[FINALIST] - Scrap yard murray save [2019 Build-Off Entry]

Ok back to try again this year all healed up from the broken wrist i suffered last years build off. I will be starting with a old murray not sure the year but i saved it from the scrap yard.

Going to make it a nice clean rather simple off road build. As you can see i started the stripping and painting of parts I will be replacing the trans axle with a locked one i have laying around as the one on it feels broken. Will be making a bumper doing lighting and pulley swap to give it some speed this came with a opposed engine but i will be going with a vtwin if i can find one reasonable.




Approved MightyRaze 5/8/2019

Welcome to the build-off.  Boy that rig looks like one of mine!

We may be watching a little bit to be sure the 50% rule is followed.

Thanks! It is like your murray do you know about what year? i have looked and cant come up with anything. Im well under 50% i have only laid a little paint lots to do still

Mine with that hood was an 85.  I have the GT, yours looks to be the LT.  I thought the serno's were between the seat and shifter, but I do not see that on yours.

Made a little progress. Spent a couple hours stripping the paint off the rear fender as well as the foot board. Welded up the rear 5" pulley i will do 6" in the front its what I ran in my last mower and liked it. Took that trans axle out and was going to swap it with one i already had welded but its different than my others and to my surprize actually has bearings so i will clean it up and weld it up.

Welded up the diff and got it back on with new pulley didnt get a pic of the full weld but never had one fail. Also I got the rear fenderd and foot boards on. Once i get the basic tractor back together them comes bumpers and other m
Mods.

Well I got a engine for the build 22hp briggs v twin. Was told ran when parked but thats what they all say. Lol started takiling it apart for clean up akd to make it look pretty and also put a new carb on it. Turned it over and it puked water out the exhaust. So I pulled the head and im going to give it a good clean..


The sight I didnt want to see

Looking alot better

Boy, she sure was nasty! Looks like it's cleaning up well so far though.

Im going to clean it all the best i can and try to run it. Worst case I will hone it and replace the rings but its looking good. She was free so im out nothing

Small update.put some skateboard grip tape down on the foot boards. Also saved one of the hood decals and im going to look around and try to get them reprinted. I have a gasket set on the way for the twin so going to go ahead and pull the other head to make sure its nothing like the other one. Set Also has valve seals so more reason to.

Don't worry about the rust inside the engine. Believe it or not, makes the parts harder. The old timers who build marine engines call that seasoning. They actually go and find engines completely rusted inside and out, remachine everything and end up with an engine that will never blow a hole in the side of the block. Best and cheapest way to clean the rust is Coca cola. Soak the part, spray it on the parts, let it sit for a half hour, then rinse off with water.

Good to know i will give it a try

Ok this past week has been all about getting this motor cleaned up. What a mess it was. Cleaned out both cylinders, lapped the valves, set valve lash torqued it all back down to spec. Installed a new carb. Fuel pump on the way. all new fuel tube and filter. Im using some old ATV tires I had for the back and i put new tubes in them both. Looks like i will have some issues with the hood fitment so will have to come up with a solution for that without cuting into the sheet metal.

Ok this is a cool find I think and should look great on the Murray. Not the exact year but they are new old stock.there are some spots where they have slid off the backing so i will get a good quality spray adhesive when i go to apply them

Man that is sweet! Where'd you find those?

Found them on ebay for $12.48 shipped. I tried to have the
Old ones remade but could not find anyone to do them because of copyrights

awesome job on the paint looks great ! those new decals will be the icing on the cake for sure.

Got some more done this past week. Got front tires in i know alot of folks use them but for the agressive look and the price had to go with them,they came with wheels i could not use so remounted them.
Also got headlights and after cleaning the stock plastic lens and seeing they look brand new for the age im going to mount the light behind them.. Finally got around to stripping the outside of the hood still need to do the inside. I test fitted it for the 1st time and was nervous of how much I was going to have to remove to fit around the engine. To my surprize only had to remove a little to clear the valve covers. Using a pan seat i had and not really into the look so that might change.


Front tires on


Cutting the stock light housing to make room for the headlight

Mounted still more to do on them

Hood test fit

Valve cover dont clear

Timmed and fully fits now

With seat and how she sits right now

How it sits now

Picked up some more parts. Also cleaned up the blower cover and cut out the filter sections as i will be going with a different filter than stock. Also got the little air/ water seperator mounted that is the oil catch can. Need to add a washer to its valve so oil dont leak since its made to work under pressure



Here i was a little worried the engine cut outs on the sides of the hood would look bad not having the opposed heads there but all in all im happy with the look and engine fills that in pretty well

IDK how I didnt seen this Thread earlier, but that rig looks badass!!
Love it!
How do U get it done that your stuff is running so quickly??
Mine takes months & years to get it to run or finished!

I've been watching this build very closely. It's one of the best looking I've seen this year!

Before you paint it, since it looks so good, I'd take the grinder and grind down those cuts so they look factory. And if you put some back tires that match the front, that thing will look like it came from the factory as a mud mower.

Excellent work!  I may just have to steal your idea with the headlights in the future if the old backings hold out ok.

Thanks guys!

@sebastianAlbrecht I hear ya it always takes me forever to finish a project as well. Im giving it my all to finish this year. This Texas heat is not helping

@ murraymountain i will for sure clean up those cuts And if i can afford tires by the end of the build i might throw some ag tires on not exact tread but closer to what factory would be i think.

@ mightyraze its the best i could come up with without welding on the hood. Had to keep the stock lenses. Lol