123 Build
 

I can't believe it, but it's been 5 years since I did my 126 restore. I got the project itch again, so I was able to find a 123 on Craigslist for $250. It was cheap, and didn't look too bad when I went to look at it...so it came home with me.

Good looking machine!

Once I had it home, the ugliness started to show. I hooked up a charger to it...just to see if maybe it would start...no go. So I started digging in. Previous owner really did a number on this thing. From what I've found, he must have put in the wrong sized spark plug. Spark plug threads in the head were stripped out. There was enough there to finger tighten the spark plug, but no more than that. Top of the piston was all scabbed up from pieces of the spark plug getting crushed up in there.

...and of course the exhaust valve was bent.

...and look at this setup...um, something just aint right here.

Previous owner also drilled a bunch of holes in the frame to get at the points cover screw, so I used a grinder to cut a slight notch in the frame like my 126 has. Oh and someone was nice enough to tear the serial number off the rear end.

Tractor is still waiting to go to the sandblaster, so progress will be slow until I get there. This build won't make the purists happy. I have some ideas floating around in my head of what I want to do, so hopefully it all comes together in the end. IH red will be the color of choice for this build.

That's enough blabbering out of me for tonight. I'll post more pics as the build progresses.

While waiting for the big stuff to be blasted, I've at least gotten a start on some of the smaller stuff. All cleaned up and wearing some fresh paint. :)

Sorry for the sideways pictures. When uploading it seems it wants the pics to be in landscape mode, so the ones I took in portrait are getting flipped on their side.
I'll remember to take the rest in landscape from here on out.

Nice find! Looks like your making good progress so far.

What do you suppose the previous owner was trying to do here? Looks like they tried to cut a hole in the flywheel cover right under where the coil bolts on, then tried to patch it up with JB Weld and a small bracket. It's also missing one of the gas tank mount studs. It's pretty much unusable, so I've got a replacement. I'll need to move the engine serial number tag from the old to the new. Has anyone gone through moving the serial tag, and if so what size rivets did you use?