It always ends up being the little aggravations...

Since then, I told the wife she would not be seeing me much until it was painted and I have kept my promise.

For the past 8 days, I have been working on it (after work) from 4PM til 9, 10, 11, and sometimes (like last night) coming home at 11:50 PM.

Without much fanfare I have been alone with my thoughts and grinder in a grimy and dirty back stall of this body/repair shop grinding away with wire cup brushes on a 4.5 inch grinder removing paint, grease, and 42 years of dirt, and scraping at hard to reach areas with spatulas, picks and what else; using a heat torch to free-up rusted nuts and bolts, welding front axle braces, and doing all of that dirty, time consuming, and particular work for a nice job; washing, degreasing, wiping down, cleaning, and prepping.

And don't let anyone tell you that tractor restorations isn't a lot of WORK! IT IS WORK! Time consuming, dirty, and meditative WORK!

Saturday I primed it, and that night I painted the main frame.

Began re-assembly on Sunday, continued with that Monday, and last night as well. Dash is on, all gauges wired in, fluids filled, power steering pump rebuilt and seals replaced. Installed seal on the hydraulic pump, polished up the gas tank, sanded it shiny new, installed heat shield, radiator, front wheels, filled the tank with gas, double checked all my wiring, connections, and turned the key, pushed the starter and VOILAH! varrooooo m, a black cloud pushed out back, ran to the other side, adjusted the distributor and timing, and she evened out and purred like a kitten.

Until..... ..

'you know the oil pressure line?' that goes from the block to the oil pressure gauge? The one that has no convenient reach unless the hydraulic pump is removed? It blew out. Right behind the pump because it was old, probably rotted and with moving it around a hairline crack developed and now I had I surge of oil coming down the side of the block.

And, of all the parts I replaced...the oil pressure line was the one I didn't replace. Go figure.

Ahh well, that's the way it goes in antique tractor restorations. The little things, and the one thing that may skate by, and it's the one that either aggravates you when you're beat tired and haven'tt eaten since breakfast, and it's late, and you were hoping the end was on hand and you could go home without having to do "one more thing." Or, one part of long process that you say...'hmmm that's not so bad...at least it started and I'm making progress.'

I guess it depends on the mood...but this I know...I'm beat tired and I'm ready to go back to a normal routine and I'm wondering, alone in my back stall, dirt hanging in thair, exhaust fans running, compressor kicking on and off, pants black again, hands creased with dirt and grease, hair matted with overspray, and it's getting late into the night I ask: "why am I doing this? why I am I here?...what's the meaning of all of this"

9N'er

There is absolutely no substitute for personal satisfaction. None. And that is truely what you're getting back. "I did it myself, yessir!" THAT is the work of my hands. My head. My aching back. MINE! What others say of my work, what they think of my work is their own opinion, good or bad, and it takes NOTHING away from my satisfaction.

Although I'm sure the Elenco makes it substantially more difficult, all in all, it sounds like you have had the same issues all have faced in their tractor travels.

Hang in there, in a week you'll be thinking about ANOTHER project... this stuff is addictive and I love it!!! Enjoyed your post!!