Intro and 1965 Cub Cadet 122 refurbish pics

[echassin]

Hello! My name is Eric, this is my first post here.

I bought this 122 from an aquaintance. I like it because it looks great and because I know it was at least partly designed where the International Harvester factory used to sit, on what is now our subdivision. I have paperwork for it dated 11/08/1965 labelled "Hindale" (now Burr Ridge).

The tractor worked well when I got it, but being 45+ years old, the deck had rust holes in it, things leaked, and in general the poor thing looked spent.

I tried to make it nice, albeit not a concours restoration. I took some liberty with the colors, and left the seat pan uncovered. Overall I'm very happy with it, and the neighborhood kids love getting hay rides with it.

Onto the pics (they don't show but the links work well):
PHOTO 1

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PHOTO 3

PHOTO 4

PHOTO 5

PHOTO 6

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PHOTO 9

PHOTO 10

 

[echassin]

That was the intro, here's some comments about the work I did:

I got most of the parts I needed from here: http://ccspecialties.org/

Things I had to replace:
Upper steering column bearing.
Tie rod ends.
Hydraulic pump shaft seal.
Hydraulic pump reservoir gasket.
Headlamp.
Blinker relay (Murray's Auto Parts)
Paint (I used spray cans and paint cans of Rustoleum Gloss Yellow and Gloss White, great coverage and durable. I also used some silver and black).
Most of the work was nothing magic, i.e.: taking things apart, scrubbing, welding, painting, refurbishing as needed, reassembling.
I'm fortunate to have complete instructions, schematics and paperwork for everything on the tractor, plus the FAQs on this forum were helpful (like for the steering box).

The wiring was a mess, but it cleaned up great and is simple to figure out once everything is untangled.

I passed on new decals, opting instead to carefully tape off the originals. I realize incorrect colors and original decals are suboptimal from a restoration standpoint, but it produced results which I find very acceptable.

Hope y'all like it

 

[mschutz]

Eric, Looks pretty good to me. The colors look like CC colors.

 

[fcurrier]

Wow! Makes me want to have my pic of Matthew, the mongrel 149, deleted!

 

[kmcconaughey]

Eric, WELCOME!

Very nice job on the 122!

 

[aaytay]

Eric-
That's a GREAT looking 122, and I REALLY LOVE that car you have in the garage!

<font size="-2">That was the first vehicle my wife and I bought before we were "hitched". I wish it wasn't so rusty, we'd still own it!</font>

 

[echassin]

Thank you for the welcome!

The yellow I chose lacks any correct orange tint, and the white lacks any correct greenish tint, so the colors are brighter than stock.

I admit was surprised by the number of lay people who knew right away. Also, I know it would have been correct to spray the whole chassis yellow after assembly, but I just coudn't do that.

Off topic, but since it was brought up, I hope I'm allowed. The car is an 81 VW Scirocco S. There aren't many left due to rust problems, as mentionned. This one somehow escaped and still has its original paint:
PHOTO 1

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PHOTO 3

Great forum, and further proof that the Internet brings the World together

 

[jstertz]

Great Job Eric and welcome to the forum! What a sharp looking 122. I'm glad you put forth the effort to keep that fine piece of history around. As for the deviations from stock, as long as you like it that is what is important. I think its cool. How long have you had it finished?

 

[echassin]

Thank you sir.

We've been toodling around with it for a week or so, "finished" it a bit before that, but you know how it is, it's never really finished.

The guy who patched the deck is remaking the blade shrouds out of stainless, but even after that, I may improve some of the painted parts, find an hour meter, etc...

 

[aaytay]

Eric-
Not to deviate too far from the topic of your 122, but.... WOW! That Scirocco is in incredible condition!!!!!

After my previous post, I showed my better-half your photo with the Scirocco in the background and your 122 in the foreground. She smiled and said, "Awwe, I LOVED that car!" Ours was a 1981 as well. It wasn't an "S-version" but it was a peppy little car. It was kind of a 1980's beige-brown-metallic with a brownish-velour interior.

Ironically, I remember dad placing an order at the VW dealer for a Diamond Silver Metallic Scirocco in 1980, but after getting home he realized that we just couldn't afford a new car at the time and had to cancel the order. Thanks for posting the links to those pics of your beautiful example.

I have an original sales brochure for those. Let me know if you'd like some scans.

We now bring you back to our original topic...

 

[rlittrell]

Your 122 looks super nice and I wouldn't worry about the colors not being perfect. You fixed it to use it not hit the show circuit.

I like your V-Dub as well!






Randy

 

[echassin]

The next guy can do the colors "correct" in another 46 years, which would put us around 2057, long after I'm gone!

I've been doing little details on it, and I got a nice autumn picture of it (click the links):

AUTUMN

The deck was already mostly done, patched and painted...:

DECK

...but it still needed the shroud. The old one was a lace work of rusty metal, so I made a new one from high grade stainless which will hopefully be "permanent", since the last one didn't even last 50 years, lol:

DECK SHROUD

Anyways, thanks for the compliments, fun forum to toodle around in!