2055 White resto modding “White Lightning”

Must have hit quote and not edit, whoops. If you could get rid of that I’d appreciate it. Yeah I’m going to run it for a while still cause parts machines are expensive. It occurred to me that maybe I could be hearing the pump’s valves or something since there wouldn’t be a whole lot of fluid in the pump to make the valves quiet, I don’t know though. I will definitely change the filter, and I will probably drain the oil. It’s only a few months old so no need to replace it I think but I will look for chunkies or flakes when I do that.

Well, I settled down, and realistically I think the transmission is going to be good for another two years. I will look out for a gear set or parts machine, and failing that I will retrofit a case 220 hydraulic transaxle and auxiliary functions. The case is a cast iron two speed so I’m out nothing, as long as the torque is the same which it should be. It’s not going to last for a long time as I had hoped, but it will keep going for some time.

Coming soon.... new paint scheme.




Let me know what you think

and yes, still doing the new hood I just thought that this one could use some dressing up.

Love it!

Saw today that we hit 2,000 views on this thread. I’m flattered that you guys find this build that interesting! Thanks y’all! More updates are coming, I’ve been busy doing some other stuff and we have been getting a massive volume of rain, flooding in the valleys etc. Not great for wrenching on stuff. Picked up some new hardware today for the blower, and I got the brackets, drift cutters, guard, and chute deflector all painted. Bought some paint for the blower and that is going to get done soon, going with grey. Anyway that’s all I’ve got done now, next step is to paint the blower shell and then the original hood. Might make some new decals too

Blower shroud at the skid plate mounts, note the cracks. How’d that happen?

Aaaugh! Why is it every time I go to paint Mother Nature decides to be rainy, windy and humid?

Did you guys get through the storms OK? News says it was nasty on the east coast.

We’re doing great, thanks for asking! What storms are you referencing?

I’m inland a good ways so we don’t get too much from the coast, most of our storms are out of the south or west. I’m in an area prone to flash flooding, but I’m on a mountain so I trade the floods for 50 mph winds.

If you meant Elsa that just gave us a couple thunder storms and a few downed trees, but I’m just glad we aren’t in drought this year.

Good news. The ‘news’ here said tornados and whatnot on the east coast. I didn’t see exactly where. South of you I suspect.

There was a small one a few towns over, but that was just a 60ish mile an hour thing. We get one every few years but nothing that would knock a house over or anything, but trees and stuff come down. PA got some though but I never heard anything more about that.

Tractor wise I primed and repainted the tunnel cover and fender fronts, along with the hood support. They turned gray and came out really nice, they are drying now but I will get a picture later. Fenders are primed and I will get those painted in a week or so.

This is some of the best paint I’ve ever shot… picture doesn’t do justice.

Gave the old girl a bath yesterday… very muddy up here. Got over the month’s average in rain this last week alone haha.

I got the fenders finished and assembled. I am pretty sure I wrecked the paint under the washers…don’t use lock nuts on big bolts unless you REALLY want to crank them down. Next time I’m doing lock washers. Heh heh. I got a lead on a parts tractor with good rear tires and a three point, so if it works out I should have all I need to get her finished! Hope y’all are doing good, and enjoy the weekend!

That’s a nice looking rig. Too clean.

Thanks! Don’t worry, she won’t be that clean for long. It gets dusty and dirty around here quick lol

Well the front fenders are painted and back together… blower is primed, sanded and ready for paint. I need to order up some wheel spacers for the front axle and some auger bushings for the snowblower but otherwise with the exception of paint this build is coming to a close for now. I need to make that new muffler over the winter or early next spring, and I think I will use some oil filters to make the end caps. Thus if I wait I can use the old filter and the last one that I saved. Still gotta do some odds and ends but the big jobs are all just about done.

Started aligning the drag link yesterday. Out of curiosity, how much do of the joint should be in the threaded portion? I've got about 3/4" now and wanted to double check. I need to do the rear joint still but the turning radius is a lot more equal now. Also, I am really glad that the nuts were not seized; all backed off with an open ended wrench. I guess we all get lucky sometimes heh

I like to set up the joints with about half the threads showing, if I am making the rod. That way there is room for adjustment both ways.

Cool night picture for y’all to chew on

Got the new rims mounted today. One isn’t running true. Not sure if its the spacer or the rim itself so I will investigate further. I also got the snowblower painted.

And yes, it is the rim that’s bent, starboard side specifically.

Now to figure out what to do…

I waited six months to install these so here’s hoping that the guy I bought these from is sympathetic.

Well…
That’s definitely the rim that’s bent. The guy I bought these from just sold the other two he had. Nothing else is similar in price. Sigh….anybody have any ideas?

Thought: what if I took the old rims to a machinist and cut out the centers and had new centers welded in? Would it be straight enough for this? How much would that cost me? I’d think it wouldn’t be terribly expensive since it would just be some lathe work and then welding.

Still open to other ideas.

Do any shops have wheel working presses any more? I had the rims on my ‘42 Jeep straightened on such a contraption years ago. It clamped the center solidly and could manipulate any part of the wheel. Looked like a regular hydraulic press with attachments. 

So, when you say ‘bent’, do you mean it wobbles or it isn’t round or what. The wobble may be fairly easy to fix if you have access to a hydraulic press. I think the center could be clamped by the press and the rim pried until it is straight. 

Yes, what you describe would work, but unless you have a friend with a lathe (bring it over, we can do it), it will be spendy.

Also, we talking front or rear?  I got lost.  Guessing rear.