Hi! Help me (please!) with the paint on my c-121!

[eosinophil 0]

Hi!  I'm new here but hope you can help me out.  

I have a 1978 c-121 that i inherited from my dad maybe 7 years ago.  He bought it when it was a few years old when our neighbor, the original fastidious owner, moved away.  For whatever reason I was the kid in charge of mowing so i've got a good thirty years of history with it.  Anywho, since my mom gave it it me (and i hauled it out to the midwest from the east coast) it's been my backup tractor but I've thought about it and realized it's worth (both due to its quality and also for what it is to me) fixing up.  My much newer lawn tractor just can't compare.  Mechanically it's always been well maintained and i just had it tuned up and fixed up at my dealer and downloaded the manuals from toro so i can fiddle with it myself.  Although Dad took good care of it mechanically that was about it and now its paint looks like poop.  Well, oxidized, dull, rough, orange (rusty) spotted poop. I'd like to clean it up and make it look as nice as it can, but am completely at a loss as to what to use: clay? rubbing compound? polish? I don't want to repaint it but just want it to looks its best so i can then maintain that.  And get it a new seat - going to see if i can order that next week!  Any suggestions?  

thanks!  

eosinophil

 

[rmaynard 14,961]

  Glad to have you aboard. 

 

Well...there are any number of things that you can do depending on how good you want it to look. Some guys just let it age naturally (rust). Others oil them. Some try buffing them. But most of us take them apart and repaint them if we want to get another 40 years from them. 

 

How about posting some pictures to let us know what you are dealing with.

[eosinophil 0]

I just ran out and grabbed these - hope they post okay.  I'll put a general picture next, thank you!!!

I know it's rough - i'm okay with that i just want it to put it in the best shape possible.

 

[eosinophil 0]

here's another view that lets you see the whole tractor.   Again, thanks for any advice!

eosinophil

[Tankman 3,515]

Horse looks great!

 

I would repaint and of course, new decals. The decals come off easily, use a heat gun.

 

I would send out, inexpensive, and have some parts sand blasted. I found it too difficult to remove rust mostly from inside the hood.

 

Rustoleum Regal Red rattle cans do an excellent job. I like the color too.

 

Have fun, your Stallion looks excellent. I see your other "thing" is green with envy!  

[c-series don 7,926]

Ok here is my two cents. If you don't want to paint it I would buy a gallon of WD-40 and a spray bottle. Spray it and let it sit overnight or a few days even. Then wipe it clean and sand it with 600 grit or something even finer. Then spray with WD let sit,wipe off. Repeat this process a few times and you will keep the patina and get a low gloss/shine to it. I have done this to my C-161 and C-121 and am happy with the results. Also I spray WD on them and just leave it on there as long as you not mowing with it.

[Martin 2,130]

i wouldn't repaint. i think with some cleaning up you can get it to look better. you won't be able to save the paint on the hood, its too far gone. i think i would try what some on here do with the oil. I'm not exactly sure whats involved in that i usually only polish or strip and repaint.

you could contact one of the experts on the subject, send them a pm and see what they have to say. i know stevebo is one of them, see what he says about it.....

 

pm steve here......

 

once you click the link below, click on 'send me a message', I'm sure he wouldn't mind giving his opinion, great guy!!!

 

http://www.wheelhorseforum.com/user/734-stevebo/

[doc724 924]

Having bought a similar machine of the same vintage with about the same hood "patina", my experience is to pull it apart,  get the rust off everything and repaint it.  Trust me, your Dad may have taken extremely good care of the tractor, but the ravages of time cannot be stopped.  You are going to find rust on the battery tray, the hood stand will be rusted where it bolts to the frame.  There is a baffle under the shift console that becomes a collection point for grass, leaves and general dirt.  Unless Dad was very fastidious, this will be rusty.  Yes, taking the machine apart will be a big project, but these machines are pretty simple.  You will receive a great level of satisfaction in restoring this machine to its former glory and you will have a renewed appreciation for the engineering that went into the design may years ago.  My 1978 C141 is my favorite tractor.  As I grow older, I will likely sell off my newer machines when I no longer have the need for them.  However, the C141 will be the last to go.

[kudzu3 323]

Since it is in pretty bad shape, I'd try a good buffing with 000 steel wool and then a little time with a buffer and some good compound followed with a good wax job. I did this with a d 180 that was in similar condition, it certainly wasn't perfect but sure looked better than before.

[Desko 552]

I also agree on the repaint sure it won't have patina but you have great satisfaction and memories when you do because even under the new paint it will be the same tractor you dads.

[AMC RULES 36,961]

        

Why not keep the history/patina...

and just clean as you go?   

     It's only original once.

 

[eosinophil 0]

Hi again - thanks for all the advice!

I'm sure it's never been washed since my dad got it - Dad was not exactly into mechanical stuff!  He had the lawn mower guy pick it up every season (maybe twice? I don't remember) and left it up to him to do whatever needed doing.  Otherwise, Dad pretty much put gas in it and didn't think about it beyond that.  So while it's been well maintained mechanically, well, you can see how it looks.  Doesn't help that i've had it pretty much rarely used and just sitting in my barn the past couple years.  

 

I agree there's no way short of a real repaint to get it to look good, but I think I'll start out with the WD40.  How much do i spray on it - so it's wet / puddly wet?  I'll try that with the finer sand paper or maybe the steel wool and see what we get.  Stupid question - what would you recommend for compound?  I've never used one and there are so many to choose from!!  

 

I am more a patina than a showpiece kind of person (especially cause of the way I mow!) so i'll see what we get with that to start.  I've read it's possible to get new seats so I think i'll look into that, too, as the ripped up one not only looks lousy it is godawful uncomfortable. 

 

I'll send pictures to show how it goes!

thank you all for your input - i've been feeling guilty about not taking care of this and now I can feel better about it!

 

[c-series don 7,926]

I would WD it till it's good and wet then rub it in by hand with a latex/rubber glove, not a rag. Then let it sit for a day or so. I forgot what grit paper but just make it very fine, like said in my last post. I have never used compound for this so I can't help with that. This is not an instant gratification thing, I would repeat this occasionally over a couple a weeks. If you mow with it I would wipe it clean then wash it other wise dust will cling to it like a magnet. Upon storing WD it again. This has worked for me,I hope it works for you. Please post pics with progress good luck !

[oneroadkingman 53]

welcome to the family. well looks like you got a good start for a tractor I would try the wd-40 method first if you don't like it I guess then paint it.