03-18-2008 18:04:11  
Is that really true? I'll defer to your superior knowledge, but I had heard that there were some special releases in different colours. Am I dreaming?

- TS



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Jim in OH

03-18-2008 19:20:25




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 Re: Some Red, Some Grey...Why? in reply to Toora Stephen, 03-18-2008 18:54:40  

Toora Stephen said: (quoted from post at 18:54:40 03/18/08) Is that really true? I'll defer to your superior knowledge, but I had heard that there were some special releases in different colours. Am I dreaming?

- TS


I would have said 1955 as the last all gray year, otherwise the statement was correct... Starting in 1956 there were beige Fergies, then in about late 57 or early 58 red ones.. all with changing belly colors.. And it actually wasn't so much owners re-painting their tractors as much as it was the dealers repainting the trade-ins to better match the current colors for better resale...

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mark from the fort

03-19-2008 04:13:27




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 Re: Some Red, Some Grey...Why? in reply to Jim in OH, 03-18-2008 19:20:25  
From what I have read, Green belly-Gray sheetmetal started with only a couple TO35's in 1954 and all of 1956. Then the beige color was tried, then the merger with MF and Red and silver was used.
Mark



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Bob (Aust)

03-18-2008 18:29:08




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 Re: Some Red, Some Grey...Why? in reply to StahlMaster, 03-18-2008 18:04:11  
From 1947 to 1956 all British production (TE series) and US production (TO series) Ferguson tractors were painted all gray.

The "hybrid" color schemes in MF Red are the result of owners repainting in the later, post 1956 color scheme for Massey Ferguson tractors.

Bob in Oz



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