To restore or not that is the question.....??
Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Allis Chalmers
Forum Name: Farm Equipment
Forum Description: everything about Allis-Chalmers farm equipment
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=168768
Printed Date: 10 May 2024 at 3:48pm
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Topic: To restore or not that is the question.....??
Posted By: Jk chalmers
Subject: To restore or not that is the question.....??
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2020 at 3:09pm
| I have a awesome little d15 series 2 that was a cheap barn find that was left outside a lot straight but not rusted out and I’m leaning towards restoring it. Opinions....? |
Replies:
Posted By: Jk chalmers
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2020 at 3:13pm
 it’s rust color and orange where I cleaned dirt off lol.
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Posted By: 200 10and20
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2020 at 3:15pm
| Restore or just repaint there is a major difference. Look at the paint this way, the tractor is a little shy of 60 years old if you do a quality job on the paint it will last 60 more. If you leave it alone in 60 years you will have a rust bucket. |
Posted By: Jk chalmers
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2020 at 3:29pm
| That’s a great point with protecting the metal. |
Posted By: Jk chalmers
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2020 at 3:31pm
| Was thinking a hybrid restoration.. straightening metal keeping as much as I can original on parts/bolts as I can. Before they stopped using it there was an engine rebuild and a new hand clutch and it does not jump out of gears so it would just be surface stuff which is really nice. |
Posted By: jaybmiller
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2020 at 4:10pm
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well, I'm FINALLY putting in a carrier axle seal on the left axle fter 10-12 years of having the $6 seal in the closet.. OK, I was looking for a computer chip and found it... Took me all morning to remove this and that, and one bandaid. sigh... I've 'booked' 2 weeks to do the job. ------------- 3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112 Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor) Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water |
Posted By: festus51
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2020 at 5:07pm
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I would vote for a repaint job. It is in good mechanical shape and paint job would not cost that much. You would have a beautiful tractor when you get done. I like shiny tractors.
------------- We the unwilling Led by the unqualified Doing the impossible for the Ungrateful |
Posted By: Jk chalmers
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2020 at 5:14pm
| My buddy owns a Ppg car paint Distribution company so I get 40% discount but it’s still really expensive but worth it!! |
Posted By: Jk chalmers
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2020 at 5:22pm
 Just sold the only tractor I’ve ever restored which was this one and I’m getting the itch again lol
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Posted By: TimNearFortWorth
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2020 at 8:20pm
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I have a number of 15's, most are Series II and I like em' for their size and what they can do. My problem is leaks with 821 fluid on old hard seals and by the time I tell myself I should tear one down vs. adding fluid constantly . . . . . I've talked myself out of it and stumble across another one for a good price. Have two that I hope to have gone through front to back some day. #1 is a SII SC gas with over 14K hours on it that the tranny finally made me park it. #2 is a SII factory 3-pt. with optional spool valves, good and tight where the 3-pt. mounts up and she has the SFW, "Cotton Special".
The SC would go right back to work as I prefer the SC with factory 3-pt. adaptor when needed. The SFW will be a trailer queen likely. Used to think I would add a dual NF to the herd but don't see that happening as I'll never finish all these projects. Someday . . . .
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Posted By: Michael V (NM)
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2020 at 8:25pm
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I'd say,, if its in good mechanical shape,,and your not liking the original'patina',,, do a quality repaint,, use hi quality paint,(no farm store stuff) pro painter,,etc., you will have a tractor that will live for your great grandkids... oh yea,, be nice to take to shows,,,, and,,,and,,, show off..... no way to recover the cost,,,but ,,, this kind of stuff is supposed to be fun,,, lower your blood pressure,, be a project with the kids,,etc.,,etc.,,
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Posted By: Jk chalmers
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2020 at 8:52pm
| Yeah no doubt will be Ppg paint! I seen a series 2 narrow front in Wisconsin for 2800 and it’s really nice original.... but I’m in Ohio oh well lol it’s on Craigslist. |
Posted By: CrestonM
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2020 at 11:47pm
| Maybe it's my eyes, but it looks pretty rusty to me. I'd vote for a good cleaning/strip to bare metal, prime and paint with good PPG paint. |
Posted By: injpumpEd
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2020 at 12:37pm
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I personally prefer them to look like new, or close to that condition. I have a 720 and 5020 both nice original shape, and I use them, so they will stay original. I have a 9523(simplicity 5020)that is beat up and rusty, so it will get repainted someday. I'm still not a fan of the "patina" look lol! Rat rods are just not my thing. ------------- 210 "too hot to farm" puller, part of the "insane pumpkin posse". Owner of Guenther Heritage Diesel, specializing in fuel injection systems on heritage era tractors. stock rebuilds to all out pullers! |
Posted By: Red Bank
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2020 at 2:06pm
| I agree with Ed. I bought one of my 200’s it looked pitiful and I haven’t had time to paint it but I bought a new decal set and put on it to try to make it look better. Worked pretty good I have had it two years and still haven’t made time to paint it yet! |
Posted By: B26240
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2020 at 3:59pm
| I have painted several with PPG product and it is good stuff IMO. One is a work tractor with about 15 years on the paint and it still looks great. |
Posted By: john(MI)
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2020 at 6:14pm
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This is my favorite, my D14. I will never paint it. I like it just the way it looks. I did some engine work on it and painted the block and side rails with rattle cans. I don't want to molest the original paint on the tin tho. You just gotta go with your feelings, to do or not to!  ------------- D14, D17, 5020, 612H, CASE 446 |
Posted By: Jk chalmers
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2020 at 6:54pm
| I think I’m gonna straighten it prime and paint to preserve it because you guys are right it is mostly a rust color .... And a few narrow front series twos I’ve seen restored are absolutely gorgeous |
Posted By: injpumpEd
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2020 at 6:55pm
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John, that looks really nice and well taken care of. I would not want to paint that one either. The one the op showed definitely needs a paint job lol! ------------- 210 "too hot to farm" puller, part of the "insane pumpkin posse". Owner of Guenther Heritage Diesel, specializing in fuel injection systems on heritage era tractors. stock rebuilds to all out pullers! |
Posted By: Jk chalmers
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2020 at 7:31pm
 this 17 I’ll never touch grandpa help me get it right before he died plus it was really well taken care of.. nice work clothes!!
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Posted By: AC720Man
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2020 at 10:29pm
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This is always a touchy subject and can only be answered by the owner. What is your vision of how you want your tractor to look like? Original or a nice repaint? I had this same issue with my 190XT. She was rough, sit outside for the past few years neglected. After much mechanical repair, I decided she deserved a new paint job. No paint can on her, spent 4 months preparing her. Sandblasting, straightening sheet metal, etching primer, primer, 4 coats of PPG paint. I am so proud of my hard work. She is beautiful in my eyes and I have had many complements. She works hard on our small farm but also looks darn good doing it. Her value went way up but she will never be sold. Now my WD, in her work clothes. Here is the difference IMO. Paid $300 for her, non running, but new rubber on the rear< fresh oil change in 2004. Last time she was ran. $200 later I had her running like a she is suppose to. Used it all last year with no issues. Now, she would look real good with a new paint job, but the return or value is not there. Although I don't plan to sell her, I would never get my money back if I paint it. WD-45 would be different. No doubt I would do a mechanical do over and paint job. A series II D-15,I would have no problem going all out. They bring good money if you decide to sell it, or if you plan to keep it. Our dads series II D-15 received a new paint job 5. years ago and she still looks good. Pictures of our parents beside it are priceless as they purchased it new in 1968. She will never be sold as long as my brothers and I are alive. My point is, only you can make this decision. What does it mean to you? If your happy with her in work clothes, then leave her that way. If it’s a financial decision(value on return), then defiantly look a that. And then there is the who cares if it makes sense it makes me happy option. That’s the right decision, because ultimately that’s ALL that matters. ------------- 1968 B-208, 1976 720 (2 of them)Danco brush hog, single bottom plow,52" snow thrower, belly mower,rear tine tiller, rear blade, front blade, 57"sickle bar,1983 917 hydro, 1968 7hp sno-bee, 1968 190XTD |
Posted By: Jk chalmers
Date Posted: 04 Mar 2020 at 5:46am
| Well let’s see tractors...!!? Wd and 190xt... |
Posted By: Transaxial
Date Posted: 04 Mar 2020 at 4:01pm
I questioned painting my 1965 1206 too. It has been on this farm since 1974 and has been a great tractor with original engine. We cut polished the hood and side panels and the paint perked up pretty good and left the Turbo decals original. Then we started sanding and painting the worst of the worn parts like wheels, axles, frame and the farther we went, the more we saw that it looked so much better after painting. My opinion. In the end we painted everything except the hood and side panels and would have saved a lot of prep time and remasking if we had done it all from the beginning. Good luck with your project! 
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Jk chalmers wrote:Posted By: Jk chalmers
Date Posted: 04 Mar 2020 at 4:31pm
| Nice tractor and thank you! |
Posted By: AC720Man
Date Posted: 05 Mar 2020 at 9:46am
    ------------- 1968 B-208, 1976 720 (2 of them)Danco brush hog, single bottom plow,52" snow thrower, belly mower,rear tine tiller, rear blade, front blade, 57"sickle bar,1983 917 hydro, 1968 7hp sno-bee, 1968 190XTD |
Posted By: Transaxial
Date Posted: 05 Mar 2020 at 12:29pm
| Nice collection of Allis tractors. Is the narrow front tractor on the hay rake a WD? I spent a lot of time on those in haying season back in the day. Actually a C and a F. They had their own engine sound and gear noises. And the individual wheel brake levers. |
Posted By: AC720Man
Date Posted: 05 Mar 2020 at 7:30pm
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Yes it is a 1952 WD. It was mainly Used to mow and rake hay. Also had a post driver on the nose as the mount is still there. I removed the side tank the driver dumped into. I recently purchased a 82-S side mount mower for it. The XT is a 1968. My pride and joy.  ------------- 1968 B-208, 1976 720 (2 of them)Danco brush hog, single bottom plow,52" snow thrower, belly mower,rear tine tiller, rear blade, front blade, 57"sickle bar,1983 917 hydro, 1968 7hp sno-bee, 1968 190XTD |
Posted By: Transaxial
Date Posted: 06 Mar 2020 at 9:20am
| Yes your XT is a pretty tractor! The beginning of the HP race! A lot of similarities to our D19 from memory. That mounted mower looks to be in excellent condition. Allis was way ahead of the others in mounted equipment and hydraulics and such it seemed. |
Posted By: Steve Wilkens
Date Posted: 06 Mar 2020 at 4:44pm
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I restore tractors for a living, and personally believe that there is no right or wrong here. A lot has to do with how you plan on using it. If it is a work tractor, service it and work it. If you decide later on to restore it, you can do that too. If it were a family heirloom, the decision would be much harder. As mentioned before, restoring them helps to ensure that it will be around a long time. That said, it is also true that they are only "original" once. If it were mine and I had work it could do, I would service it up and work it and ponder the restoration question for now. |
Posted By: Jk chalmers
Date Posted: 06 Mar 2020 at 5:38pm
| Well put |