My Uncle's One-Sixty Restoration (Update 04-23-18)

My uncle bought this tractor new in 1970 and I learned how to drive on it at the ripe old age of 5.  One of my earliest childhood memories is riding around sitting on the tool box bolted to the left fender.  I was 3 or 4 years old at the time.

When my uncle passed away, I hauled it back from West Virginia and parked it in my garage.  I'm starting the restoration and am still in the process of taking it apart.  Photos follow:

Shortly after coming off the farm:




Cleaning and disassembly progress:

























Another day or two spent tearing it apart and it will be time to start cleaning and reassembling.

Fair Warning: I'm planning to do a thing or two that will likely upset the Correctness Police.


Edited by Flyer - 23 Apr 2018 at 10:15am

Wow!  That looks more complicated than a B!  Thanks for the pics.  Keep us updated and good luck with the restoration.

AC720Man wrote: That’s a nice 160 to begin with. My best friend has one and it is a fantastic tractor for its size. It’s his main rake tractor, over 6,000 hrs on it. The little Perkins keeps on going. He bales 20-25K square bales a year. Wish you the best on your restore. Keep the pictures coming.

In my opinion, that tractor doesn't need to be restored.  Sheet metal is straight and solid and the original paint looks good too - Very hard to find one like that.  If it were me, I would just degrease everything, fix any leaks and only paint the rims.  Some good car wax could freshen up the paint on the hood and fenders.

DSeries4 wrote: AC720Man wrote: That’s a nice 160 to begin with. My best friend has one and it is a fantastic tractor for its size. It’s his main rake tractor, over 6,000 hrs on it. The little Perkins keeps on going. He bales 20-25K square bales a year. Wish you the best on your restore. Keep the pictures coming. In my opinion, that tractor doesn't need to be restored.  Sheet metal is straight and solid and the original paint looks good too - Very hard to find one like that.  If it were me, I would just degrease everything, fix any leaks and only paint the rims.  Some good car wax could freshen up the paint on the hood and fenders.

I'm not doing this because I thought it was in rough shape.  I'm an electrical engineer by trade and spend most of my time building computer models for industrial power systems.  The tractor project does two things for me: 1) It gives me a chance to use something larger than a 7/16" wrench without having a union grievance filed against me and 2) spend some time re-living some old memories from the farm.  I fully recognize that I will have a lot more financially tied up in this thing than I could possibly sell it for but the fun I'm having working on it is well worth it to me.

Flyer; Great project I had a MF 230 with that same engine and they are a fuel efficient little power house. and as far as I'm concerned go ahead and fix/repaint/modify to your hearts content.

Good looking tractor. Back in September, I met a man and his son at the Eagleville tractor show in TN. They each had a nicely restored 160 like yours. 1974 models. I never seen a 100 series that small before, only 170 and up. They were for Alabama and they told me that the smaller ones were not very common in the south. I guess that's true. They are sweet looking little tractors though, good luck with it.

What part of W Va did your uncle live in and do you know the dealer he bought it from?

I've gotta ask, why in the hell did you cut the loader supports? They simply unbolt from the frame. 

AC720Man wrote: I've gotta ask, why in the hell did you cut the loader supports? They simply unbolt from the frame.

I don't have the loader and I'm not putting the frame back on the tractor.  My uncle somehow managed to sell the loader without the frame.  I don't know what kind of a deal he struck for that one.  All I know is I came back from a year at college and the loader was no longer stashed in the shed next to the hay rake.

I'm using the loader frame as additional support points while the tractor is split.  Seems a lot more stable than a single point under the transmission.  We cut off the front half of the loader frame to get it out of the way.  Once the engine and front frame rails are back in place, the remaining loader frame pieces get removed.

You have a great looking little tractor there. You will have a super looking little tractor when you get done. I hope you have as lot of fun with it. Good luck with her.

Nice tractor!I have a Perkins in my 843 Bobcat and I love it. Have fun!

Sugarmaker wrote: I am not familiar with these. Looks like about the size of a WD?? I didnt even know there was a 160! Great pictures and a family tractor too. Have a blast with the restoration work! It is work, and can be very daunting at times. Usually just prior to paint. Looking forward to your pictures as you progress. Any hints on the changes we can expect??? I have taken liberties with rim colors and moving over to alternators and 12 volt on some of my past WD projects.  Regards,  Chris

Nothing too dramatic for changes.  The easy stuff to spot will be a little chrome here and there and I'm putting power-adjust wheels on it.  The biggest departure from factory will probably be the lights.  I'm going to try an experiment with LEDs and see if I can get them to behave the way I want.  I think my plan is sound but I still have to pick up a few more bits and pieces for a bench test before I start wiring the tractor.

Hmmm. Planing to put some Mustang badges on it?

When I started reading this post I was wondering if that was where it came from. My grandpa bought a One-Sixty just like that one from Greenbrier Tractor new in 1969. My cousin still has it. I have a 160 that was originally sold at greenbrier tractor . My grandpa bought all his tractors at greenbrier tractor. That’s a nice tractor you have I hope one day to get my grandpas and restore it.

Yeah,that makes my head hurt! I admire those who have learned that sort of thing and understand what it takes to make it function. I have an extra out of service(bad tank) compressor next to the new one and thought it would be neat to run both compressors to same tank but would have that same start up problem. I can live with it as is. LOL