[FirefyterEmt]

Well, I just got home from a trip over to grab that MF12-Hydro that Alex was selling and I spent a couple minutes tacking a couple parts onto it so it appears "whole". Alex had torn it down already so it was kind of in many pieces. The next step is to start to pressure wash it, and strip it down to the frame so I can see what I am working with.

Once it has become a good chassis with fresh paint, I plan to transfer some of my parts and the motor from my 12-G. I did not know the hydro has a different seat pan so I will have to work with the one that came with it. I want to see if I can just move the center brace over on the good pan that I have as it would be the way to go. I plan to build my 12G into a narrow front conversion once the hydro is all done up.

Anyway, she needs a little TLC for sure! :thumbs:

Maybe if I park my 12G close enough, it's beauty will wear off onto the 12H? :bigrofl:

Although, she looked like this about this time last year...

 

[DH1]

The seat is not hard to fix, the frame looks good just remove the 2 cushions and have them recovered with new padding, if the pans (metal part) of the cushions are n/g make new ones out if heavy sheet metal, only the bottom one will be rusty.

 

[MH81]

Nice looking twins. Congrats.

 

[FirefyterEmt]

It has one fender that is pretty buggered up and I have a mint (non rusted) 10G seat pan that I could use. I could drill off just the fender if I had to, but I think the center partition can be done just as easy and once done, the rest will line up, or can be drilled in.

I do plan to have the seat re-covered... I also have one of the solid back seat pans that I want to have done for the 12G. They get expensive around here, it looks like it will cost me over $100 no matter where I have them done (and as high as $150!) If anyone knows someone who does them cheap... please let me know!

 

[mjodrey]

That's not too bad looking,you can make a tractor out of that.

 

[NUTNDUN]

I think you have a good base to start with. Will be nice seeing you progress with it.

 

[swiftwind2004]

looks good..i cant wait to see progress pics

 

[FirefyterEmt]

Well, seeing as how you asked so nice... Here are some progress shots!

It looks more impressive than it really is, the parts before were just held on with a few bolts so I could take some before shots. But I pulled everything back off and pressure washed everything I could, I even leaned it on it's side with a brace and hit it underneath. I need to pick up some engine cleaner and soak it down again before I take it apart. I also want to pull the motor and bolt an electric motor to test operation and get all the linkages and stuff working. After that, I will pull the rear end and paint the axle & chassis. From there, I may try to get the OH140 motor running and I am thinking that I may just use that one on this tractor. I am re-thinking my plans a bit, and I may be fixing more of the parts for this tractor than I had planned. The grille can be saved and is not all that bad. I have to use the hood for one of the tractors and my parts tractor hod is shot, although it has a good nose ring! I will have to either fix the headlight panel which is broken in half, or if the one on the parts hood is good, I may drill it out and swap it into the good hood. I also have the hole to patch and it will need to be de-rusted, but the hood is pretty straight in all.

Anyway... here are some photos from today. (For the pages that follow.... I like to take lot's of photos!)

Here it is stripped down of sheet metal with a good shot of how that OH140 motor fit's in there.

A close-up of the motor... it is the best "swapped" motor I have seen on one of these, it looks fully stock when the hood is shut, and fits perfect with the short gas tank.

One dirty transaxle cleaned up and looking much better.

Then the rest of the parts hosed down. They all need to be soaked in cleaner and washed again, but it's a huge improvement!

 

[NUTNDUN]

Looks much better after the first cleaning. The OHV does look good in there, I never realized how tall the valve cover is on the OHV Tecs.

 

[DH1]

It doesn't look that bad, I see your missing the lift arm, and the hole on the hood, the head light panel looks not bad, I've got a couple that are really bent up and broke on the outer edge from being flip up and over without the little hood support bar in place.

You know that the HH120 is 27.66cid and the OH140 is 23.7cid a smaller engine that has more HP because of overhead valve design.
For a pulling tractor IMO displacement rules but for a grass cutter that's run high speed HP rules. I would love to setup a MF12Hydra with the OH180 for grass cutting duty.

 

[FirefyterEmt]

The hood is not all that bad really, the hole is an easy fix, but the headlight panel is cracked in two. I have to look at my spare hood that has a good trim ring. I may just drill that one out and replace the one on this hood with that one.

I do have a lift handle that needs a little work, so between what came with it, and the spare parts I have... I should have close to a complete tractor in decent shape. I will be doing my usual style of rebuild so it will be quite amazing to see it when it's all done. This was the reason I stuck all the parts on it last night to grab some photos.

 

[DMF]

They get expensive around here, it looks like it will cost me over $100 no matter where I have them done (and as high as $150!) If anyone knows someone who does them cheap... please let me know!

Did you call Park Auto Trim? Are they the ones that gave you the quote(s)? That seems high to me... They repaired and recovered an entire bench seat from a Chevy 2500 about 4 years ago for $125...

 

[fordmustang1984]

Oh, and yes an HH100 starter will work on that motor. I know you asked me on MTF but it wont let me on at the moment.

 

[FirefyterEmt]

DMF: Not yet, but I still need to check with them. I want to have both seats done at the same time, but "need" neither right now, so I can wait a while. With any luck they will give me a good price, maybe my prior dealing with them when I ran the shop will help...

Oh, and thanks Alex.... I will have to pull that one off the parts motor and bolt it up!

 

[collinmf12]

Nice , I have a MF 12H hydro restored as you can see as my profile picture.