Massey Discussion Forums > Massey Talk > Wallis Tractors
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RE:Wallis Tractors

Joe,

It must be the international monsoon season!  We've had over 7 in of rain this last week and it's still raining this morning - and cold with it.  Last night it was down to only 45F so on went the heating.

However no floods at my place - it just runs off to the river down below.  I hear Steve and Sandy have had it rough across there with structural damage and a local turkey farm compeletly flattened

Lots of shows cancelled this last weekend or two and I am certain there will be more tomorrow and Sunday.

A bit on the Wallis front - I managed to buy a manifold and carb set from up in Canada earlier in the year for my Wallis 20-30.  Been searching for 10 years or so for something decent.  Anyway it did need some attention but now it has been welded up as necessary and for the carb I had to have a new valve made - that heavy hinged brass one right down in the centre of it.  Any idea what it is for?  All the Kingston carbs have them but this is the first carb I have had where this was in a right old mess. 

Am now just waiting on a divertor valve for the exhaust from Ervin then I can get it all together later in the year

John

RE:Wallis Tractors

John:

Many years ago, I believe it was about 1998 I was at the swap meet in Waukee and I bought a brass Kingston for a Wallis 20-30. I was walking along and came across the owner of Branson Enterprizes and he noticed the carburetor in my hands, he asked if he could see it for a second so I handed it to him and he stuck his finger down the throat of it and wiggled it back and fourth. He said wow! you got a good one here the air valve is very tight.

He said this big brass piece on a hinge was called the air valve and many times it becomes wore from vibration so it will not seal properly on it's seat. He said if this valve is worn the tractor will still run good under load but you will never get it to idol right. I didn't have a clue if he was right or wrong at that time but I took his word for it as he has been arroung them many more years than i have.

I hate to be a bearer of bad news but It may be a long wait for your divertor valve as the man who casts them for Erv is in the process of moving. Not saying you won't get it but it may be a bit of a wait.

Now I got a early Wallis question for you, what do you think of these Bears? I got this Aluminum Bear on ebay about a year ago the man I got it from said it came from a garage sale about six blocks from the Wallis factory.

I truely believe it was an early prototype bear before the the Wallis name was added to the mold. It is so finely detailed with all the bear hair and creveses also it has very good patina wich would be consistant of a piece this old.

Here it is next to a cast bear, what do you think?

Joe
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RE:Wallis Tractors

Joe,

That's interesting what you say about the Kingston carburettor air valve.  I just wonder has my green 25 got an exceptionally good one in it because it just idles so slow - you can more or less hear each piston firing - a delight to the ears but none of the other U frames I have will run this slow.

Haven't a clue about your Wallis bear but it's origins do suggest that it is genuine - and the patina adds to the theory as you say.

Am quite tired out awaiting my tea from the lady of my life.  Had a hard day in the shed with a couple of interesting tractor visitors who had just so many questions to ask over the last six hours or so!!!  I find visitors are a lot better value than going to shows these days - you don't get the tire kickers and mitherers, they are brimming with enthusiasm and interest and one has a chance to learn something from them.  This chap lives in France and he has a lot of interest in the French Fergusons and early MFs which is good.

Educating the grandsons in matters MH for the next four days but their favourite is the MF 165!!!!!!!

John

RE:Wallis Tractors

John:

That is very true about the one on one when people visit your collection you can both learn alot expecially when you have so many tractors next to eachother as it sparks new questions you can go back and fourth and compare on different models of changes and differences.

I know this is not a Wallis but this is my Kill for today, it is freshly out of the cow yard. I got it home and in no time got it unstuck and all valves loose. This is a Massey Harris 12-20 as the tag shows, there should be alot of these arround but you don't see as many of these as the Wallis 12-20.

From the third picture I believe I have rescued this tractor in just the nick of time as you can see the friendly mouse has just taken up residency not long ago. I will have to evict him soon so he will not ruin another tractor for me. From the looks of the pile the little fella must have came in through the clutch area?? Must be the way in??
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RE:Wallis Tractors

It was from a few days back, but seeing the photos and hearing you guys talk about rain...  Please send some towards central Indiana!   We haven't had a measurable drop here since mid-May.  We are now in a serious drought situation, and no rain in site in the 10-day forecast.  Add the 10 days in June above 90 F temps to the lack or rain, and it's not good... 


RE:Wallis Tractors

Jwb53

I think all your rain got the wrong address put on it and it was sent to Duluth, MN!! WOW!  did they ever get the rain, it will take at least 6 months to get the roads fixed back up again so you can even drive on them.

If you want to see some of the devastation I am sure if you google Duluth, NM floods you will see some pictures, it was not good.

Joe

RE:Wallis Tractors

Joe,

Well done on your recent M-H 12-20 purchase, did you find it whilst out searching for "thick Jersey Cream"? as I notice one of those holsteins in the photograph, anyway even if you didn't come away with the cream for the strawberries, you did manage to skim off the 12-20 from the owner, nice little tractor with potential and we don't see too many of them.

I like your proto type Bear, great detail and nice to have on the shelf with the others.

Joe / John please send some sunshine and heat this way if you can, we have had the wetest June for 100 years, it can only get better now as the days get shorter.

Malcolm.


RE:Wallis Tractors

Malcolm:

I sent you a weeks worth of warm sunshine, Did you get it yet or did I not put enough postage stamps on it??

Working on the little 12-20 today and I came up with a very easy way to clean out the oil pan, you got to try this as you know how hard it is to get your hands in there to work.

First take out the oil pans this is done very easily with the two bolts holding them in this will make for alot more room and give you a chance to look for leaks in the pans and repair if needed. 

Then take a weed sprayer with a plastic nozel and wrap a small rag arround the end and wire it to it. Fill sprayer with gas and pump it up and start spraying inside the oil pan wile swishing it back and fourth like a little mop. This really works great as it will swish in the smallest of places, pull the trigger and add more gas as needed.

I cleaned the entire engine out with about two quarts of gas this is about 1/4th what my old method used with a paint brush. You can buy a cheap weed sprayer here for about $8-10.00  this is the same weed sprayer I use to soak my tractors with the 50/50 mix of oil and diesel so I already had the sprayer.

You gota try this it really works great!!
Joe
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RE:Wallis Tractors

As many of you that have worked on U frame tractors know they are one of the toughest tractors made in their time but there are two things that will kill a U frame tractor.

1. Mice
2. Ice

Mice will make a nest in there and the urine will totally destroy your tractor, If the mice don't get it the Ice will when water gets in there and breaks parts normally well protected from the outside world.

When cleaning the oil pan on a U frame tractor you must always check the oil lines for Ice Bursts like the one in the picure below. If not fixed your engine will not get oiled properly and will soon be in need of repair.

When I took the oil pans out of this little 12-20 and cleaned them up I noticed something I have not come across before. These seem to be painted the dark black color the same color as my little original 12-20 is. Do you supose this engine was painted before it was set into the frame?? Or possibly these trays could have been replaced at one time or another?? I can't really see a reason for painting them this color but if it were painted before the engine was dropped into the frame this would make sense.

Joe
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RE:Wallis Tractors

Well as I said on another thread I would post pictures of a 20-30 I picked up yesterday. Here it is all oiled up like a pretty girl in a swimsuit contest. This tractor is a very nice original with alot of green paint on it yet, for some reason someone painted part of the radiator top and some of the engine red years ago. This tractor is equiped with a swinging drawbar that is in very good shape. It will need a litle work on the radiator and water pump but it should run with not much work at all compared to most this age. There are some holes in the fenders that I can't explain and have not seen before, any ideas on this? They apear to be factory holes possily for a light bracket?? Has anyone out there come across this on another Wallis? Also the "Massey Harris" decal is higher up on the rear fenders and there is no "Wallis" decal running up and down the fender, could this be sometime in the changeover or did they just run out of Wallis decals that day?
Joe
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