DON’T TELL MOTHER PHIL!! BACK TO THE MASSEY 1200

Summary

Farmer Phil is restoring a vintage yellow Massey Ferguson 1200 tractor. In this video, he shows the freshly painted yellow chassis and starts disassembling components to inspect the brakes and rear axle. Although waiting on some parts held up progress for a while, the brake parts are now rebuilt with new seals, liners and discs. With the axle housing finally relined and repaired, they can start reassembling the rear end. The goal is to have the restored vintage tractor completed by the end of March for an annual vintage tractor show.

Takeaways

• 😊 The 1200 tractor was originally yellow when purchased, so they decided to repaint it yellow to match its history
• 👷‍♂️ They split the back end of the tractor to check the brake system and do any necessary repairs
• 🔧 The brake calipers, balls, and discs were in good condition after being serviced previously
• ⛏️ The differential cover was removed to inspect the internals, which looked in decent shape
• 🚜 The wheel hub was disassembled to replace the seals and bearings due to leaks and wear
• 🛠 They thoroughly cleaned out old brake dust and contamination from inside the hubs
• ⏳ Rebuilding progress was delayed while waiting several weeks for a critical part to be re-lined
• 🎨 The next steps will involve continued reassembly, painting, and finishing touches on the tractor
• 🤞 The goal is to complete the restoration in time to use the tractor for an upcoming plowing event
• 👍 The series sponsor, Conny, provided many original seals, bearings, and other replacement parts

Q & A

What color was the 1200 originally painted and what color did they repaint it?

The 1200 was originally yellow when it first came to the farm. They repainted it yellow to keep its history and make it stand out since most 1200s are red.

Why did progress on the restoration slow down over January?

A part on the inside of the power take-off was damaged and had to be sent away to be skimmed and relined, which caused delays while waiting for that part.

What did they find when they split the brakes on the back axles?

The brakes were in great shape with brand new brake balls that showed no wear. The brake discs were worn down somewhat but still had life left.

What local dealer were they getting some original seals and parts from?

They were able to get some original seals and parts from their local Massey Ferguson dealer called Johnston's.

Who was helping source parts and providing expertise on the 1200/1250?

Someone named Massey Dave from the UK who has a YouTube channel dedicated to restoring 1200s and 1250s.

What’s the new goal for finishing the restoration?

They want to have the restoration done to take the tractor to the Lifford Plowing event towards the end of March.

What was the cause of the rust inside the wheel hub?

The rust was likely caused by the tractor sitting unused in one spot for at least 10 years without proper oiling.

What company was sponsoring the restoration videos?

The videos were being sponsored by a company called RTE.

Who all was working on the restoration?

Father Phil, his son, and some others named Lee and Cony were working on restoring the tractor.

What did they find when they opened up the brake hub?

They found a damaged bearing that was making noise and would need to be replaced along with the seals.