My latest Mutt

Purchased this 2008 Montana/Farmtrac 555 a couple years ago disassembled with a bad engine.
Bought it on a online auction and yes I got it cheap, less than $1500 with the loader, but being disassembled and online we didn't know what all was missing or how bad it was.
Turned out the engine was junk, grill shell was badly damaged, grill was missing along with most of the bolts it took to assemble it.



It had good tires, a quick attach loader with quick attach bucket and joystick control that will fit my 4000 Ford, so I figured there was my money back if nothing else.
I had a 3930 engine in the shop that I did a ring and bearing refresh on, added a 3000 dual clutch flywheel with new clutch assembly and bolted it to the 8 spd transmission. The Farmtrac's front axle with hydrostatic steering was also a direct fit.



I used a late 3600/3610 geared hydraulic pump and suction pipe along with a power steering pump and lines for a 2810 to replace the Long style tandem pump arrangement that came on the tractor, I'm thinking Ford parts would be easier to find and replace in the future, a little bending was required to fit the Ford lines to the tractors orbital steering motor.





I modified a cheap aftermarket 3000 wiring harness to work with the instrument cluster and extra lights, also converted it to Delco 10SI charging system and added a 3930 grill with lights



Didn't want to waist time and money on paint for a junker mutt, but I think it'll make a nice little hay mover for the less than $3000 investment

That’s some smart shopping and innovative engineering put
to excellent use! Awesome job!

Well done!

I'm not that talented.

Destroked 450. Have to say you're quite the Mutt Master Mechanic! No really, that is a nice looking unit at a very reasonable price tag. That's a
tractor that should last decades now. Great job. Wingnut.

thats awesome!! you got to love taking a pile of parts and making it a fully functioning loader and tractor..

The Ford tooling was sold to Long when they
bought Case, Long moved it to India, and
then Montana (which was a joint venture
between JB Hunt and a couple hedge funds)
bought Long's North American operations.

Sandy Lake Implement can probably still
hunt down parts for it.

What was the original engine in that tractor?

Looks like it might have been the Ford 192 ci engine, as used in the 3910.
Tractor Data doesn't give any info, other than displacement!

Great job in bringing it back to life Dr. Frankenstein.

You better put an envelope in the tool box with all the various non production parts used for future reference.

(quoted from post at 08:03:13 09/08/20) Looks like it might have been the Ford 192 ci engine, as used in the 3910.
Tractor Data doesn't give any info, other than displacement!

Click to expand...

It did have a 192 engine similar to one on a 3910 or the 3930 engine I used, but they are completely different and the only parts that interchanges with a Ford engine is the valve cover, oil pump and water pump, I didn't try the cam because it was any good anyway.
Block looks the same but uses small 12mm head bolts, the bolt on oil filter adapter may not allow the use of the engine mounted Ford hyd pump. Crankshaft has a different bolt pattern for the flywheel and front pulley, head uses 12 valve Cummins style injectors with different size intake and exhaust ports, neither manifold will interchange with Fords parts, Bosch injection pump.
Even the oil pan was 1/2" longer with different bolt pattern.

Rather than trying to repair a odd ball engine and already having a spare Ford 192 engine, along with the needed clutch components from a recently parted out 3000 I felt a conversion was the best option.
Now it can work along side my original mutt.

(quoted from post at 08:52:14 09/08/20) Great job in bringing it back to life Dr. Frankenstein.

You better put an envelope in the tool box with all the various non production parts used for future reference.

Click to expand...

Your probably right, who ever inherits some of my stuff with have a good challenge figuring out what parts they needs.
My original mutt is my 69 4000AP that started life with a gas engine and SOS trans, it now has a 70's 201 diesel engine, 8 spd manual from a 4200, 4600 fenders, 68 rear wheels and a complete front axle assembly with hydrostatic steering from a 96 3930.
At least it's all Ford.
I also have my 04 F-450 with a swapped in 5.9 12 valve Cummins, but that's a whole nother story