Jake Kuhn 1,554 #126 Posted August 9, 2012 Looking great martin! Glad to see another update on it! ~ Jake Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EdG. 5 #127 Posted August 9, 2012 Hey Martin ~ Lookin mighty good for what you call 'a worker/play tractor'. You do very good work. Do you happen to know what the seat pan came off of? And did you have to modify anything to get it to fit? I need a seat pan like that to go on a C125. Keep up the good work! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Martin 2,131 #128 Posted August 9, 2012 why thank you ed. this one actually came from just out of lexington, il. the seat pan, i think is off c1x1 series, c1x5 series and the 8 hp models of those as well. this particular one came from a stack of them at kellys place so im not really sure what model its off of. any of the tractors this size with the tank under the fender would be a candidate, i would guess. im sure if im wrong somebody will chime in. i actually thought about a 3,4,5, series pan as well, different shape though, but in the end went with this one...... as far as modifying it goes, yes it needed work to fit, but that was mostly poor quality control on wheelhorses part in their crappy fitting panels..... the hood is at a good stopping point for the metalwork right now. i think im done enough that it wont look too bumpy. oh, to find cheap, rust and dent free metal.......... to quote kelly last night in a pm....'they are garden tractors not a rolls royce'....... so with that said, heres how the hood came out after stripping, glass bead blasting and a bit more dent fixing and metal finishing from where i was at last night..... its going to get powdered tomorrow, red at least, maybe the black as well, but we will see....... it actually looks better in the pics than up close. plus you cant run your hands over it in pics and feel all the bumps...... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bowtiebutler956 650 #129 Posted August 10, 2012 With keeping in mind its going to be your worker, I think its going to look great Martin! Nice work, and I'll be looking forward to the finish! Matt :flags-texas: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Martin 2,131 #130 Posted August 10, 2012 Alright, really happy with the red, this afternoon I'm doing the black....,.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jake Kuhn 1,554 #131 Posted August 10, 2012 Looks good! Can't wait to see it with the black on it. Jake Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Martin 2,131 #132 Posted August 10, 2012 Well the black is on and going through cure right now. I had a peek in the oven and it looks good from the front side. What a pain. Had to tape off and fully mask all the areas I wanted to stay red, heat it in the oven so it was just hot enough to still touch, then powder the black, pull all masking.... then tack rag all the red again( when you expose the rest of the hood the loose black powder wants to jump on the red because it is charged) then put it in the oven and cure out the black. Here's some pics.... all masked up ready for some black. since im using case red, i thought id keep it in the family and use case ms45 black for the black. its a little less gloss than our medium gloss black, but not really a flat or matte black. ready to put in the oven for curing. i spent about half an hour to get it cleaned up good enough. that black powder just wanted to jump all over that red.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Martin 2,131 #133 Posted August 10, 2012 So here it is.... Not too bad for first time doing one.... Don't want to do another for a while though. Too much headache....... the black will dull off just a little more, in these pics its only just come out the oven...... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bowtiebutler956 650 #134 Posted August 10, 2012 Looks great Martin! In the first pic of the black on the hood, it almost looked like a spray in bedliner, but in the last ones its smooth, and shiny. Was the first pic before it baked in the oven? Matt :flags-texas: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Martin 2,131 #135 Posted August 10, 2012 Yep..... i went back and edited that post, matt. i should have mentioned that. imagine if that was the finished item!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Martin 2,131 #136 Posted August 11, 2012 heres some more pics, im happy with how the hood looks on the tractor. you can see all the dents left in it now. the hood catches will hold the dash end better, its still got a little twist in it and i dont care if its not perfect because i want to use this one for lots of seat time..... i probably could have got the black area on the top here a little straighter, but since it was over a large slightly concave area i probably would have made it look worse so i just left it alone and will just ignore it..... hood fits ok around the dash on this side..... not so good here though..... if you cant get the metal dead straight, hide it with orange peel, heavier than i really wanted though..... see, i even post pics of the crappy parts of my work too...... hoods no where near perfect, but at least it got saved to work another day....... also got my dual bulb tail lights in the mail today, so wiring them and new headlights will be next..... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dclarke 4,032 #137 Posted August 11, 2012 Looks really good from here Martin. :thumbs: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
312Hydro 474 #138 Posted August 11, 2012 . it actually looks better in the pics than up close. plus you cant run your hands over it in pics and feel all the bumps...... Looks great! Always nice to see your work,Martin. And yes, you are right. I tried running my hands across the screen and it's really smooth! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bowtiebutler956 650 #139 Posted August 11, 2012 It will be great looking worker that will have a strong durable finish for years to come. Love it! Matt :flags-texas: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stigian 1,234 #140 Posted August 11, 2012 Just read this thread all the way through... An outstanding job Martin :bow-blue: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smoreau 658 #141 Posted August 11, 2012 As always Martin, Very nice!! Black hoods always look better all painted up like that! I am not a fan of the dull, rusty look of them after 25 years of a rough life. But painted up like that. That is sharp!! Just tell the nit pickers to try and do what you do and see if they can do better, not! You show a lot of pride in your work and it shows! Be very proud of your self! and give yourself a pat on the back from me for a very fine job! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Martin 2,131 #142 Posted August 12, 2012 thanks for the nice comments guys. yes its turning out nice for a worker, and im looking forward to getting some riding time on it..... this will be my plow/snowblower for the winter as well, so i thought that in addition to headlights, i should have working taillights instead of just reflectors. the wiring for the headlights looked like it had seen better days so i made a new harness for them as well as wiring the taillights. headlights were both broken, so i bought two new ones (4411-1) and i picked up the taillights off ebay last week. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ol550 830 #143 Posted August 12, 2012 if you cant get the metal dead straight, hide it with orange peel, heavier than i really wanted though..... see, i even post pics of the crappy parts of my work too...... Thought it was friendly paint... Wavy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bowtiebutler956 650 #144 Posted August 13, 2012 The lights look great Martin, when are your decals coming in? Matt :flags-texas: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Martin 2,131 #145 Posted August 13, 2012 ordered them today...... i guess it depends on how busy terry is.... im also waiting on some small parts, (steering bushings, seat hinge spacers, hood catches etc etc) from my toro dealer to finish it off..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jake Kuhn 1,554 #146 Posted August 13, 2012 Looking great! Can't wait to see the decals on it! jake Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jachady 130 #147 Posted August 13, 2012 I will be getting one done. I will let you know when I work it out with terry(vinyl guy).... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Thanks, let him know I'll need 2 of them. I'll contact him as well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Martin 2,131 #148 Posted August 18, 2012 Once again it's been a week or so since an update. First of all gas tank started leaking where the captured nuts are underneath. So I needed to either fix or replace it. I ended up doing both. The repair is still holding, but it's more of an experiment at the moment. I got another one from Kelly this week and it's all good. So the replacement got installed and I got to finishing this thing up today. Bought a few parts new... Engine isolators, steering bushings, hood catches, and some rubber bumpers. Still need to get a seat ordered and waiting for decals... Here's some pics and maybe a vid of it running. Our cable Internet is on the fritz so I'm doing this all on my phone. If the photobucket uploads work it will be all good..... Changed out the hood hinges for ones with a hood stay.... Needed to install some thick bumpers here so the seat pan wouldn't rub on the running boards. They are off a c160 flip part of the seat frame.. Also new bushings on the pivot... Here's a vid of it running.... http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll298/maje16_album/c125/8309F3A3-EFB2-410A-8F1D-9720447A2D68-316-000000279CFED7FE.mp4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bowtiebutler956 650 #149 Posted August 19, 2012 Looks, and sounds fantastic Martin!! Now I just need to talk to your wife, and get her to tell you she wants to ride it, that way I know it will get a nice seat, rather than your traditional horse blanket. Matt :flags-texas: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Martin 2,131 #150 Posted August 19, 2012 Oh it's getting a seat real soon. Went to get one today but the only ones I liked at the farm store had been there forever and I didn't like how the vinyl reacted when I pushed my thumb into it. Looked old...... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
