MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS EP 1- 6 CYLINDER SWAP INTO FORDSON MAJOR

Added: 2026-06-01

[00:00:03]Hello and welcome to another episode of Tegran Toy Shop. And this is the first in a new series where we um take a Ford Major belonging to a customer and we fit a six-cylinder Clayson engine into it as well as doing a full restoration. So, um little background here. Uh this engine um came from a combine. I think it's done extremely low hours. It seems to run absolutely beautifully.

[00:00:29]Um, it's been stripped down to not its bare bones, but enough parts taken off it. Um, I've given it a good clean. Um, that needs a little bit more cleaning and then it's ready for paint. Um, the major. So, that needs to have the front taken off. Um, radiator, nose cone, everything. Um, we need to be pulling the engine out of this one. Um, and then we're going to see how much work is involved because I've never done one of these before. So, um, you're joining me on a journey of discovery.

[00:01:05]Um, we're going to see how much work it is to put this six-cylinder into this tractor. Um, obviously, we're going to have to extend the front, uh, make a longer bonnet and bits and pieces like that. Um, but it's a it's a fairly common swap that's been done many, many times before. So, if I don't know how to do it, there will be people out there who know how to do it. So, I'm fairly confident with this one that it's not going to be a massive massive ball. Um, but yeah, first thing to do with this now is um get the front end off and get the engine out.

[00:02:00]Heat. Heat.

[00:02:09]Heat.

[00:02:34]Heat.

[00:03:02]Now, I don't want to drop this cuz It's heavy.

[00:03:12]So, we're very gently doing is working it off the end of the axle.

[00:03:24]The idea is to never actually have it leave the floor.

[00:03:30]So that way you're not lifting. And if it does fall, it's already touching the floor.

[00:03:39]Slide the bait across. And we're off.

[00:03:44]Don't let it lean too much, otherwise it will fall over.

[00:03:49]There's the first one.

[00:03:51]Great success.

[00:03:54]Now, the temptation is to whip this axle off complete and just get it out the way, but um it's a lot easier to slacken everything off while it's on the tractor and it's held rather than having it off the tractor and then having to work on the floor and have stuff wobble around the place and move. So, basically, we're going to use the tractor as a big vice to hold everything while we take it all apart.

[00:04:17]Now, this is the perfect opportunity as well to um check for play everywhere.

[00:04:22]So, I'll check our kingpins. You can see there's a bit of movement in those bushes there. Uh, we can check our drag link.

[00:04:33]Bit of wobble.

[00:04:40]Other side is just as bad. No, not horrendous.

[00:04:46]Um, steering backward ends.

[00:04:53]There's actually not very much play in the ball joints. I can barely move them.

[00:04:59]So, that means one of two things.

[00:05:00]They're either seized or they're in good condition. So, we'll check them later on.

[00:05:20]So, the first thing to try to get these out is put the nut back on so you don't get a drag link in your face.

[00:05:30]And then I get a crowbar in there and then hit the side of where it mounts.

[00:05:41]That's popped.

[00:05:43]Good.

[00:05:45]And that's why I put the plastic bag on there because I've already scraped my leg across the greasy shaft.

[00:05:59]So, the next job is getting this steering drag link out, which has got a split pin.

[00:06:09]Oh, it turns. That's That's positive.

[00:06:17]Now, the best way I have found for getting split pins out is using a snips.

[00:06:23]Just grab the and then you can really get some good leverage on it, pulling towards you, and then just carry on repositioning.

[00:06:37]And that's out.

[00:06:48]and find ourselves a punch.

[00:06:50]Now, I apologize for the heavy breathing and the grunting because hammering hurts.

[00:07:10]Hey And it didn't fall in the bucket of water, which is surprising.

[00:07:22]Some might say I should have taken the bucket of water away already because why is it still here?

[00:07:29]I like to live dangerously.

[00:07:38]Now, this one's even nicer because this one has still got the grease nipple in, which means it's been greased more.

[00:07:46]And by the looks of things, whoever had this tractor last did actually put grease in places where they could, but there's a few places where the grease nipples are missing and they haven't replaced them. Um, and then they don't get greased.

[00:08:04]Crunchy ribs.

[00:08:20]What I'm going to do now is open these up and get the kingpins out of the way.

[00:08:46]That undid quite nicely.

[00:08:49]Now, we always leave the nut on when we go to knock a bolt out because that way you can protect the threads. Just buy a new nut.

[00:09:10]do now is send a chisel into here to try and open it up a little bit.

[00:09:18]Got a feeling my chisel might be too fat to actually start.

[00:09:45]We've got some movement there.

[00:09:53]Then we move out the way so that when it falls on your rubber mat. It doesn't land on your knees.

[00:10:02]Ready?

[00:10:22]So, what we're going to do now is repeat that on the other side. Take these three big nuts and bolts out. Take these two out. And then we will have a look at getting the front axle pivot pin out, which might be easier said than done.

[00:11:05]So, I've got two of these nuts uh on pretty tight and my chest isn't really good enough. Well, my ribs aren't really good enough to be hanging off a breaker bar. So, I'm going to get some more penetrating oil on there. And if they don't go, um, I'm going to rethink.

[00:11:44]Fair play to this impact wrench.

[00:12:05]Heat. Heat.

[00:12:41]So, with those bolts being so stiff, I decided to get the rest of the axle off as it is. Um, we're going to drag that out the way with the electric hoist and get it up onto a bench. And at some point when I'm feeling better, I can hammer the hell out of those bolts and get them all out.

[00:13:02]So, um, we'll just be doing the lighter stuff that we can today. So, I think it's time for bit of a tidy up because we're looking bit chaotic here. I want to sweep up this sawdust before I just tread it everywhere.

[00:13:21]So, we're at a point now where we're ready to um get the front off, get the side rails off, and then make a start on getting the engine out. Um yeah, making good progress. Quite happy with this.

[00:14:04]So, there's the engine out. Um, got the clutch and flywheel to take off this engine and a few other bits and pieces. And then what we're going to do is we're going to put the side rails back on. And then I'm just going to make um a temporary little frame at the front of it that I can put the uh the ball hitch on the forklift on it so I can just pick the front of the tractor up and take it outside to give it all a good pressure wash.

[00:14:27]So it's the hottest day of the year so far. It's um 30° in the bottom bit of the shed and up the roof space. I've just measured it is about 45 46. Um I can just feel the heat coming down off the sheets today which is nice. Um anyway, we have got the old engine is on a pallet out the way. Um all of the front axle off camera. I managed to get all of that stripped. That's gone into a box and that's gone off to be sand blasted and primed. Um next job now is to make the hitch to drag this out to give it all a good pressure wash. Um so that involves welding on the hottest day of the year. Great.

[00:15:12]So, instead of doing some welding, I thought what I could try and do is just bolt this hitch on top of here, and that should do it.

[00:15:26]There's something about the heat that makes me lazy to the point of ingenuity.

[00:15:47]Jesus Christ.

[00:16:08]Now, I find it's always good to have stuff mobile so you can wheel it around.

[00:16:16]Makes stuff like the cleaning so much more easy.

[00:17:08]So, that worked quite nicely, actually.

[00:17:11]It's a little bit heavy for the little tractor, but it managed. Um, so we can give all of this a good pressure wash.

[00:17:19]Um, as well as the rest of the tractor.

[00:17:21]Um, and it gives us a chance to tidy up inside the shed.

[00:17:29]So, I'm not sure whether you're going to hear me very well now because we've got thunder and lightning going on outside.

[00:17:37]Um anyway, we have had this um had this all outside. We've had it washed down. U is now to get the Clayson engine um mocked up to it. We're not going to bother putting the clutch and flywheel in yet because what I don't want to do is go messing up the pilot bearings and things because this engine's going to be in and out a few times. So, um, all of the mocking up is going to be done without the flywheel and clutch. And then towards the end of the build, then that's when the delicate stuff starts to go back into it. So, um, yeah, exciting times.

[00:18:14]Heat.

[00:18:32]Heat.

[00:18:46]So, that's the engine in. Um, it's basically just hanging in place at the moment. Um, there's a couple of bolts in the top. I need to machine the dowels so that they line up a little bit better and they wiggle into place. Um, the bell housing bolts at the bottom to the sump don't line up. So, I'm going to have to see what what the score is with that.

[00:19:06]Um, and then we need to get some extended chassis rails made. So, I reckon that's a good place to tie this up for uh for this episode. Um, because there won't be anything done for a couple of days. Uh, so yeah, that's that's it. If you're enjoying it, thank you very much for watching and um please like and subscribe so that you can carry on seeing how we get on with it.