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I have been reading your other posts and discussion about what is involved, and I fear that I maybe researching for a while to find someone here that is suitably skilled and experienced. I've put it down for a little while as I mull over having to do an engine swap instead.

I love your AI paint job, and it inspired me. I've been having some fun playing with Photoshop and AI, and I thought I'd see what my GT18 would look like if it had a small V8 with a four-barrel, headers, mags, and racing slicks. Current (real) condition: After some AI-assisted modifications and a bunch more tweaking in Photoshop: And of course, it would be irresistible to the local bears:

@Bar Nuthin parking to close to wood pile not a good idea

When I wasn't messin' with the mule, I got the 48inch deck & tractor greased. Had to remove the grease fittings, one at a time, dig out the harden grease with a pick & small flat blade screwdriver. I sprayed WD40 into the holes and heated them with a heat gun to loosen the grease. Reinstalled the fittings and pumped away. I got the spindles free on the deck & even got the front axle pivot point greased. Tomorrow, I'll try to get the rear deck wheel height adjuster put back together. Hopefully the bolt are just loose. As the deck is a 48, I won't keep it. My yard is rolling and anything bigger than 42 inch gives an uneven mow.

Don't want to jinx anyone here in Maine but have not seen piles of snow here this high in a few years. This was cleaned up with multiple machines. Good ole time Maine Wintah.

That is typical on a 42" side discharge. The deck cracks under the height adjuster then rust out. When you weld it up, .place a 1/8" plate on the inside all the way over and under the hinge bracket to give it more support.

I remember one of the 1st days of boot camp in the Navy. NCTC in San Diego 1970...80 of us lined up to get our shots. We all walked through the shot statiom and got multiple shots in both arms and then went out and stood at attention on the grinder in the hot sun. Some of the guys passed out, but all were OK. Welcome to Boot Camp "Julius", you look like you need a hair cut. The end of day one, and the start of "Yes Sir, thank you Sir...may I have another?" The smart guys caught on quick, the other guys caught on later...but they caught on also. Some had the opportunity to spend a few more weeks training...I never saw them again. I'd do it all again in a minute !!!

The surface isn’t as critical as the diameter and roundness. Both bearing surfaces must ride snugly n the inner rings of their respectve ball bearings where looseness can cause trouble. Get out your calipers!

2024 was a doozy for that area. My sister and BIL live north of Rome, NY, up on the Tug Hill Plateau. They came home from a trip to six feet of new snow (on top of the three feet there when they left) and a majorly plowed-in driveway. Hours and hours of work clearing. They “use up” a snowblower every five or six years.

I had just finished posting that all the playing in the snow made me jealous, but this particular thread convinced me I'm wrong about that... Beautiful snow but I NEVER want that much!

went to visit college friend back in mid 70s in Mexico, NY by Oswego, upstate NY - - gets Great lakes effect snow -- had never seen snow that deep -- just like your photo -- walls of snow 20 ft high - - they mostly need highway dept blowers since plows aren't effective in snow that deep

Congrats !!!!!!!!! ---- Really like the black hood C series - have two of the c175s --- and now trying to save a C165 which grandson and I rescued but likely needs engine rebuild --- have been looking for a C145 for few yrs - - hard to find - prefer the H model -- drove 3 hrs to see one in Pennsylvania 2 yrs ago expecting to bring it home, only to find when i got there a frame crack in the frame plate connection to the tranny -- decided not to take it - probably would have been worth the time and cost to repair the crack.

I missed a good one in the winter of 1968. I had a week of leave time from the Navy and went up to Syracuse, NY, to visit my family. They had been having some very good weather for weeks so I wasn't reluctant to drive my '63 Buick Special (with about 5" of ground clearance and skinny 13" tires). A couple days before the leave was over we saw how bad the snow was in Chicago so I decided it was best that I head back to Charleston, SC, early. Drove straight through the next day and when I called home to let them know I made it OK Mom said they had over two feet and it was continuing to snow, total was about three feet if I recall correctly.

I remember that one too. I was in the garage restoring a 67 Chevelle and couldnt believe it outside. I had a Ranger that went like a tank and went in town to get some tailpipes custom bent. Through town. The shop was closed. So I got on the highway and was surprised there was no traffic. When I got home I found out it had been closed. I70.

@JCM Interesting, It must be since you’re closer to the coast as the snow here is minimal/non existent. I haven’t plowed much this winter yet as there wasn’t a need. Last year at this time there was a bit more but nothing like we used to get when I was little.

That picture at the farm was from 1993 if I remember correctly. A lot of milk had to be dumped that year until the snow blower truck opened the road enough for the bulk tank truck make it to the barn. I had moved to Florida long before then.

More expensive more like original and holds on pretty well.

Doing some mid season inspection/maint on the 702. Relocated the exhaust because it was originally turned down on the snowblower controls. Used what I had in garage for that project. Adjusted the governor also. Found a few loose bolts too. The 654 is next for inspection. All the Tecumseh haters can say what they want but that tractor is the most reliable of my entire collection.

We had that here 2010. Snowmagedon . 2 lane roads were 1 lane. Power outage for 8 days.

Positive battery cable ready to be installed. Starter motor solenoid ready for wires to be installed. Starter motor solenoid tooth lockwasher installed. Starter motor solenoid battery cable, charge wire and wire harness feed wire installed. Starter motor solenoid wire retaining nut installed and tightened. Starter motor solenoid cover ready to install. Also shown is the toothed lockwasher that is already installed. Starter motor solenoid wire cover installed. Starter motor solenoid wire cover retaining nut installed and solenoid wire plugged in. Wire harness tied to dipstick tube. Positive battery cable clipped into place. Positive battery cable now fully installed.

This is from a friends house last year just north of Oneida Lake

This one is from years back on the road to the family farm in upstate NY.

I have a 1953 Ford NAA (Golden Jubilee) tractor, and if I didn't have so many other projects going on, I'd consider doing a Ford flathead V8 conversion. There have been a number of kits available over the years for that conversion, starting, I believe, with the Funk Aircraft Company conversion kit in the 1940s for the 9N, 2N, 8N, and later the NAA and others. It would be a fun project, and who doesn't like overpowered tractors? And I've always had a soft spot for Ford/Mercury flathead V8s.

Just a 5xi in different paint. I like the blue ones! My tractors dislike green garden tractors, but they won't bother blue ones.

I can say I've given thought more than once to having a Ford 300 inline six on a tractor frame. Why? Who cares??!!? I can't speak for @JCM but if we do a gathering here you're absolutely welcome.

Don't tempt me. I've been known to do crazy things like that. Perhaps the New Holland GT series could be considered the 'blue sheep' of the 5xi family, but hopefully still welcome at Wheel Horse family gatherings.

As THE local Bear. Can confirm. So listen here Mr Chips.... when's the real V8 getting wedged in there?

Glad to see your posts on this project, but may I suggest you start a new post on your project. Information tends to get lost in this long general thread and a dedicated thread may make it easier for us to follow your project. Oh and to the

There should be a removable pin securing the clevis on the outer bail to the stud in the center of the PTO. Get that out, disengage the PTO (the PTO actuator rod must move fore and aft freely--get that first) and wiggle the bail away from the PTO bell

@Bar Nuthin do you have to fire suit up , like top fuel , to run that ???? looks very good , pete

Well let's see, I put up the WD40 & got PB Blaster. I aired the tires up to get her off the trailer. All the valve stems are on the inside. Is that normal or has someone rotate them for a wider stance? Only 1 has a 90-degree adapter on the valve stem. Rolled her off the trailer and applied the brakes. No brakes. thank God for 96-gallon trash cans or I might have ended up in the shed. Parking brake doesn't work, (lock), either. Removed deck & mule drive. Finaly figured out and unfroze the quick attach pins. I think she's sat a heck of a long time. Mule drive adjuster is frozen & the black knob just turns so I assume the roll pin the holds it in place is rotted. I had to remove the clips & pry the arms off the adjuster to get the belt loose. The bar on the PTO won't move front to rear or up & down enough to get the belt off. Do I remove the big nut on the mule to get the belt out? Busted the rubber cover on the dash side of the choke cable, but now it's easier to get PB down the cable to try to free it. Got all the deck pulleys and deck spindles to turn. I assume it's a 42-inch deck. Otherwise, everything' just peachy.

Decided ol' Johnny needed spruced up a bit, so I slapped a quick paint job on him. AI paint job, that is.

Changed out the powered worm gear snowblower chute with a powered chain drive.

That Magnum 12 is definitely worth getting back running. And a 312-8 is an awesome "middle of the road" tractor. It can run a 48 inch deck, a rear tiller, and a snow blower with ease. Very solid machines!

Put some bushing in a hydro belt take up. The old ones were shot. Got some bunting flange bearings at Amazon. reamed out the hole with a 5/8 drill, but started in straight with a step drill first. Worked okay was trying to keep it simple. I did add a keeper bolt threaded in the end to keep it all together due to eliminating the e clips on the shaft to accept the thicker flange bearings. Bearing were $3 and change each.

Would it be a wide frame Cub Cadet hitch, not a narrow frame?

Looks like Cub Cadet. Might bring a few $ on Market Place??

Hi Eric, there on the way. Had ice storm Monday didn't go to postoffice yesterday. Hope all is well, Happy New Year

The doc told me a few bacon bits on my salad is fine.

suggested this short time ago , with recent snow can verify , its ability to shed blade with total ease , when I was done the blade was clean and slick dry , think the angular slide off is ridiculous with total ease , lets you do a back plow end area to move snow to , engine barely loads the blade and its gone , black graphite spray , pete

If you were to catch an immovable object with those weights it could very well brake a hub. Fluid filled tires with chains and 50 pounds on each wheel will get the job done nicely, Mu driveway is fairly steep and that is all I have ever used.

Second that, loaded turfs with 70 lb wheel weights wrapped with 2 link V-Bar chains and 100 lb on the rear hitch.

@oldlineman love that type of plowing , experimented with MOWER GUARD . GRAPHITE SPRAY ON MY PLOW BLADE , last summer ? let the hot sun bake it on , forgot all about it , till recent snow plowing , the immediate response I got was the SNOW BLADE SLIDE OFF . SEAMED TO BARELY LOAD THE BLADE , looking things over , there was no snow stuck on the blade , regularly BACK PLOW , to my farthest edge , that gives me a place to plow to , thats empty . if I were to try it now , would use a heat lamp on cleaned blade , made to protect mower decks , made by slip plate , might even spray my snow bower walker . pete

I agree with Achto that too much weight may cause something mechanical to let go, a little tire slip is not a bad thing. I have a 1979 c-101 with (turf tires and 2 link chains) (best combo in my opinion for snow) 80 lbs on each rear wheel and # 40 chain on fronts for steering. A 10" cement block filled with cement, (weight unknown) on rear and have zero problem pushing as much snow as the plow can handle. It has been set up this way for 40 plus years with no mechanical problems, and has moved tons of western Pa snow ( Laurel Highlands). Bob

I run tires from a walk behind snow blower on the front, turf tires with chains on the back and no added weight on either end. Very seldom have any issues pushing snow. Different type of plowing. I have a 50lb wheel weight on the right rear wheel, 120lbs of wheel weights on the left rear wheel, and 50lbs hanging out in front of the tractor. I've pulled this plow many miles with very little issue. Weight is helpful, too much can cause mechanical issues. Some thing has to give, if the tires don't give something else eventually will.

Welcome! OK, my ... Weight evenly distributed in or on the rear wheels is preferred. Are your tires fluid filled?? Fluid in the tire is perfectly centered.. Next, a set of inside and outside weights are preferred over what I see on yours. Your two sets of outer weights are creating an overhung condition that are easy to get caught up on objects. Added weight on the tractor frame is effective, but not preferred. All this concern is due to the Unidrive outer axle bearings - overdo it and you are setting them up for premature failure. Again, my

I have about 50 lbs on each wheel on a 854 and chains and that thing is a beast when it comes to pushing snow. I have more of a hard time getting traction on the front to steer with a load of snow up front. I usually lift up a little on the blade when im in a turn and it gives me some down pressure so I can direct the snow where I want to go. I haven't tried bird seed for traction yet but I'll give it a try. Lol