The B-100 Project Begins

[rmaynard 14,909]

Well I have been talking about it since November when I joined the group here. I said that when the snow plowing season was over, I was going to begin the restoration of my trusty B-100. Well, the time has arrived.

Since I want to complete the project in time for the WHCC show June 25th, I have my work cut out for me.

I work full time as a home improvement contractor, so I can schedule my work around jobs. But it is going to be an ambitious undertaking.

Here is a current picture of the "B".

I have been gathering parts and doing a little work on some spare items such as hoods, fender pans, and dash panel.

Original Grill

Blasted Spare

Restored Dash Panel

I will be creating an album at Photobucket to document my progress.

Wish me luck, as I am going to need it.

Bob

[KeithB 6]

Enjoy the restore, looking forward to seeing your like new B-100 B)

[DMK855 15]

Good Luck on the resto!! Looking forward to plenty of pics!!

[JimD 3,345]

Nice solid tractor Bob. I'm lookin forward to watchin the progress on the restore! B)

[rickv1957 70]

Bob,Good luck with you restore!!! Rick

[blaster 0]

Bob, have fun with the restore! One look at that dash panel tells me that tractor will look like new when you're done ...Glenn

[rmaynard 14,909]

Just got my spare frame back from the welder where I had the transaxle mounting plate cracks welded, and a 1/4" back plate installed.

This is the mounting plate before welding:

After:

1/4" Backer Plate welded in place:

Tomorrow, it gets sand blasted.

More to follow...

Bob

[Roger from southern Iowa 1]

Bob, backing plate looks good.

Restoration: Underway!! :D

[MikesRJ 552]

Underway, Shift Colors! :omg:

[Roger from southern Iowa 1]

You're right again Mike. I'm still new to the fancy stuff. <_

[Suburban 550 28]

Good Luck with the restoration, Bob. Hope you have it done in time for the show. :omg:

[rmaynard 14,909]

Underway, Shift Colors!

Mike, you are really evoking old memories. I haven't heard that expression since 1970 when I set out for my final cruise of the North Atlantic on the Coast Guard Cutter Chincoteague.

Where did those 40 years go?

Bob

[MikesRJ 552]

Underway, Shift Colors!

[rmaynard 14,909]

Was wondering if you'd catch that remark! Good show, and nice to finally meet you in person today.

Nice meeting you too. I just sent you an email.

Bob

[rmaynard 14,909]

Progress has been slow on the B-100. However, since I last posted on this thread, I have acquired a C-120 8-Speed (without engine) for parts. I guess technically it's a C-000. I now have a second transmission, and a lot of very good (but rusty) sheet metal.

I decided to try my hand at using an e-tank. So I got some rebar, Arm & Hammer washing soda, and a five gallon bucket, hooked it to my 200 amp battery charger and voila, here it is. A little crude, but effective:

As you can see, the axle from the C-120 is in there now. Not only is it removing the rust, but it is a great paint stripper as well. The end sticking out was only in for about 1 hour.

I set the charger at 200 amps to start, then reduce current to 40 after the process has been running for about 1/2 hour. I have found that after about 24 hours, fresh solution and rebar cleanings make the process go much faster.

My plan is to prime and paint the frame, attach the transmission and front axle, then start putting finished parts back on from either the B-100 or the C-120, whichever has the best parts. I am probably going to have enough parts left to build another whole tractor. All I will need is an engine. But that's a project for another day.

Bob

[family tradition 0]

nice horse . i hope it goes well . i'll starting on my raider 8 tomarrow.

[rmaynard 14,909]

I am combining parts from a C-160 Automatic, C-120 8-Speed, B-80 and various other parts that I have accumulated over the last 6 months. It looks like I am going to be able to build a complete "Johnny Cash" tractor without having to take a single part off the B-100. Pretty good for only owning 1 tractor at the start of this project. The only missing part is a big one. I need to find a 10HP or larger K-Series engine to complete the job.

 

I will have some pictures of the progress a little later. Right now I am waiting for some seals and a gasket for the transmission, so I can open it up and make sure it's okay.

 

Bob

Edited June 19, 2015 by rmaynard

[rmaynard 14,909]

The project is moving slowly, but I am making progress. Until last week, most of the work had been locating, sorting, and figuring out what parts to use and what to save for a future restoration.

The sandblasted hood that I showed in the beginning of this post got traded for a couple of other needed parts. So my next best hood is off the C-161. This project started before the first of two 30" snowfalls. So while the B-100 was getting a well deserved rest from plowing, I began work on the sheet metal.

I am not a body and fender man, and I don't play one on TV, so this was a very difficult undertaking. Straightening all of those little pieces of sheet metal and removing 33 years of rust was a pain in the rear, but persistence paid off. I would love to have a neighbor with a body shop, but since my next door neighbor is an 80 year old former electrician with 10 cats, no help there. I do remember some of what I learned in body shop class for adults that I took about 30 years ago.

Next I went to work on the fender pan. I looked at the one on my B-100 and realized that the banging noise that I ignored while plowing was the loose ends of the tire chains. Man, can that do some serious damage to the fenders.

So I got the fender pan off of a C-120, and I hoped that it had come from a southern state where chains are seldom used, but no, it was from NY, and it had the same bunch of dents pushed outward in both the front and back. I put that one on the shelf and got one that I picked up from Dave's Tractor World. It's from a B-80 and the dents were fewer than either of the other two, so that's what I used.

So I got out the hammer and dolly and went to work. I'll spare you the pictures of me throwing the hammer.

Here is where I am.

Most everything has been sandblasted or e-tanked, and primed. I am just waiting for seals for the transmission, and still waiting for my brain to come to a decision on what paint to spray on this thing.

Fickle as a school girl, I have changed my mind a dozen times, and now I think I am going to use either a formula that I got from PPGman, which is GM #81, variant B, or NAPA/Martin Senour IH Red #4115 in an acrylic enamel.

Bob

[rmaynard 14,909]

It's been almost a month since the last update, and I have made a little progress.

All of the sub-assemblies have been cleaned, stripped and are in the process of being painted.

I tore the transmission apart, inspected, and replaced seals.

After putting everything back together, I have started to paint.

The frame was next. I assembled the front axle, lower steering gear, and transmission.

As the other parts get painted, I will post more pics.

Bob

[MikesRJ 552]

Lookin' good Bob.

Is it going to be ready by June? :D

[Save Old Iron 1,563]

Is it going to be ready by June?

[rmaynard 14,909]

Is it going to be ready by June?

[stoneman 10]

bob . . . you know, how when you're re-doin' somethin' like that and you have all that down time, waitin' for paint to dry and such? . . . if you'd like, i can send you some parts from that 68 commando to help you out. if i do it myself, it'll never look that nice! that's gonna be a beauty :D

[rmaynard 14,909]

bob . . . you know, how when you're re-doin' somethin' like that and you have all that down time, waitin' for paint to dry and such? . . . if you'd like, i can send you some parts from that 68 commando to help you out. if i do it myself, it'll never look that nice! that's gonna be a beauty

The wife says if I get any more junk in her side of the garage, I will have to decide between her and the tractors.

Send them parts!!

Just kidding. I have a very loving and understanding wife.

Bob

[stoneman 10]

here's a thought . . . i'll load it up, and head over . . . and help you build that new garage. if your wife gets too mad . . . i'm a pretty good wing man :D