A Massey-Harris 33.

[old28]

Those are some serious rear treads for that newly painted MH33 [P

What are you doing for rear rims?[S

 

[MercuryMac]

I don't make a good red-head, Sawrig, I don't have the green eyes, the freckles, or the cute face to go with flaming red hair.
Yes, 28, brand new tires. I had sold a friend the wheels and tires that I'd originally found, because they didn't bolt onto a Massey-Harris properly, so I would have to change the mountings. The friend was putting duals on his swather and they just bolted right on. We both didn't realize that 28" tires and rims are scarce as hens teeth. He kept looking for used tires to give back to me, but finally just bought new tires for me. I have an old M-H 30 out back with one good wheel and one fixable wheel, so that's what I'm mounting the tires on.
Today I dug out a bunch of parts from my pile, cleaned them up, primed them and painted some things.
I finished painting the gas tank.
Oh, while rummaging around at the bottom of the parts pile I found two cans of bolts and weird little parts that I've been looking for.

 

[MercuryMac]

I've been doing little piddly things the last few days, so nothing picture worthy.
A bunch of bolts and small chunks are cleaned up and painted. The gearshift is bright red now.
One thing that took a lot of time is the drawbar. Remember that I told you I got a good deal on this tractor because the motor was missing, well so were the back tires and wheels and the drawbar. I found a motor out of the same year of M-H combine but it isn't the same at all. The first set of wheels and tires I found wouldn't bolt onto the tractor very easily. Yesterday, I thought I'd try to fit my 'first found' drawbar on the tractor. Well, it's 2 1/2" too short and the slider bracket near the back that the drawbar swings sideways on is in the wrong place and is too long. Quite a bit of time was wasted imagineering the best way to fix this situation and then more time was spent looking for a chunk of 1"x2 1/2" flat bar to graft onto the end of the drawbar.

 

[MercuryMac]

Today I cleared the way to get the engine crane to the tractor. When I had a good path, I grabbed the flathead off the floor and plopped it in the belly of the Massey-Harris. The front motor mount bolt holes don't line up, but I'll just bore a new one. The back mounts have to be exactly right so the output shaft lines up with the input shaft of the transmission. It was close which was a pleasant surprise. With about 15 thousands of an inch grinding of one side where the guide pin fits into its female slot, the shafts line up.
I had taken the steering shaft pedestals off and laid the shaft as far out of the way as I could, but it doesn't look like I could put it back in its rightful place, so that will take some time in the near future.

 

[BillM]

That's looking really good MM.

 

[DozerII]

That's a whole lot off Red MM, won't be long and you will be looking at the next project.

 

[MercuryMac]

Thank you guys.
Dozer, I don't have any trouble grabbing a new project; I do have some trouble finishing up the 'ongoing' projects that are scattered all over the shop, though.

 

[old28]

Well MM your getting close on this project[cl[cl[cl You will have some time to look over the shop for the next one. [S

 

[MercuryMac]

I filled the rear-end and transmission with 75-90 gear oil, then mounted the cover. There were three different sizes of bolts to hold it down. I didn't have enough cleaned up and painted. The seat mount and spring is now on there. While I was doing all of this I kept looking at the pipe that goes from under the seat to a pivot under the dash. I hadn't put high build primer on it or sanded it down to smooth out the sandblasted rough profile, so the pipe looked like cast-iron. I sanded the nice paint and sprayed on the high build primer.
I found out why Massey-Harris didn't put Chrysler sixes in this era of tractor. The steering shaft has to fight the oil pump for the same space. I chose to bend the steering around the pump. The second picture is the shaft cut twice, the extra U-joint just in front of the pump and a steadying bracket just below the carburetor. This is just mocked up, the steering shaft doesn't turn freely in that bushing, yet. But the imagineering has been done, the plan set and the work instigated. She's close. [[

 

[kenny c]

You're almost there. [cl[P[P

 

[MercuryMac]

Whoa, whoa, Kenny, your enthusiasm is running away. Some of that naïve enthusiasm might rub off on me. I am plodding along forward, though. I picked up some parts in town today and made this steering shaft bracket more stable sideways. pic one.
Then I set the rad on the frame for a look-see. Whoops, the Chrysler six has it's fan and water pump 2" higher than the old Continental four cylinder. I think I've got a plan for it now though.

 

[Old Iron]

[P[P[P

 

[dutch]

You can cut an inch or 2 of off the top fan blades... [P

 

[MercuryMac]

That wasn't quite one of the possible solutions that I thought of and then quickly discarded. I think I can unbolt the rad from the side brackets and move it up two inches, then cut the upper tin deflector and the filler neck down two inches.
Now that I remember, the old tractor that I took the donor motor and bellhousing out of, had the hood coggled up two inches higher on the front. [S
Now I know why, maybe nobody should try to put a Chrysler six in a Massey-Harris.

 

[kenny c]

An other option may be to move the top hose to one side and build the shroud up and close up the bottom.

 

[Old Iron]

If you have the fan to radiator clearance then maybe make an adapter to lower the water pump.
[P

 

[MercuryMac]

Kenny, I didn't look at that option yet, so I'll have to check that out.
OI, moving the fan down 2" would be the nicest and I have some 'front to back' wiggle room, but I couldn't see how to just lower the fan shaft two inches and still drive it. Your adapter is what's missing in my mind.

 

[MercuryMac]

Guys I looked at all of your options and some of my own.
Kenny, I think it would be easier to move the whole rad up than to remake the shroud. The thermostat housing points off to the righthand side so moving the upper rad hose sounded good. Then I found a different Chrysler housing outlet that points up and forward.
Dutch, here's a fan that has been trimmed. What do you think? [low centre of pic]
OI, I hunted up some fan bearing and pulley supports, but nothing is coming together in my mind yet. [left and right in pic]
I also painted a few more things today.

 

[dutch]

oh Mac... I meant just the blades sticking out to the top, not the whole fan...
I was just kidding with my stupid comment...sorry

really, if there`s any play room for Oi`s option I would go that route for sure. Drop the pump.

 

[MercuryMac]

Dutch, I could see the twinkle in your eye from here, so when I found that little wee fan I thought I'd poke you back.
On OI's suggestion, I modified it some. I tried a totally different Dodge pump, but no, it didn't work. Last night I thought " what about using another brand of pump, like a Ford flathead one?"
Anyhow, food for imagineering.