Restore to stock, to look good, or just work better?

[Ingersoll444]

Any one do any restoring on there Gravelys? If so, what are you looking for the out come to be? Looking for a stock rebuild, with all the same colors, and finishes, or just cleaning and painting to look nice. Or just getting it running good to use?

On my early 60's LI, I am slowly cleaning and painting stuff as I have them apart. Not going with stock colors though, just using what I have. I cleaned and blasted the wheels, but did not have the right cream color on hand, so I painted them white. Not the same as when new, but I think it still looks good. I am doing the same to the air filter, and anything else I take off that was that cream color. As for the red? Well, I have a ton of Ford 8N red from my N rebuild. So anything red that I redo, will be Ford tractor red. Not the same, but should still look nice. What do you guys do?

[professor]

Paul, when I did my cub, I thought it would be a worker, so I concentrated on just making it look nice and do what it is designed to do.
You are the guy you need to please, I used spray paint from the bargain outlet as much as I could and coated the stuff that had to be cub yellow with a few cans of school bus yellow at $3.50 a can(ouch) from Advance auto.
If it is clean and shiny you will be happy- right?
I even added things that didn't come on it origionally, like an additional muffler sticking up (super quiet) and a roll bar(for a winter cab). I was reluctant to drill the hole for the muffler support and I thought- Am I nuts? Drill it, the thing is for me- I want it quiet.
Use what you have and make it like you want. :fing32:

Mike

[jodyand]

I have to agree with the professor if using 8n red makes you happy then go for it. If your not going to use it for nothing but shows then i would make it look original. Its yours so do what looks good to you. :trink39:

[bontai Joe]

If you are gonna work it on a regular basis, then paint is to prevent rust and color is your choice. Even applied sloppily with a brush, will prevent rust, just not pretty to look at. If you would be happier with stock colors, go for it. If it is a show machine, then some folks get original everything including hardware. I try to keep my Deeres looking decent with genuine Deere paint applied as carefully as I can with rattle cans, but they all work for a living, so I'm not gonna invest in 6 coats of hand rubbed laquer with coats of clear. I've seen machines done that way and they are gorgious, but I'd cry at the first scratch, and as I said, mine work for their keep.

[chrpmaster]

:ditto:

Paul

I am finishing up rebuilding an L8 that I bought in pieces from a guy who did all the expensive stuff (had the dealer hone cylinder and install .015 oversized piston, ground valve seats etc). while I put it together I did the same as you and painted it with what I had on hand. In my case I used international red from my trailer project to keep the rust off and it still looks alot better than my other two gravleys. Mine are all working machines and the recently painted one is just easier to clean off.

Andy

[gravely_todd]

Here is a pic of my 1960 L. I am going to restore it back to original using the original colors of paint. The reason I am being particular is that my grandfather bought this tractor brand new in '60 and it has never been out of the family, it is complete and has never been apart except for a new head gasket and carb kit along with normal maintenance items like spark plug, points, condenser etc. I want to make it look original and take it to shows, as it would have looked when he brought it home I have another L that I am going to replace it with to continue to do work.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/gravely_todd/defa7be9.jpg

Todd

[Ingersoll444]

Thats a nic eone Todd.

I have an old 1944 L sitting in the shed. If free time ever comes my way, I will do a correct restore on that one. It is all stock[unlike my later LI that is a "Bitza tractor"] and in realy nice, but a little worn, state.

[dirtybernie]

todd. if your ever in ri look me up. i know where theres an older gravely that i believe has a sulky with it. bernie.

[mark777]

If I may jump in here, I agree with everyone about painting it the way you want.

It is true that any items' (tractor, car, truck, motorcycle) residual value is considerably higher when restored to original...The judging points or the selling price reflects this by points or dollars. A purist snob might stick his nose in the air and walk away from most anything I have done in the last few years...

IMHO-
Truth is, In the real world - We (I) are individuals and like to put personality into our efforts. To me, it's my own satisfaction that makes the project worthwhile. And that warm fuzzy feeling of accomplishment, to me, is priceless. Because people are doing and not just talking, and from novice to master mechanics, I am continually impressed by the members on this board.

Regards, Mark

[Fusion1970]

I have been thinking about this too, Paul. If I was keeping it for myself, i'd be more inclined to do it up good. I agree on the choice of color too. If it's yours and you want it red, blue, green, or whatever...go for it.

If I was going to try and restore it, or make it look better in some way, I think i'd do my best regardless of how it was used. They say a chain is only as strong as it's weakest link- I think a tractor would only look as good as what part came out the worst. I mean, if I painted the hood and hacked it up, I probably would lose a bit of ambition on the rest of it.

Greg

[bobodu]

Don't know about the four wheelers...but when it comes to the "L"s...even rust is a thing of beauty! :bannana:
I have painted my two running tractors with Rustoleum Red and Hammered Black...I pull them outta the field,up onto the trailer and on to the shows...no
"Trailer Queens" for me as the dirt is part of the exihibit. :fing32:

[Ingersoll444]

The dirt is what makes them tractors.:D They just dont look right clean!!


Greg,
Well I am going about this a little diferent. As I fix, replace something, that part gets cleaned and painted. So its kinda a hodge podge. Some parts nice shiny, and restored, and most with that hard to get Petena. Looks strange, but works for me.:D

[Fusion1970]

Thats basically what im doing too. Now that most of mine is painted except for the engine, it just makes the engine stand out more. LOL

Greg

[bontai Joe]

The dirt is what makes them tractors.:D They just dont look right clean!!
It was a couple of years ago that I went to an antique tractor show where a fella had restored a late 1950's or early 1960's IH farm tractor. The paint job was something from a custom car shop. The colors were right, but obviously a dozen coats of hand rubbed enamal with several coats of clear on top. Every nut, bolt, and piece of trim was freshly chromed and polished to a dazzling brilliance like a show car. Even the tires were new, spotless and glossy with what ever Armourall product that does that to tires. My point is that it REALLY looked weird and out of place, parked with other tractors that were clean, but not THAT clean, having been driven in the morning's parade or pulled in the arena earlier in the day. And that tractor didn't look like that even when it was new. The guy did start it up, but had soft rags under his shoes so that he would not scratch the paint in the running boards. I've seen guys do that to lawn & garden tractors too, which if it makes them happy, GREAT! But they look funny to my eye, since I'm more used to seeing working machinery. :Orange_tr :Tractor2:

[DYT4000]

Hey Todd! Where's the safety interface on that mower?? LOL

[Ingersoll444]

Its funny you say that DYT. My wife wanted to learn how to use my L. Well I dont eaven have a remote for the PTO, so when I was showing her how to throttle down, lightly engage rev, then boot the lever into gear. She said "Forget this, Its a deth trap!!!" :D

[gravely_todd]

No safety interface.. :bannana: It was made back in the days when the general public had common sense and weren't sue happy....... :smilie_fl

BTW...I added the remote PTO engaging linkage because when I put on my square chute snowblower, it is big time scary to have your hands down there when that thing starts to spin..... :hide:

Todd

[Ingersoll444]

Thats one of the first mods on my list. Kinda hate having my foot down there with that big heavy blade spinning.

[gravely_todd]

I got the "kit" from Richards and if I remember it is about $45 or so....... :fing32:

Todd

[chrpmaster]

Paul

You can also find them on Ebay pretty cheap. get the manual from www.oldgravelys.net to make sure you get all the little parts for it. I just put one on my L8 and it really makes a big difference.

Andy

[Ingersoll444]

ya defently number one on the list. I think it had one at one time. Someone made up a lever down on the advance casting, and it has a gide loop up on the bars, so I think it had one at one time. This LI is kinda a "bitza" tractor, so who knows whats been were.

[bobodu]

My first L came with a spare remote PTO lever...sat in the barn for some time now....now it's gonna go on the "47"

Hey DYT!!
Love that signature :fing32:
Found one of those RED tractor lawn sprinklers today :bannana: :bannana:

Seems everybody has a green :eck16: one....trouble is they ain't RIPE yet...