Super Dexta Nose Cone Repair

[Dcal]

It's been a while since I did any panel beating so in a moment of weakness I told a BIL I would have a go at fixing a Super Dexta nose cone that had been through the hedge.
It had also been fixed in period (and not that well) but probably fair enough for a working tractor.

When it turned up it was a mess and I should have told him to forget it, but I do like a challenge and it will certainly be good practice.

My first problem is I don't have access to a good nose cone and there seems to be a few versions of the nose cones so can anyone tell me how it's made up?

From what I can make out there is a join at the top of the grill and an overlap at the side.

I could do a quick repair and he'd be happy but where's the fun in that, I'd prefer to keep this as original as possible.
With that in mind can anyone steer me in the right direction or post a few photos of the overlap area? (inside and out)
Templates of the original grill would also be a great help but I can just make it fit the copy grills available
@brewdexta maybe?

Thanks in advance

 

[brewdexta]

Your ahead of me on this. Mine is still awaiting attention. My intention is to drill out the spot welds, repair the rust and beat out the dents and then reassemble and plug weld it.

I can take some pics of mine tomorrow.

Cheers
Sndy

 

[Dcal]

Thanks @brewdexta
This isn't a restoration for me (although I do have a Ford 3000 waiting in the wings for the full treatment) just the nose cone and probably the bonnet.

I've started on the same approach as you and now have a 7 or 8 piece 3d jigsaw.
It is so out of shape from the damage and previous repairs that it was the only sensible approach.

It was patched before and buried in filler but I think I have a rough idea of the shapes.
I will post a few photos when I get home from work tonight but confirmation of what the lines and laps are and even the shape of the small side reinforcement panels would be great.
At least it's made from good heavy gauge steel so will take a bit of tapping.

I just read your post (and @Welderpaul 's)
Inspiring stuff.

 

[frank horton]

look at "leboncoin.fr" u'll eventually find a good 1 with no rust for €100.......

I sold loads'a tractor tin work in the UK.....
esp original Grey Fergy bonnets, all original and no rust.....

 

[arther dailey]

I tried looking but as I am not bi lingual (a lot of people say I cant speak or write english) couldnt make head nor tail out of it !

 

[Seadog]

Use Google, it automatically translates the page.

 

[Dcal]

Hi @frank horton
The plan isn't to try and get a better nose cone (far too sensible) rather to use it as a practice piece to see if I can fix it.
Having said that the price of old tractors and bits over here in NI is crazy.

Thanks for the link to the site, I'll have a proper look later.

 

[brewdexta]

Here's a few pics that should help. You can see the rust bubbling through on the side. This is how I bought it back in around 2005

Cobbles look good then, just been laid. The tractor in the background is Antonio Carraro Alpine tractor, it was grand until the hydrostatics started playing up.

The pic predates my barn/workshop, which is now behind the tractor

Although there is rust, the main problem is 2 dents, one larger than the other.

Not much use having a starting handle on a diesel.... If I remember rightly, I will be able to access the grease nipple in the front axle pivot pin from there. They don't come with a nipple by design, I added that when I remade the pin.

Their should be a slot underneath, with round ends. This has long gone, just large hole now.

Cheers
Andy

 

[Dcal]

Here's a few pics that should help. You can see the rust bubbling through on the side. This is how I bought it back in around 2005

View attachment 206814

Cobbles look good then, just been laid. The tractor in the background is Antonio Carraro Alpine tractor, it was grand until the hydrostatics started playing up.

View attachment 206815

The pic predates my barn/workshop, which is now behind the tractor


View attachment 206816

View attachment 206817

Although there is rust, the main problem is 2 dents, one larger than the other.

View attachment 206818

Not much use having a starting handle on a diesel.... If I remember rightly, I will be able to access the grease nipple in the front axle pivot pin from there. They don't come with a nipple by design, I added that when I remade the pin.

View attachment 206819

View attachment 206820

Their should be a slot underneath, with round ends. This has long gone, just large hole now.
View attachment 206821

Cheers
Andy

Thanks Andy,
These are just what I'm after.
It's amazing how many "restored" examples have nose cones where the overlap in line with the bottom of the bonnet is lost because of the amount of filler.
Your first photo is especially useful as it shows the way the overlap in the panel is formed.

Here's where I am

Not great, but surprisingly the bottom of the nose cone is slightly better than yours.

I will post dimensions and photos of the lower slots when I repair them.

Thanks again

 

[MCKDAVID]

look at "leboncoin.fr" u'll eventually find a good 1 with no rust for €100.......

I sold loads'a tractor tin work in the UK.....
esp original Grey Fergy bonnets, all original and no rust.....

just had a quick look for you, few bits on there secondhand for the dexta at the moment, FYI these bits are called "calandre" or "nez de capot" which might narrow down the search a wee bit.

also found you a new one for sale, I think it's the same anyway) but a bit spendy at 400+ euros... if you need a hand to talk to them or order them give me a shout..

 

[Bullet2012]

Not sure if any of this is helpful, archives at the Reading museum of English rural life ( MERL)

https://rdg.ent.sirsidynix.net.uk/client/en_GB/merl/search/results?qu=Super+Dexta&lm=MERL2&isd=true

 

[Welderpaul]

Don't ever buy a reproduction nose - they never fit properly and the forums are full of people asking how to get them to line through with the top of the bonnet and the fixing holes to line up with the chasis. They all rot in the same place because of the overlap of the inner and outer skins.

The original one on mine was way past saving, so i bought a second hand original and drove 200 miles to collect it. It still needed work and is 90% of the way. Its squared up, knocked back out and fits but needs a small amount of filler and a final tidy before painting.

You look like you have your work cut out with that, deffo worth spending the time getting its 'face' right though. You can spot them a mile away at the rallys that do not quite look right.

Didn't know yours was a Super @brewdexta

 

[Dcal]

Didn't get much done on this as I'm waiting for a couple of grills, just repaired the reinforcement pieces that goes between the top and bottom half's.

 

[Dcal]

Bit more done tonight.

These are the overlap areas on the sides of the lower half of the nose cone.
The top section covers these repair sections and only about an inch or so is showing so I could have got away with less.
In the first photo you can see where the reinforcement panels from my last post fit.
It's the best approximation I could come up with considering what I had to work with.

 

[Dcal]

I finally got an original grill (only one but I can make a copy for the other side) and the tractor was delivered so I made a bit more progress today.

Straightened the torn corner and welded it back in.
It's badly cracked around the mounting holes and I should have made a repair panel but I just welded it up.

Also welded the cracks and missing bits to the bottom of the nose cone.
I used a bit of copper to reduce the amount of grinding required to the inside edge.

Next was filling the missing bit at the top of the grills.
This is an awkward patch not helped by the lack of steel to copy, so just guessing.

Split it down and straightened the worst of the dents.
The section with the Dexta badge has a patch welded over the top so more bodges to sort out.

For the holes above the headlight grills I couldn't work out how to make the patches required in one piece so decided to make them in bits and weld them together. Think it is easier to keep the shape with this approach as well.

A bit of tidying with the grinder and repeat for the other side.

Then started on the replace patch for the bodge.

Not much to show for a full day's work.
I would starve if it was my job, but I do find it quite therapeutic.

 

[arther dailey]

it will all be worthwhile when finished and you stand back at and look at it, as has been said the repro ones are truely awfull in comparison. good work I reckon

 

[Dcal]

Thanks all for the likes and interest.

Bit more done yesterday.
Fixed the bodge to the lip below the Dexta badge.
From the photo below you can see why it's not a great idea to lay a patch over existing rot.
Having said that the nose cone has lots of overlaps so there is plenty of scope for rot to get started.

Used my bead roller and home made tipping wheel to form the lip and shrunk the edge to get the shape.

Tacked in place

And fully welded.
I welded vertical down and used a short length of copper to stop the weld penetrating through to the front.
I was trying to limit the amount of grinding needed but I'm not sure it makes much difference and it would probably be better without it
I welded it from the back as it's easier to grind the welds back from this side.

Welds ground and dressed.

And temporally fixed in place with screws.

Trial fit not going great and I'm stuck again as there are bits missing including the bracket and pin for the bonnet front lock and the spacers (I assume) for the holding the nose cone to the brackets.

@brewdexta have you any idea what the spacers between the brackets bolted to the thermostat housing and the nose cone are? (pipe or rubber mountings) and a measurement.
Also does the nose cone bolt directly to the bottom bracket (that the lights bolt to)
It fits but seems very tight to the sump.

And note to self - don't take on something after a farmer has taken it apart.

 

[postie jon]

haha dads was in quite a state at 1 point , the young lad that used to come up & help him hit a tree & couldnt get his foot on the clutch so it had 3 attempts at knocking the tree down, burst rad & a boxers nose , lol. he knocked it out and stick welded it up ,we are speaking about 50 yr ago now ,& his repair has held up well ,he was 82 last week. me & brother are gonna do it up properlly when he passes, he did the engine up 3 years ago , his is a 62 ,last of the line before the super was released,identical to the super but wearing old clothes , by the numbers on it there were less than 800 produced, pulls like a train, used to see the exhaust red hot and sparks flying when he did his winter ploughing normally 9 acres with a 2 furrow. i never gave it any mercy when i was a kid ,coming on for 50 yr ago.

 

[hermetic]

I have to do the one on my Major.....unless you fancy a job?
LOL! yer mekkin a crakin job!!

 

[brewdexta]

@brewdexta have you any idea what the spacers between the brackets bolted to the thermostat housing and the nose cone are? (pipe or rubber mountings) and a measurement.
Also does the nose cone bolt directly to the bottom bracket (that the lights bolt to)
It fits but seems very tight to the sump.

I've had a look through my photos of taking it apart and for some reason I have skipped over that bit

here's some stuff from the parts manual

Part 26 is off the bonnet so ignore that

Not much help I'm afraid, next time I'll be near the workshop to see if I have the bits bolted to the brackets still is Friday.

Cheers
Andy