C195.... Work clothes or repaint....

[BPEisenhower 553]

Hello there Horse fans!!!  Was slowly thinning out a few tractors and dug out great grandpa's C195. Haven't started it in a few years. Motor spun by hand, changed oil, fresh fuel and lit the candles. Runs like I used it yesterday. Ok, fine. But body is getting bad. But mechanically is sound. So, tonight I was gathering all the Auto 18 parts and a tote shifted, fell three feet and crashed into the top of my head. No blood,no foul, but cursing followed. After yelling at everything, I found the NOS rear PTO in that tote. So, I can't find that tractor a new home, great grandpa smacked me in the head somehow and I'm taking it with me. The problem, still runs good, mows and looks cool to me anyway. But, do I repaint or leave it alone? Even if I do the cosmetics, I'm not making it a parade only machine but at the same time, I don't want it to continue to rust away.... All advice, criticism is welcome!! No matter what, it's still family but unclear what I should do. Thank you all for your help!! 

[Achto 29,218]

I like the work cloths, 

[wallfish 17,832]

So, here's my opinion. If it ain't done right then don't do it. If it's going to be a worker don't do it. If the so called "character" reminds you of your G Grandpa don't do it. If all the mechanicals are good and then you do it, what are are you going to do with it? You could paint it and wipe it with a diaper all day to keep it clean or run it like it is. Seems there's more cons to a paint job than pros IMO.  Spray it down with WD-40 and protect what's there so it don't get too much worse. BUT, all of this from a guy that doesn't restore tractors and likes an old tractor to look like an old tractor 

[MainelyWheelhorse 1,320]

 

All of my tractors are workers. Both were rusted pretty well, the 308 more than the 312. I painted both to A. Spruce them up and B. Combat the rust. You could leave it as a survivor, or it having patina,  if it was rare there would be even more of an argument for keeping it like it is. If I was going to use it, combat the rust and enjoy it I’d paint it. BUT it’s your tractor. It’s your choice what to do with it. There are plenty of tractors on here with original paint. I’d do whatever makes you feel like your using the tractor like great grandpa intended.

[Lee1977 7,111]

11 hours ago, BPEisenhower said:

Hello there Horse fans!!!  Was slowly thinning out a few tractors and dug out great grandpa's C195. Haven't started it in a few years. Motor spun by hand, changed oil, fresh fuel and lit the candles. Runs like I used it yesterday. Ok, fine. But body is getting bad. But mechanically is sound. So, tonight I was gathering all the Auto 18 parts and a tote shifted, fell three feet and crashed into the top of my head. No blood,no foul, but cursing followed. After yelling at everything, I found the NOS rear PTO in that tote. So, I can't find that tractor a new home, great grandpa smacked me in the head somehow and I'm taking it with me. The problem, still runs good, mows and looks cool to me anyway. But, do I repaint or leave it alone? Even if I do the cosmetics, I'm not making it a parade only machine but at the same time, I don't want it to continue to rust away.... All advice, criticism is welcome!! No matter what, it's still family but unclear what I should do. Thank you all for your help!! 

With that much rust I would at least paint the sheet metal. .From the 80's on they don't have the same metal as the older ones. You could tape over the decals and save them, don't see anything wrong with them..

[8ntruck 7,595]

Your tractor, your choice.  I think of a worn finish this way - it tells a story of its history with each of the dents and scratches.  As far as rust goes,there is the option of oiling it to preserve the pitena.

 

I'll also add that the tractor is only original once - if you care about that sort of thing.

 

That is a nice C-195.  Wheelweights, 3 point, and uncracked fender pan.  Is it a Series one or a series two KT-19?

Edited Monday at 02:11 AM by 8ntruck

[BPEisenhower 553]

6 hours ago, 8ntruck said:

Your tractor, your choice.  I think of a worn finish this way - it tells a story of its history with each of the dents and scratches.  As far as rust goes,there is the option of oiling it to preserve the pitena.

 

I'll also add that the tractor is only original once - if you care about that sort of thing.

 

That is a nice C-195.  Wheelweights, 3 point, and uncracked fender pan.  Is it a Series one or a series two KT-19?

It's got the series 1 KT 19. Oil changed every 10 hours. Too bad I can't upgrade oil pump and install an oil filter 

 

[953 nut 59,092]

11 hours ago, BPEisenhower said:

great grandpa's C195.

A family heirloom should be loved and respected as is.        

[Achto 29,218]

3 hours ago, BPEisenhower said:

Too bad I can't upgrade oil pump and install an oil filter 

 

The pump was not the issue. The big deference between the series 1 and the series 2 was the oil routing.

 

 

[BPEisenhower 553]

12 minutes ago, Achto said:

 

The pump was not the issue. The big deference between the series 1 and the series 2 was the oil routing.

 

 

It appears I have homework to do. Looks as if there's something I can do with lubrication if I drill the crank adding lube points by drilling crank and looking at oil pump assembly.. possible to change to HVLP style pump since it's oil bath and not pressure primarily. 

[lynnmor 7,692]

If it needs paint, then paint it.  Leaving steel to rust is abuse.  I never could understand the patina nonsense when anything beyond normal wear is abuse.  If you want your tractor to tell a story, what I am seeing is a story about neglect.

[pfrederi 18,545]

23 minutes ago, BPEisenhower said:

It appears I have homework to do. Looks as if there's something I can do with lubrication if I drill the crank adding lube points by drilling crank and looking at oil pump assembly.. possible to change to HVLP style pump since it's oil bath and not pressure primarily. 

Not so sure about that   series one pumps only made 5psi       Series 2 used 40 psi to work the drilled crankshaft...

[8ntruck 7,595]

6 hours ago, BPEisenhower said:

It's got the series 1 KT 19. Oil changed every 10 hours. Too bad I can't upgrade oil pump and install an oil filter 

 

My C-195 with a series 1 shows 1100 something on the hour meter.  It runs well, though there is an oil leak i need to track down. My wife's cousin had a KT 19 in another brand that ran for about 20 years.  It is said that if these engines are operated on reasonably level ground and the oil is taken care of, they are less likely to have lubrication issues.

[kpinnc 14,196]

20 hours ago, Lee1977 said:

With that much rust I would at least paint the sheet metal. .From the 80's on they don't have the same metal as the older ones. You could tape over the decals and save them, don't see anything wrong with them..

 

I have to agree with Don. The best way to preserve the machine where it is would be to scrape away the rusty spots and prime and paint the sheet metal.  You can mask the decals easily and it won't be noticeable if you do it right. 

 

That's a whole bunch of tractor, and a rare one to boot. It's worth the effort. 

Edited Monday at 09:40 PM by kpinnc

[squonk 43,276]

This tractor shows the reason I avoid the 300-500 series and the black hoods. The paint and metal just does not hold up like the 60's and 70's models. If that were my tractor, I would try to find a decent hood, left panel and belt guard first. That metal is pitted pretty bad and would take a lot of prep and filling. Then how long will it last. 

[kpinnc 14,196]

1 hour ago, squonk said:

This tractor shows the reason I avoid the 300-500 series and the black hoods. The paint and metal just does not hold up like the 60's and 70's models.

 

There is definitely some merit to this remark. I think the early process for powder coating or at least electrically charged paint application left alot to be desired. Around the time of the black hoods and classic machines were also when automotive manufacturers had the most trouble with the longevity of paints as well. Somewhat of a dark period for the finish industry in general. 

 

That being said, using today's over the counter rust inhibiting primer and paints actually hold up better than what the manufacturers used during the problem years. Even rattle cans stand up to the elements better, though they are less durable than two part automotive paint. 

[oliver2-44 10,547]

Have the tins blasted and give them a working paint job. Workers deserved to be preserved IMHO