Restoration Of A TEF Ferguson Tractor

Pictorial Restoration Of A TEF Ferguson Tractor

This Page is designed as a pictorial review of the restoration of a TEF Ferguson Tractor I recently acquired in Tasmania. This tractor has undergone a full restoration in readiness for the National Machinery Rally which was held in Tasmania in March 2001. Pictured below is the tractor all loaded up on the trailer when we retrieved it from its previous owner.

This tractor was originally sold by W.S. Townsend, who where the original Ferguson sales agents for the North West of Tasmania. The tractor spent most of its life working the hills around the township of Penguin situated on the North West coast of Tasmania. The previous owner had decided to cease farming activities due to health reasons and his non understanding wife insisted that he get rid of it (funny how the fairer sex doesn't always understand our love for the Grey Fergy).

The tractor had a reasonable amount of surface rust on the tinware, but the body of the tractor seemed relatively rust free. The tractor seemed to run and start reasonably well. It was complete with a fairly poor 10 inch 2 furrow Ferguson plough, a 5foot Ferguson finger mower and a home-made carry all. After a little haggling the tractor was purchased for A$1,200.00 dollars. Upon unloading the trailer load at home, we placed an add in the local newspaper. We did not require the carry-all or the plough and had decided it was best to sell them. We sold both of these for A$100.00 each, so this actually reduced the cost of the Tractor to A$1,000.00. We considered this to be a good buy at this price.

We set too and made a list of all the components that needed to be replaced as part of the restoration project, and began the search through the various Tractor Wreckers in Tasmania. The item on the top of the list was the seat. It had completely rusted out and had been welded in typical farmer fashion, there where sharp edges everywhere, and I had already ripped my pants on it.

We got a lead on a TEA tractor with a genuine Ferguson reduction box fitted to it. We followed this lead through and purchased this tractor complete with slasher and carry all. We removed the reduction box from the TEA and gave it a quick clean up and fixed any small problems. This tractor was then sold to offset the purchase price of the reduction box. The reduction box was purchased with the intention of fitting it to my TEF so we could demonstrate this at the National Machinery Rally. These reduction boxes are extremely rare and from conversations with original Ferguson mechanics and sales men the reason is that they nearly doubled the initial purchase price of a tractor. We now have an understanding of why as they are not easy to remove and reinstall.

The tractor was completed literally the day before the 8th National Machinery Rally with the last thing to be completed was the downswept air intake pipe. These seem to be fairly rare in Australia so I had a fellow Fergy enthusiast source one for me in the U.K. This they brought out in the luggage as they where coming for a holiday and to see the National Rally. Apart from a few fiddly set up and tuning problems still persisting the tractor is now completed and used for light work occasionally.