What to mask off/remove for painting?

[Cow]

I was planning on making this a winter project but I need to do a clutch on my MF 65 diesel so most of the sheet metal is off anyway so might as well go for it.

Ill be painting all of the red sheet metal parts separately. Then probably if I can find a tall enough block/jackstand Ill take the wheels off and try to do the silver main body of the tractor in one go after a thorough pressure wash/degreaser/wire brush session. I know I wont get a show quality tractor this way, but Im not trying to get one- this tractor will be mowing and baling hay this summer hopefully and I dont want to sweat every scratch. Just trying to make it look nice.

As I look over the tractor I notice stuff like the timing cover and intake dont seem to be painted. I also wonder about painting the injector pump.... or radiator. Obviously the fuel bowls should be taped off and maybe the exhaust although that should just burn off either way. Whats the usual way people do this?

 

[jvin248]

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I have more repairs to go before I'm at the painting stage (1955 TO-35 Deluxe). Most pull the sheet metal off, hammer out the dings, paint those separate, and paint the chassis all assembled after masking off various items.

Look for reference models of yours. Sometimes tractor parades on youtube help, after a few of those you'll see what to paint/not-paint. I found pictures of an early TO-35 like mine that was never worked, just used for display, so it had all the original features. So that's how I'm doing mine.

.

 

[centash]

Rad should be a flat black, but pretty well any other metal on the chassis is
silver/grey, with red on the fenders, dash, hood, etc. except for the grille
screens. Google images of your model tractor for reference.

Ben

 

[Bob N.Y.]

The correct color is Flint Gray Metallic, not silver. The timing cover is aluminum. The paint has probably peeled off from it.

 

[ptfarmer]

My low buck way to repaint is use rustoleium with the gloss hardener. I used Sunrise Red, mixed my own Flint Grey Metallic (by mixing 1 quart each of Gloss Black, aluminum, and Smoke Grey), and mixed my own Silver Mist (by mixing 1 quart each of Aluminum, and Smoke grey).