The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

I was knocking the rust off my one rusty rear wheel prior to giving it a coat of red primer and considering whether to repaint the other good rear wheel as well, which inevitably got me thinking about a full paint job (or not). My 53 FM Diesel has spent lots of her life under cover (except that one rusty rear wheel), and at some time has been hand painted (except the bonnet) in a blue somewhat darker than Empire Blue. Since getting the tractor I have refinished the rusty bits and the front radiator grilles with Empire Blue, so I now have a nice original tractor with matching casting codes showing:
1. Old Empire Blue
2. Darker hand painted blue
3. Bits with no paint at all
4. One, two or pehaps four wheels repainted by hand in Fordson Orange

Despite all that she doesn't look too bad. Should I leave it at that or think about a full paint job? I am worried that a proper respray will sort of over restore the old girl.

PS She is now running with the underslung exhaust shown in two of the photos, which I have at last learned how to post!


DSCF0004 by CraigWales, on Flickr


PICT0002 by CraigWales, on Flickr


PICT0003 by CraigWales, on Flickr

Hi Porteous,

Somehow I managed to get to the picture http://www.flickr.com/photos/31231726@N ... otostream/ and I think you have a fine looking tractor. If you felt like it by all means repaint the wheels so they match, but the rest of the tractor looks great.

Just my two cents worth.

Regards, Frank.

If had one that looked that good, I wouldn't paint anything but the wheels!

Hi Porteous
I'm On Frank and kims side Just do the wheels the rest looks good in pictures unless it shows more in real life, as cameras cause false color shades when focusing sometimes.
I got a picture of a red tractor it needs a re paint due to sun damaged paint but it looks perfect on the picture , or could you color match the paint some how so you only did the one that's rusty.
one of my friends used to recon claas foragers. instead of a full re paint he would touch in parts with I think Porche car pea green or sum such shade . It was a perfect match for faded claas paint when the rest had a light polish, I wonder if you could do that as well .
Regards Robert

I wish I'd asked this question - it's a tough one to answer!

I'm torn between the two positions too. Part of me like the idea of having a perfect looking paint job. Another part of me doesn't want to erase the accumulated history of these venerable machines we all love. Dents and rusty bits all add to the flavour, but perfection is something anyone would be glad to have.

I'm waffling! I can't answer this question. All I can say is that I repainted the wheels on mine because they needed preserving. But that didn't stop me giving the new paint job some wellie when ploughing some heavy land. I dream of executing the perfect paint job, but I fear it would make me want to look at the tractor instead of using it. That's why I'm still dreaming!

AdrianNPMajor wrote:I wish I'd asked this question - it's a tough one to answer!

I'm torn between the two positions too. Part of me like the idea of having a perfect looking paint job. Another part of me doesn't want to erase the accumulated history of these venerable machines we all love. Dents and rusty bits all add to the flavour, but perfection is something anyone would be glad to have.

I'm waffling! I can't answer this question. All I can say is that I repainted the wheels on mine because they needed preserving. But that didn't stop me giving the new paint job some wellie when ploughing some heavy land. I dream of executing the perfect paint job, but I fear it would make me want to look at the tractor instead of using it. That's why I'm still dreaming!

Hi
Why not do as my friend does, Whats called a sympathetic restoration He gets everything to work and does what he wants to with the tin, so if you want a few battle scars left don't take some out. then he paints them. Don't go with the $4000 two pack shiny. Use a good regular tractor paint, If you go this way take her out and use it, a $200 paint job won't make ya if you scratch it, Also it can be fixed with a small brush if needed .
Here is one i sold to go back to work last year to give you an Idea
Regards Robert

I like that approach Robert, and the paint job. Like a FM dressed up to go out! I painted the rusty wheel yesterday (A coat of hammerite red oxide fillows by agriline fordson orange, Looks good, especially when I put a coat on the offside front wheel so they both matched. Haven't touched the N/S yet, but I just know I will. I will use a cutting compound on the bonnet (which has the original factory finish) and leave the rest for now.

Wise words, Robert. In the end you have to paint. Paint = protection and preservation. It also adds to the history. Don't paint and there won't be any tinwork left for future generations.

Love the North American colour scheme. What's the bit of kit near the generator? I should be able to guess ..... but I can't!

That thing is a block heater. Dandy Dave!

Thanks Dave. You guys get real winters, don't you?!

Thanks for the great comments guys.
Hi Porteus
it's nice that you only have to do the wheels right now and it must look good, so with the rest done it should look great. hopefully the polish doesn't make the blue look odd as it's 2 slightly different colors

I guess this is slightly more than off the original topic now, I would like to ask a favor at some point if you don't Mind Please
would it be possible for you to measure the exhaust silencer on the under exhaust repro that you have and let me know the lenght depth and width. I have 2 here that are missing silencers . I was wanting to keep under exhaust but would like to find a muffler box close to the right sizes. sadly I can't get the repro's you have shipped over for sensible money .

As Dave says that's a block heater and all tractors that run in cold winters in Canada / U.S and probably some other cold climates have them fitted.It Heats the block like a kettle and half hour or so they start good usually, as long as it's not -40oc , Then it needs an hour or 3 .
I was gonna update my pictures in a post of whats new and sold from the yard this year But sadly we had a storm come in and we went from a no snow picture to 12 " or more in a day and - 13temps most days . All the collections not used tractors now sit in 2ft of snow and cant get at them till next spring .

The one in the picture is a 5000 Major but can't find hood decals or a guy to make them yet. on the back is a snow blower. she left Minto Manitoba and went to Merryfield Saskatewan, and is earning her keep there this winter, as she did last winter blowing snow, and she made hay all this last summer too, from what I hear from a friend out there
Regards Robert

AdrianNPMajor wrote:Thanks Dave. You guys get real winters, don't you?!

Yup! We had block heaters fitted to all of our Diesel tractors when we were farming with them. Dandy Dave!

I'll measure up the silencer sometime tomorrow. The chap that makes them over here did it from the original egineering drawing and told me the baffle system was uite complex.

Super6294. Did you get my e-mail?

Hi David
yes thanks for that much appreciated I didn't see your update on the other post though till now. I will try and see what happens, Got to phone England for parts for my sealey mig welder so will try that at the same time .
Regards Robert