Massey Harris Pony Renovation.

Jonnyboy

Jonnyboy

Well-Known Member
Member
Hi everyone. So after three days of searching the Internet sending emails for information on my Pony’s year of manufacture I have started the long clean up operation. Working on the process of elimination I have narrowed the year of manufacture down to the years between 1954 and 57. !! So with the absence of a workshop manual ( I have yet to find one coming with a sensible price) I have removed the front grill and radiator. The grill has some rust in the lower corner so I have to attend to that and the grill has had a bang in the front and needs attention. I have already sorted two minor dents in the bonnet. It’s amazing how your skills learnt some 52 years ago come back to you. Thankfully this tractor seems to be fairly easy to work on which is making my life a bit easier although some of the nuts and bolts have been bloody difficult to undoe. I have added some pictures of my progress. Hopefully not too boring for those of you who have already been a great help.
 

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alleyyooper said:
You going to paint it our just take the dings out?

:D Al
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Morning Alley.I am taking the Pony back to the base metal on the parts I can get to and repaint the complete tractor. I am considering replacing the front timing cover/crankcase oil seal along with the sump gasket whilst I have the radiator out but am holding back from stripping the engine down as it appears to run quite smoothly considering it’s age,
 
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. They say.

Gunna be a nice tractor when your done.

With the extra 5 hp over the Canadian model you’ll have to watch yourself while driving it. Hehe.

Noel
 
Propane1 said:
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. They say.

Gunna be a nice tractor when your done.

With the extra 5 hp over the Canadian model you’ll have to watch yourself while driving it. Hehe.

Noel
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It was a slow trip back to my house from the small holding where I bought the tractor from on Saturday. The original owner and his mate were laughing and surprised that I was driving the Pony back to my house and not trailering it but I had no option. The French guys thought I was just another mad Englishman but with my mate following I did the trip in two hours. It was a good test on the engine and cooling system as the journey involved several long and steep inclines but the Pony coped very well. I am certain the throttle linkage needs attention as on closer inspection there is considerable wear and I am certain the engine isn’t working g at full revs. All good fun though .Skills and plenty of patience taught by my peers when I started my apprenticeship in Agricultural Engineering back in the late sixties are now invaluable. I worked on John Deere’s for nine years so the Pony is bit different but another challenge. I have to say I am loving it having waited some fifty years to get my hand on a project like this...My next task is to find a workshop manual for the Pony. There are several agricultural shows and the like here in France where I hope to find one on a second hand stall. If not I will have to bite the bullet and get one on line at some extortionate price.
 
I have a 1949 Pony and a 1954 Pacer. Same as the pony except a tiny bit difference in thre front end set up and instead of having the 11HP 62 cubic inch engine it has the 16 HP N92 Cubic inch engine.
The pony also has a manual lift and the pacers is hydrlic. Both use the same tool bars and equipment installed on them.

Pacer
1567690055893.png
 
Hi Alley. That’s a nice photo of an old working tractor. In France here there are so many old timers just sitting around rusting away doing nothing. I can see the similarities in the Pony and Pacer .
 
Just minor changes in the front axel set up and the more HP engine. I do have the side panals for it. Had them off for a battery replacement.

Just try and buy that setting around rusting away old iron. You will get told they are going to fix it up some day. Or ask a price of a New sub compact.

:D Al
 
The French farmer opposite my house has an old Renault N71 sitting in a barn with two others in pieces in an old lock up around the corner. When I asked him if they were for sale he just shrugged his shoulders and said non.!! End of conversation. They were his fathers so probably have some sentimental tie.
 
So I said to my wife. “I am just going out to the workshop for a tinker”.
 

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alleyyooper said:
How is work going on your pony?

:D Al
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Hi Al. Sorry for the delay. Just picked up your post. The renovation is going ok all be it a bit slow. Living here in rural France there is no easy way to get around getting the old paint off the old girl.!! I had a break for three or four weeks from the boring part of renovating but Inhave had two good days in the workshop sanding down the wheels. All a bit tedious but once the hard work is done I can get an undercoat on the bodywork. The Pony is on a 6 volt system. I am considering converting to 12 volt but have to weigh up the cost . I believe there is a post somewhere giving information on how to go about this. I will get some photos on my progress over the next day or two. Thanks for your interest.
 
Thanks for the update. I am a massey man thru and thru, LoL I bleed read with harvest yellow.

When I did my Pony My daughter about 12 then sat down with some 100 grit paper and sanded the wheels and centers nearly to bare metal
every where.
I usually sand just enough to get the loose stuff off and a bit of the rust. Then use thick pit fill primer to sand smooth befor the base coat of red or yellow.

:D Al
 
alleyyooper said:
Thanks for the update. I am a massey man thru and thru, LoL I bleed read with harvest yellow.

When I did my Pony My daughter about 12 then sat down with some 100 grit paper and sanded the wheels and centers nearly to bare metal
every where.
I usually sand just enough to get the loose stuff off and a bit of the rust. Then use thick pit fill primer to sand smooth befor the base coat of red or yellow.

:D Al
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I have nearly finished rubbing down one wheel. 63 years of old paint and rust takes a bit of shifting Most of the upper body ,engine and chassis rails are done. French paint is notoriously rubbish but I have found some on the Internet so the end result should be ok.
 
If you really gewt tired of sanding old paint use oven cleaner on it then pressure wash it and the paint off.

:D Al
 
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