[Finalist] [24] CHIEF - ATLTF 2024 Build Off Entry by TORGO

#Buildoff2024

It’s a little late but I want to throw in my entry for the 2024 Build-Off.

I'm building it for the wife and she is a huge Chiefs Fan so it will be named CHIEF

Here is my Entry Form and a picture of what I started with, an old MURRAY.





It was only a 2speed so I am going to add 1 gear to make it a 3sp.



Also a centrifugal clutch so it will act like an automatic for her.  Locked MST-203 with Doc Locker 2.0 upgrade to new bearings, all hubs will be 4x4 pattern and paint it Red and Gold Chiefs colors.

Approved -MR 08-17-24

Welcome to the buildoff! Sorry for the delay I am on travel right now.

Ok, time to update the build.

I started with this


Found this in the engine


Then it became a pile of parts


Welded up the front axle to make it stronger



Then I Doc Locked/live axle and added a gear to the MST202 that came in this mower


Then installed it in the frame that I stripped and painted black.


Installed the centrifugal clutch I had on hand


And the trans pulley.  4" on the motor and 3-1/2" on the trans

Test run to see if my belt idler system works and the belt will stay on.

I've started in on the painting and getting tires mounted.

Fronts:



Rears:



Up next will be rear hyd brakes.  Stay tuned.  

Almost finished the brakes, a cheap disc for mini bike off of Amazon and a brass gear I had laying around that I bored out the center to 3/4" and turned a little off the outside.  I just need to broach a new keyway for the axle.




Then I ran into a setback.  The engine that came on the mower smoked so bad that it was spitting oil out the exhaust, so off it came.



Luckly I had another Briggs Model 31 out of my LT2000 that it freely donated.  (I have an OPPY to re-install in the Craftsman).

No pictures today, but I did get the keyway broached in the disc brake hub I built, mounted the rotor, rear wheel hubs and started modifying the shifter because I lifted the rear end 2" so now it is not a bolt on.

Going to a swap meet tomorrow. Happy Tractor Hunting!!!!

I didn't find much at the swap meet, only picked up some 1.5" 5 on 4.5" wheel spacers for my Sears.

Continued working on the Chief last night.

I got the master cylinder mounted in location and modified part of the old brake rod/pedal to switch the brake from the right side to the left as I plan on mounting gas pedal on the right.



I cut and fabbed a new tab for the brake pedal and then cut a new slot in the fender pan for the brake as it did not have one on the right. (the master cylinder is getting another bolt)



I got the master cylinder off Amazon and it came with a remote reservoir that I need to mount yet.  You can also see I have been doing some painting.



I try to do something every night after work as the deadline is fast approaching.

Probably will have to bench bleed that master cylinder with it upside down like that. Hopefully it won’t give you much trouble. The one i have on mutt did take a good amount of bleeding after i put it on.

I noticed that when I uploaded the pictures that the master cylinder was upside down.

No reason I can't turn it over so I will tonight.

Thx for the catch.

Ok, I haven't posted lately but I still have been working on this.  Only 60 days to go.

I flipped the brake master cylinder and got it bled out.  Had to make a small adjustment on my brake rotor.  But brakes seem great.  Got some body work mounted and the steering installed.

(as you can see I left the cup holder on for the "hold my beer" moments.



I added one pulley to the drive line, but didn't take a picture of that.  

I am working on the foot throttle and when I get that finished I am taking off the build sawhorses and mounting the wheels.  Still to go is the kill switch.  

The starter is wired to a manual push button so no starter relay.  I haven't decide if I am going to hook up a charging system or just go minimalistic.

I need to start thinking of a front and rear bumper/tow hook option.


This picture of the brake caliper is really dark, sorry.





I'm a bit worried the rear tires will be to wide and I may have to shorten the axle length a little.

Love the little tykes look this build has going on, lol.

Must be a pretty heavy duty push button to run the starter, i dont think you would want less than a 50amp rated one, and that’s a conservative guess. I did have one push button off of an old tractor to start a mower, the thing must have had 3/8” lugs and a button an inch around.

Yes, it is for a tractor.  I have one on my M Farmall.





Pretty heavy duty.

Nice starter button! Nice solenoid delete. Where you thinking of mounting it? Someplace it won't get hit or fell on. ;-)

That’s the exact push button i had, except mine was probably 60 years old.

Adding to what mighty said,it would be cool to have a “hood” for the button so it is less likely to be accidentally pushed. Sort of a half moon over the top of the button so if something fell on or pushed against it it would hit the little hood before it pushed the button.

Just caught your video.  That murray is looking good!

Hope you do not mind, I added your video. Looking good!

You now meet requirements to be complete. Just let me know!

No that is fine, but I had a little trouble.

I was driving around testing it and there was a bang and a bad grinding in the transaxle.

I pushed it back to the shop and pulled the transaxle.





I don't know what happened but a gear broke.



I had a MST-206 so I pulled the DocLocker from the broken one and built a new transaxle.





Here you can see where the broken gear broke open the bottom case.



I'm putting this back together tonight and hope to have it running tonight.

Ok, took till 9pm but I got it all back together last night.



I'm not happy with the brakes yet.  I think I need a larger brake caliper.

It takes to much force in my opinion to stop.  It has brakes, but I want better brakes.  I have a couple old motorcycle calipers around I might try.

I did some speed runs in the dark last night but didn't record them.  Top speed is going to be faster than the 14mph it was.

I did a speed run today, and I got to 21mph.  The Briggs model 31 is now ungoverned so I am a little leery of over speeding it.  

I am hoping the valves will float before anything bad happens.  

Does anyone know what RPM the stock valves float at?

Ok, I'm calling this build complete.  

I am going to keep working on the brakes, charging circuit, choke cable, and some bumpers, but for now it is ridable and a heck of a lot of fun.





In the background is my 2013 F-150 with 382,000 miles on it.  I'm hoping it will last me another year.


#Complete24 -MR

Excellent! I have you marked!

Forgot to ask, shall the video above be used for your completion video? Currently it will be used and for voting post later!

torgo wrote:

I did a speed run today, and I got to 21mph.  The Briggs model 31 is now ungoverned so I am a little leery of over speeding it.  

I am hoping the valves will float before anything bad happens.  

Does anyone know what RPM the stock valves float at?

Unsure exactly when the valves float on those, but I know connecting rods tend to be the first thing to go. That and head gaskets. I would keep an eye out for a suitable replacement just in case it pops one day without warning

I’m not sure its the conrod that goes on these, might be the dogbone or counterweight that exits through the side of the block and then the engine dies of oil starvation from the open window the counterweight makes. If these are the engines I’m thinking of.