Its Home! Its Home! Its Home! Its Home!

Post by **Brian** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 6:42 pm

The Petrol Dexta is home at last! Came home on a trailer behind Rover at 2pm.

So here she is!! (Please excuse the John Deere yellow wheels! These colonials have no taste!

)

Looks like the axle housings are December 1960

But the gear box is August 1960. They must have made a big batch then.

Stefan · Post by **Stefan** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 6:49 pm

Congratulation to your new toy Brian.
Is she missing her extra fuel tank?

Regards Stefan

Post by **Oscar** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:10 pm

Congratulations, Brian!! Awesome!

Post by **Brian** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:15 pm

Stefan,
Yes and they have moved the battery back up there. The remnants were bolted to the footplate. First job will be to get a fuel line on her and then a battery. Then the fun will really start!

PS. if you want one, the second one is still available.

David in Wales · Post by **David in Wales** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 8:09 pm

You just need to buy this for the |£30,000 reserve on e-bay, swop some bits round, and then you would have a rare tractor.

David

Post by **Brian** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 9:13 pm

Don't need it David, my friend about 1/2 a mile away has a genuine 4WD Super Dexta. He brought it round and asked me if I thought it was worth £10,000.00 and I said no. Dave Pantry checked out the numbers for him and, according to him it is valued at £60,000. A lot of those tractors on offer are "made up" and not genuine, straight from the works, tractors was the story at the time. This one is and all the numbers on the axles etc and tractor are correct.

henk · Post by **henk** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 9:27 pm

Congratulations Brian,

Before you paint those yellow rims and discs, count the holes.

ps: Dies was also happy when I handed over his shirt. He wants to thank you fot it.

terry274 · Post by **terry274** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 1:57 am

Nice tractor, makes me want to get one now more than ever!

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 3:47 am

Brian,
Does this mean you will have to give Doug's petrol dexta back?
She looks like she has been mistreated a little, but she will be a thing of beauty real soon I'm sure. I'd like to have one myself.

Post by **Brian** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 6:55 am

Mark,
That is a hard decision, perhaps I could keep two as "mine" do you think. Mark still has not said no to my offer of £25.00 for the one in Leominster that I call mine.

My goal, if possible, is to have the two together, ploughing, on September 7th 2008 at Leominster. Whether that is possible I don't know but this one will not be tidied up by then as my work commitments are huge at this time.

Kiwi Kev · Post by **Kiwi Kev** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 7:10 am

Brian
What do you mean "the colonials have no taste"
Anyway, who imported it back into England? and who bought it!
I reckon you were "hot" for those yellow wheels.

Besides that, you sound like your a "boy with a new toy"
Good Luck
Kiwi Kev

BarryT · Post by **BarryT** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 7:54 pm

Hi,

Congratulations Brian I'm glad you got what you've always wanted, I look forward to hear how you get on with the restoration. I notice it's minus it's grills, did you throw them grills over the side as well!!

Regards,

Barry

henk · Post by **henk** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 8:12 pm

I think the grills were also yellow. That even worse than orange

Post by **Brian** » Mon Aug 11, 2008 8:08 pm

Its all rumor

The grills are a nice restful silver

Lesfen · Post by **Lesfen** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 2:59 pm

Congratulations Brian,

Is this one of the first Petrol Dextas built?
Have any ever been confirmed as built in 58/59?

You are right: they must have made a batch of the gearboxes.

We have a neighbour with a late Dec/60 built diesel Dexta with Nov and Dec/60 casting dates on all pieces except the gearbox which is June/60.
Serial # is 957E 71891.

Cheers,

Les

Post by **Brian** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 4:52 pm

Les,

There were none earlier than November 1960 according to the parts book although information is pretty scarce. My number is 959E72331 which puts her in early 1961 which should be about right.

All the ones I have come across are all around that date so I wonder if they made just one batch.

Think you all might be seing pictures of a petrol Dexta engine overhall soon. She has a nasty clanking as she spins on the starter. It comes in two places and sounds like a big end gone or a broken crank, so it does not look as if the September 7th plough date will be on as my work load keeps increasing.

Post by **Brian** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 6:27 pm

It runs, it runs, it runs, who's a happy bunny then!!!

Had it driving around the yard. The "clank" I heard is in the starter. So now I can start tidying her up a bit. Engine is very quite but a little uneven. Some of the valves were stuck and I think there is one inlet that is still a bit sluggish. I will change the oils and reset the tappets then see what she is like. Two Petrol Dextas ploughing at Brimfield this year is back on!!!

Post by **Oscar** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 9:32 pm

Brian wrote:It runs, it runs, it runs, who's a happy bunny then!!! Had it driving around the yard.

Oh man, that's awesome!

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 6:49 am

Brian,
Be sure and take plenty of pictures.

Post by **Brian** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 7:03 pm

Well, I have had her out and running. Everything works as it should, clutch and lift are operational without need for investigation.

Engine is starting to clear up as I run it longer, will have to have it in the field with a cultivator or even get her on the topper and give everything a workout, The steering box is leaking a bit of oil or the rear main is leaking and its coming out under the steering box. It looks a bit black but we will clean her up and see what happens.

Couple of pictures of a happy bunny

These were taken not 30 mins ago. The wonders of the Internet.

Chris Ivin · Post by **Chris Ivin** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 9:30 pm

Great to see the smile on your face Brian. This is what it all about. I'm pleased to see that you are just as affected by a new toy as the rest of us!

I look forward to seeing how your new project develops in the months to come.

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 2:20 am

Brian,
Does your new girlfriend have live hyd. or maybe differential lock?
I agree with Chris, your smile tells the whole story.

Post by **Oscar** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 6:00 am

It's so great to see Brian on a tractor he didn't know existed until just a couple of years ago

.

Post by **Brian** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 7:06 am

Dotty has "Live" hydraulics but no dif lock. She also has fittings for a mid-mounted mower, a big heavy frame mounted underneath with a piviot point on the left side.

Post by **Brian** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 7:21 pm

First of all we have named her!

She is Dorothy Dexta, Dotty for short. This is after a very old friend and rather lovely lady, just like the Dexta.

Been doing a bit of work on her in the evenings (the Dexta that is). She now has new front tyres, one of the old ones was an ex-Land Rover one that scrubbed the sidewall on the stub axle. It had been "shimmed" away in one place with about 6 flat washers behind the wheel dish so that it wobbled as you drove her. Now that is sorted.

She now has a new exhaust elbow and exhaust pipe. Petrol Dexta ones are like Rocking Horse excreta and Hens Teeth so I have had to swallow my pride and use ones for a TE20. Still it looks and sounds better than the ex-car tailpipe that was fitted.

I also changed oil and filters as well. Took four sealing rings out of the filter sealing grove, one on top of the other.

If you are missing one of the islands from your side Kev I have found it

It was in the air cleaner bowl!!! I have not seen one so full of mud for many a year.

Next job is to wire in the ignition switch and to fit a choke cable and temperature gauge. Lots of other work as well like the warning lamps, lights etc. also the rev counter and cable