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So I'm restoring a 1953 military tractor (used like a tug for air force), Minneapolis Moline UTIL-M, and it has a shielded ignition system. I looked at my 53 M-37 and there are a lot of similarities!

Big difference is the tractor has a magneto, American-Bosch. It's a 4 cylinder. The plug wires that were on it are mix match of farmer ingenuity. But there are some remnants of the original shielded wires on there.

It appears that these are not waterproof, but have the shielded part. The magneto end has a metal cover that goes over the regular cap. The terminals appear to be similar to the M-37 but the wire itself sticks out several inches and has the regular magneto terminal end on it. I'm assuming that the spark plug end should be the screwed on connection shielded plugs. I ordered some Autolite 2225 plugs that fit the heads. I'm learning as I go how all this goes together. I 'Think" that I need to make a plug set with one end like the M-37 and the other end modified but with a screw connector on it all of which with braided covering. (2 of the wires still had braided covering on them)

So in doing some research, it appears that all of these connections are available through aviation distributors, but at stupid prices since they are airplane parts.

Is there anywhere to get piece parts for these plug wires at reasonable prices?


The close up picture is not mine but what I believe is original. The other is my tractor.

Looks like an aircraft ignition system. Neat looking beast of a tractor!

Go to your local FBO and explain what you are doing. They might give you wires that are no longer flight legal but still serviceable.

Thanks!

It's an interesting piece. Has a full aux compressed air system and air brake controls, tank, compressor, service and emergency air lines. All Bendix-Westinghouse components. Runs off the fan belt. The dual wheels are factory. Has a pintle hitch.

Cool project, do you have plans on a full restoration?

Bert

Restoration In progress!

Kind of doing it a bit backwards. It's currently locked up but I went ahead and did as much prep work for paint as I could before the weather got bad. Nice to paint outside if I can.

Sandblasted and Primed couple weeks ago. The engine is stuck but I have all good blocks, pistons, crank and heads if I can't get it freed up. All came from a running engine. Also have a gasket set to install so the engine is getting torn down anyway. The air compressor is stuck, working on getting that free and freshened up. Acquiring all the small parts to put it together. Rebuilt the carb. Started on the wiring harness.
Got Yellow paint matched to what I uncovered and to match as best as I can tell what would have been used in 1953. It's a bright air force yellow, flight line Yellow kind of color. Will have black lettering on it.

Starting sand blasting

Fenders. Unfortunately someone had stripped and repainted the hood at some point. So all evidence of old lettering was gone.

Primer

Fitting for Halloween, I was building my Ghost Fleet! I blasted and primed 3 tractors this round. I preferred gray primer, but all they had was white. It worked well. I painted one of them in color so far, Minneapolis Moline Prairie Gold, Yellow slightly orange. The white primer what nice to paint the bright color over.

Kroil works great for unsticking things. A 50/50 mix of ATF and acetone works better, but you need to keep it agitated or it separates.

WOW..... a tractor sandblasting and painting marathon.

Many a years ago I did the same to a Farmall Super "A" , I continue to kick myself for getting rid of it. I got it for free because the clutch was shot, I split it in half did the clutch repair and fixed the governor spring then I used it for years with zero problems.

Bert

Agreed, that's an awesome slide show for sure! Thanks for sharing it!
Gary

Thanks!

It's been soaking in 50/50 acetone/ATF since March. Tried a couple times to free it but I think it's going to require tearing down and possibly pressing the pistons out. Tried to stick a scope down in through the spark plug but couldn't get a good picture of the inside. Should have done that before I filled them with oil!

Love your pics of the util-m, have one myself but need to know what air compressor they had, mine does not have one. Any help would be great. 52 race gun.