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I almost hate to be the first one to respond to your question, since I know I am nowhere close to being the voice of experience, however, since I was in your position a couple of years ago, and am only halfway through the project, I would like to lend a hand. Some background would help, because you can compare your situation to mine and gauge how much you've got in store. I pulled a '44 ZTU out of a tree row in June of '96. It had been sitting for at least 25 years - long enough that the owner couldn't remember why they had parked it. Turned out the #4 piston had seized and bent (not broken) the connecting rod into an elbow shaped pretzel! I have discussed this problem with a number Minneapolis collectors and they all say the older Z engines had a problem with overheating due to a smaller than needed coolant chamber around the cylinders. Be that as it may, the other major problem this thing had was that it had an uncovered exhaust system open to the elements, and the entire guts of the engine were not only rusted, but actually fused together. I wound up hunting for a completely new engine, which many say is half the fun of the restoration. Right now I have accumulated most of what I need for engine and surrounding parts, less the wiring harness. I haven't hit all of the local or regional parts/junk suppliers, since I managed to have some luck in my first few tries. I think your luck in finding parts will have a lot to do with where you're located. I have a few leads on some parts tractors that might be of help and can put you in touch with the owners if you want. I also bought some new stuff when I couldn't find good quality originals. An example of this was the front seal and oil slinger. That critter was originally made as a complete unit, and is no longer in production, so replacing it is pretty much impossible (just try removing an old one without destroying it!). You can still get replacement front seals from an AGCO dealer, but make sure you're ready for the sticker shock. I'm also becoming an expert in the art of rust removal/conversion/protection. Gempler's rust converter seems to work well. I have their rust remover, but haven't had a chance to try it yet. I don't recommend just painting over rust with a spray paint that advertizes "rust control", because actually, it's just paint that seals out further oxidation. The rust must either be removed or chemically converted to stop further corrosion. I used Penetrex penetrating oil to loosen many of the seized parts. A lot of experienced restorers swear by Marvel Mystery Oil, which I've never taken the time to try. I also see some interesting testimonials out for Gibb's products (check out their web site). Finally, one of the best ways of learning about projects and reading about parts/supplies sources is to subscribe to one of the enthusiast's magazines such as Pririe Gold Rush or MM Corresponder. Both are great resources. I also found an invaluable maintenance manual that shows the external peripheral parts that the I&T shop manual doesn't. It is available at King's Books, P.O. Box 86, Radnor, OH 43066-0086. It is catalog # MM-6 and sells for around $8.50. It is the most helpful book I've got, since it describes in some detail the steps to take for general upkeep, maintenance, and adjustment of the ZTU.
Whew! Contact me if you want more specific info.
Tim Creger
Lincoln, NE
(402) 466-3968
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