C-160 Update #2

[linen beige 15]

Jim ya wanna carpool to the PA show? haha

I don't want to get but I'd definitely take you up on that Scott, 'cept the wife is going out of state like the day we would get back, and somebody has/er... gets to handle the 3 year old twins while she's gone for 4 days. ( Since they have yet to have their nails painted red, I'm gonna try to get some UNDER them. ) And I may have to go to Nashville the day after she gets back.

[nylyon-(Admin) 7,880]

Today I took off the starter solonoid and painted it up nice. I also took the extra dash panel painted it, and painted up the letters, still needs a second coat. It looks pretty sharp.

There is only one problem. See the holes which would be used to mount the throttle and choke levers. Well, they're too big! This must be from a different year horse or someone drilled the holes larger? I could get washers so the screws don't go through, any other ideas?

[kj4kicks 154]

Karl, Those holes are supposed to be larger. That way you can mount the cables and put the whole assembly in the dash tower, then install the face plate. Well, at least that's what I've seen on all of the 160's so far.

It does look great though !

:WRS:

[nylyon-(Admin) 7,880]

On this one, the cables mount to the face plate. I suspect that later years they mounted to a piece of metal behind the face plate?

[kj4kicks 154]

Karl, you need to re-use your original metal backing plate. The lighter hole in the metal plate is there on all of them, whether it has one or not. The metal backer provides support for the cables, ignition switch, and headlight switch. Without it, that plastic dash would be cracked in no time. It was together the way it was from new.

[nylyon-(Admin) 7,880]

Here's my sign :imstupid: I was tripped up by the "accessory" outlet holding them together. I took it all the way off this time and they are exactly the same.

Did I show my sign :imstupid:

[kj4kicks 154]

We'll chalk that one up to excitement :whistle:

[Kelly 1,033]

Very nice job on the dash panel looks new, it will fit right in with the rest of the tractor.

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,599]

Karl, nice job on the dash panel. That C-160 looks so good, I don't know if I had if I would be using it as a worker. But, then again, your working tractors still looks good after what - 13-14 years.

[nylyon-(Admin) 7,880]

Here's the completed dash. I am sure that I could have done a better job, and it probably could use another coat but I was afraid of messing it up.

Have to get new throttle and choke handles, there is no way I can paint those letters!

[CasualObserver 3,411]

Lookin' Sharp!! :whistle:

[kj4kicks 154]

Hey Coach, Just a heads-up... the replacement knobs are curved, and look nothing like the originals. That's why you got a nice set of originals, instead of the cracked ones that are in your parts box. You may want to pick up a small lettering set from a hobby shop.

Dash is looking good !

[nylyon-(Admin) 7,880]

I hadn't noticed that before but you're absolutely right! Thanks, I'll try the lettering....

[linen beige 15]

Have to get new throttle and choke handles, there is no way I can paint those letters!

Are the letters on the surface or slightly recessed? If they're recessed, just fill in the letters by flowing in thinned paint from the tip of a small brush, If they are on the surface, try matching them up with some dry transfer lettering, or rubber stamping them with thick, almost dry paint.

If I had a set of these to study for a couple days, I'd reletter them and trade you out.

By the way, the dash looks great. :whistle:

[nylyon-(Admin) 7,880]

Painted the center cap for the steering wheel, that needs a second coat, possibly a third. The rims are all prepared, and one front has been primed and painted. Ran out today to get more masking tape since I have no idea where the old one went and found 2 more cans of Wimbledon White paint. Now there is enough to finish the wheels. The front rims should be ready to put back on tomorrow, the rear's will wait a couple days until the paint is dry. Pictures a little later, time for me and Sean to get some Hot Dogs!

edit: Hot Dogs were great! Sean and I masked all the tires off and prime the remaining 3 rims. Once the primer is dry, the first coat will go on. I'll finish the other front tonight and get that on. I put some old tires on the back so it'll be drivable again until the backs are completely dry. The one front looks awsome! I hope to start on the deck tomorrow, it's in really good shape, so there shouldn't be any patching to be done. Hope TD can make the deck decals, I'll have to get some good pictures and measurements before I wreck em....

[nylyon-(Admin) 7,880]

Before

During

After

There is a very slight overspray which I will need to steel wool off once everything sets in a couple weeks....

The fronts on the tractor....

You can see in the driveway the rear tires still covered with newspaper. They're not ready to mount yet. The deck is out getting ready for its turn....

[KyBlue 655]

Karl thats looking great!!!

Howd you strip down the Rim? SAnding? Sandblast? Stripper? Looks good either way!

Look forward to seein the rears all mounted up!

[nylyon-(Admin) 7,880]

A couple of stiff wire wheels and a drill. Sad thing is I have a sand blaster sitting in the shed, it would probably make sense to see if it works.

[DOC in Kentucky 178]

Yea, how did you strip the old paint and rust off?

And I like others opinions on the best way to strip. mask and paint rims?

:D

[KyBlue 655]

If you have one, a media blaster would be the easiest and probably best route to go.

When we do larger rims at the shop, we have cardboard rings that go around the outside. You might be able to fashion something similar for the smaller rims, just tape the ends together so it'll be a nice snug fit.

[nylyon-(Admin) 7,880]

On the first rim I put news paper under it. It worked okay but was difficult to get out. The second front rim, I used cardboard cut into 2" sections and wedged them under the rim. For the rear tires I tried to use cardboard, but the bead broke really easily so I went with the newspaper again and taped it to the tire. Much easier when the bead breaks in my opinion. I would have taken the tire off, but I am sure I would muck up the rim putting it back on again.

I have one of those cheap siphon feed sand blasters. Had it for years never used it. Maybe I'll get some media for it when I do the deck, it would be better than my trusty drill and wire brush attachments. :whistle:

[Rollerman 290]

It's looking great Karl!

For wheels with tires

I use cheap aluminium foil to cover the tires.

Let the air out & start mashing the stuff on there & under the edge of the rims. :WRS:

[KyBlue 655]

Karl - I have one of those too. make sure you give your air supply a break every 5-7 minutes so it doesnt get too hot. they require ALOT of air.

Instead of buying the high dolalr blasting media, might try medium cement sand. About 3 bucks at TSC for a 50 lb bag. Just make sure you get the stuff thats stored indoors, so its dry-real dry!

[linen beige 15]

Karl - I have one of those too. make sure you give your air supply a break every 5-7 minutes so it doesnt get too hot. they require ALOT of air.

Instead of buying the high dolalr blasting media, might try medium cement sand. About 3 bucks at TSC for a 50 lb bag. Just make sure you get the stuff thats stored indoors, so its dry-real dry!

As you probably know, hot compressed air holds a lot of moisure that will re-condense in the lines and muddy up your sand.

I've used TONS of plain old building supply sand pile scoopings from a siphon feed unit. Spread it out on the concrete garage floor overnight, sweep it up and it's almost ready to use. Unless the concrete is sealed the floor will draw the moisture right out of the sand. If there are any oil stains on the floor, the dust in the sand will soak them right up. ( My dad got UPSET the first time he saw me spreading 4 inches of sand on his garage floor. The next afternoon when he came in and saw how clean the floor was, he adopted my method for cleaning the floor.). If you're using it in open air, blast away. If you're going to use it in a blast cabinet, you need to get the dust out of it first. you can do this by spraying it through a length of 6 inch pvc pipe. hold the far end of the pipe over a suitable container and place a small box fan so that it blows lightly across the opening of the container. The sand will flow out of the pipe into the container, and the dust will blow away in the breeze. It's a little extra work, but it's a LOT cheaper than other blast media, only a few dollars a TON. It's also not as agressive and leaves a very finely etched surface. Usually one good coat of primer is all that's needed to prep the surface for paint.

When I paint wheels, I dismount the tires and clean and prime the rims inside and out. then I paint the inside of the rim and let it dry. Then mount the tire, but don't seat the bead. Using a couple of cresent shapped peices of 3/4 inch plywood held against the beads with 3 to 4 large "c" clamps squeezing the beads toward one another lets me touch up any chips from mounting the tires as I spray the outside of the rim. Let that dry, seat the beads, and your all done.

[linen beige 15]

I have an uncle who has been restoring cars since before WW II. He uses 3-4 "C" clamps to sqeeze the beads toghether, and coats the sidewalls of the tires with Ivory liquid dish soap, straight out of the bottle. He lets that dry, paints the rims. and after everything is dry and the beads are seated, he just washes the soap off. A coat of this soap will also buff up to a very high shine that makes for washing mud off your tires a breeze. And no, it doesn't turn a car into a "bubble machine" if you drive it in the rain.