Just a thanks

This forum is about the Fordson Dexta, Super Dexta and Petrol Dexta.
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basewindow
True Blue
Posts: 85
Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2015 11:10 pm
Location: South Gippsland, Victoria Australia.

Just a thanks

Post by basewindow »

Just wanted to say thanks to all on the forum for making it a wealth of information to us Fordson owners.

My old girl (62 Super Dexta) is finally up and running, although not quite 100% finished I’m pretty happy with the results.

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Although the purists will probably say it’s not quite right, I have to, at least for the moment make a few concessions.
Firstly I guess the colours aren’t right but the nose cone, tank and seat were already a red colour when I got it and I just sort of liked it that way. (The guards were bright yellow and the steering components all black)

The nose cone and bonnet are fibre glass, I have the original bonnet but someone in the dim dark past has done some creative welding with it and I’m still in the process of restoring it. It doesn’t fit properly with the fibre glass nose and I’m still missing the radiator support brackets.

Hence the location of the lights (it didn’t have any originally), I didn’t feel the fibre glass was strong enough to have them mounted in the original area on the side of the nose cone.

The front grills I think were silver on the Super Dexta out here, but I had to make these ones and thought painted red to match the nose, tank, seat and bonnet with the blue grill attachments looked ok.

The rear wheels are from a dead International 434. (which by the way is now painted bright colours and sits at the front gate as a garden ornament and gets quite a few comments). I didn’t want to waste two good tyres so I just swapped them for the time being. When they need replacing I’ll put the original Dexta rears back on.

Originally without a steering instrument panel at all, it’s been restored but I’m still missing that nice chrome dash plate. Temp gauge and both lights were missing. The throttle level is from the International as the original was welded and had to be cut off. A new oil pressure switch along with the required wiring was added (there was none)

Lower instrument panel has been mostly restored to original, with the addition of stop lever button, working horn, and button for the head lights. (Just an on off as it only has head lights and rear work light) Not that I can really ever see me using it in the dark.

The heater button had been replaced with an alternator charge light (Which has been moved to the right place upstairs) but I haven’t changed out this yet for a heater button, as although the intake glow plug does work (Third click of the key ignition now, it was disconnected) I don’t think it will actually do anything helpful as the fuel pipe to the intake has been removed.

I’m not sure I’m going to bother restoring this as after a complete re-wire, new battery and the fact it rarely get below freezing here even in the height of winter, there is no problem starting anymore.

As mentioned a complete rewire, and now encased in black plastic casing. (Thanks Ben, for the idea and for prompting me to draw a wiring diagram for later use)
All Steering components have been replaced and the box reconditioned by welding and grinding the worm shaft. (Still have 15-20 degrees free play but can live with this after the 270 degree horror it was). Thanks Brian, Ben, Shawnee.

Hydraulics overhauled. They weren’t working at all. As it turned out the shaft was seized, but it was a pain getting off the top plate as they were seized in the up position. Eventually I had to drop the piston to get it off. (Thanks Brian). All is now good. Cleaned, adjusted and new oil. (Tractormec DVD helped here as well)

The handbrake is working again and the brakes have been adjusted and work well still. I had the drums open and couldn’t believe how clean and well preserved everything was in there!

Replaced all water hoses and cleaned out radiator, but it was missing the thermostat and I haven’t put a new one in yet. (Not sure I really need it??)

New fan belt.

Air intake head fitted and cleaned out the intake oil and filter.

The 3Pt levellers have been replaced with slightly heavier duty ones from the International (The originals were beyond help)

PTO is working again.

I haven’t done much around the engine, apart from replacing the fuel filter and cleaning out the tank and bleeding the lines. Changed oil and filter of course. So far I’m going with, if it isn’t broken don’t fix it, as all is running well at the moment.

Needs a new exhaust manifold (welded and leaking slightly) but I haven’t been able to find a new or 2nd hand one of the kind I need yet.

Need to add a ROPS.

Would like an original nosecone so I can fit the original bonnet. It is a pain having to take the whole bonnet off to do anything. I’m looking at big $ for a new one!
The minimec injector pump confused me for a while (Bleed screws, oil level screws, excess fuel button) as with a few other minor changes from in the manual for the Super Dexta. Again with a search of the forum these things became clear.

Without this forum, being able to ask questions and get informative answers with pics, being able to download the manual and simply browse the old posts for info, has been invaluable and made the task of getting the old girl working again for a novice like myself possible.

There is still a few things that need doing, but she is working. (Have hauled some big bales of hay around, used a grader blade to level some of my drive and dragged some fallen trees around)

So big thanks to all who have taken their time answering questions and simply maintaining this magnificent forum.
62 Super Dexta.

Brian
Grumpy
Grumpy
Posts: 5216
Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 2:07 pm
Location: Norfolk, England.

Re: Just a thanks

Post by Brian »

Thank you for your kind words, you can buy me a coffe and a piece of carrot cake when we visit Gippsland next year! :beer: :clap:
Fordson Tractor Pages, now officially linked to: Fordson Tractor Club of Australia, Ford and Fordson Association and Blue Force.
Brian

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