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In this episode of Restore It, I'm restoring a Tri-ang Major Tractor Pedal Car, made in the UK in the 1950s. This is the best I've ever seen.
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After a quick inspection and testing, I started by disassembling the tractor. The car had some rust on it, but the paint was in good condition for its age. Once all the parts were disassembled, I stripped the paint off with paint stripper. Because it contained lead, I also decided to remove the wheels. Then, I spray-painted all the rust and remaining paint off with aluminum oxide powder.
Once everything was back to bare metal, the damage was visible. I used a hammer and a body shop cart to repair dents and imperfections on every part, including the fenders, front shock absorbers, hood, wheels, and more. Welding was required to fill the exhaust pipe holes, some of the front wheels, and the front shock absorbers. I also needed to weld and shape new bearing housings. All the small parts were then galvanized using my DIY electroplating kit.
I decided to replace the hubcaps on the inside of the rear wheels. To show the positive side, to prevent rust, I applied two coats of epoxy primer. For the rear axle, I went to WeldTech Engineering & Fabrication, where Brendon made a new one using a custom jig. Then, I was able to add a new bearing housing and bearings to the axle. I reassembled the wheel, now both sides are fully protected. I purchased the missing seat suspension and welded it in place after straightening the mounting brackets. After the epoxy primer dried and sanded, I added the first batch of body filler.
The tires were severely deteriorated, so they were rebuilt using rubber hoses, three-phase wire, plastic pipes, and CT1 glue and sealant. The pedal covers were replaced with new hoses, and the pedals were replaced with old Tri-ang tractor pedals. The body filler was sanded and two coats of epoxy were applied.
The steering column was repaired, cleaned, and galvanized. I designed a new exhaust pipe using images found online and 3D printed it using an ELEGOO Saturn Ultra 4 printer. The missing trailer was created on paper and then laser-cut by OPTIMA Metal Services. I then welded the trailer together and built the axle to fit. I then filled most of the parts with filler and sanded them. Then, I applied two coats of thick primer.
I went to Hyrosteps to bend the tractor's towbar, then applied two coats of epoxy primer and two coats of thick primer for the trailer, including the wheels and towbar. Once the thick primer was smooth, I applied three coats of paint. I cleaned and polished the pedals, cut the bump stops for the undercarriage, purchased new stickers, and a few new parts. Then, I reassembled the tractor, installed the trailer, and the repair was complete.
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