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Rideawaysenior

420LSE questions

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Rideawaysenior

Okay,

After seeing the 420 that Rick just bought, I've got a question. I noticed that the engraved ID tag on Ricks has the production number. Mine does not. The ID tag is also faded so I can't determine the model. The tag was not personalized either so I'm wondering if the series number was only put on the ones that were personalized.

Jack

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420lse

Hey Jack

From what I've seen, weather your LSE was personalized or not the ID tag just below the seat, had the production number on it along with the model #. Unfortunatly, those tags have faded through the years. I don't know if the frame has any info. It does help with the history.

Moe

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whlpny

Jack- mine has the tag personalized and has the unit #.

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wh500special

Jack,

Enclosed in the owner's packet that came with the tractor was an envelope that the plaque would be mailed back to the factory for personalization and then returned to the owner/dealership for installation.

Apparently not all of them were sent in...neither was mine.

Steve

edit: The model number tag on mine is located on the rear fender, but not in the conventional spot under the seat (no camera available). Instead it is right on the centerline of the tractor at the forward most edge of the seat pan right at the transmission hump. In my case, the serial is 00065. So the last three digits should denote your number if you can read it. My hood plaque has neither name nor number on it.

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Rideawaysenior

Thanks all for the replies. My tag like most other worked units has faded and the custom plate was never personalized so, I guess mine is to remain the mystery nuumber until all can be accounted for. LOL

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marvairplanes

WOW !!! A thread just for 420 LSE tractors !!!

I braved the cold/snow/freezing rain out to the barn and just checked my "numbers".

The engraved plate on the hood has only the name of the first owner.

The serial number #00051 is barely visible...with the aid of a bright light at just the right angle...on the ID tag, just between your legs, while sitting on the seat....just at the forward edge of the seat pan, as described above.

Marv (NW Oh)

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Cable

Here is what my reasearch has turned up on the 420LSE

The development of the 420LSE tractor was a project assigned to challenge the engineers. No cost restrictions were imposed. “It involved most of the engineering departmentâ€, according to Ed Cole, a retired long-time employee of Wheel Horse. It was called a “commemorative tractor†but there was no single event that was to be commemorated. It was a “special†more than a commemorative tractor. The “LSE†in the model stood for Limited Special Edition.

The 420LSE’s suggested retail price was $8,000.00. I hope you can read this on the price-list photo. This compares to the $4,499.00 suggested retail for the model 418-A, the second highest costing tractor sold that year. The 420LSE was the most expensive tractor ever produced by Wheel Horse as of the date of manufacture.

It had a leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather seat, and over eighty chrome components. It even came with a chrome draw bar hitch pin, zippered document case, and chrome plated key fob.

Only 200 were built according to the 1986 “Wheel Horse Lawn & Garden Equipment†brochure. Each one was sequentially numbered according to the 1986 brochure. A chrome plate was added to the hood where the owner’s name was engraved.

The engine used was a Kohler Magnum 20. The M20 had not been used previously on a tractor nor was it used again on a tractor. However, it was used on the 720-Z, a zero turn mower in 1987.

Shipment to the dealer was in a box made of three-quarter inch plywood. Included with the tractor was a loose parts box for the mower deck and other items. There were chrome gauge wheels and shoulder bolts that the dealer would install on the deck the customer purchased. Deck detailing instructions required the dealer to remove existing bolts and install red bolts where the background color was red and black bolts where it was black. The tractor included a forty-eight inch mower deck but the customer could buy any deck they wanted.

It did create some maintenance issues. There were problems with the leather seats and the rear wheels. Making the rear wheels involved plating and polishing two parts which were then spot welded together. “The weld sites were covered with a little silver paint and the area was prone to rusting,†according to Ed Cole.

Spare parts were phased out rather fast.

The 1986 product year brochure featured the 420LSE on both the front and rear covers.

There is probably some reason to doubt the accuracy of the number produced as being 200. I say this because brochure printing was likely done before production ended. I would like to hear from anyone who has one, along with their tractor’s serial number and a photo.

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TT

420LSE1.jpg

420LSE4.jpg420LSE3-1.jpg

420LSE2-1.jpg

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marvairplanes

Cable...Terry(TT),

Revived after 2 years...GREAT !

Terry, do you have the tractor to go along with the literature?

Cable..I sent a personal message.

Marv

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TT

Terry, do you have the tractor to go along with the literature?

Never owned one, but know where there are two that were bought new by brothers and passed down to their children.

One of these days I will attempt to get some numbers. :eusa-whistle:

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64s

There was just one here in CT being parted out - it was on Craigslist and alot of it was already gone,or I would have tried to "save" it.

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fireman

I think the deal fell through with Rick buying that tractor. As far as I know it's still sitting at the dealer unless someone else has bought it and not posted anything here on Redsquare. I'll have to stop buy on Monday and see if they still have it unless someone here knows better. When I was there before Rick had found out about it the dealer wouldn't take less than $6000 for it. That was over three years ago. If he does still have it I wonder what he wants now!!!!

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Wishin4a416

I still have my 87 catalog. I remember drooling over that machine. I guess some of our members own one?

100.jpg

200.jpg

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stevebo

Jeff-

Here is the one sitting at the dealer .....

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MalMac

I don't know the dealers name. I was talking to a member on here that seen it in FT. Wayne, IN. Never been started. He seen it this summer.

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stevebo

This one has no hours and not even water added to the original battery ...

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Wheelhorse84

If someone did buy it to use how do you think all those gaskets and seals would hold up after 20 some years of no use?

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stevebo

IMO no problems....

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Cable

"Horse Sense" issue for Spring of 1989 had a letter from an owner. It shows him with his twin 420 LSEs. I am green with envy.

In the late 80s Wheel Horse was providing dealers with VHS video tapes showing off that years product line. I have converted the 1989 and 1990 tapes to DVD. What I really would like to find is a copy from 1986 and 1987 or any other company video of the 420LSE. Can anyone help with that?

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Wheel-N-It

I sure wish Santa would bring me one of those "Bling Kits" for my 417-A !

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520HC

The one near Ft Wayne In. is still there. I tried to buy it the last day of 2008, was told $6900, but he didnt care if he sold it or not. The deck is gone, but tractor has never been started. The packet is nowhere to be found. I bought mine later off e-bay for $1500, has 130 hours on it.

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wh-jason

i remember when we were a dealer, the day we uncrated that LSE it was like nothing i had ever seen before. it sat in our showroom for several years until grandpa gave up trying to sell it, so he brought it home. i mowed with it for several years until he sold it. i mowed a lot we had in town and when id drive it up there everyone would check it out. i wish it was still around.

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Ken B

I love the seats that came on the 420's! (not too mention all that chrome) I think I'm going to gather up some of the best black leather that money can buy. (trust me, I can do that!) Then I'm going to bring my 520's seat with some leather to my upholstery guy with a picture of a 420's seat and tell him to make it happen. I've wanted to bling my 520 up just a tad and I think this will be a good place too start. Love them 420's!

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Challenger

Regarding the tractor Rick was going to buy: I seem to recall at the time, that Rick and the selling dealer felt that the original Wheel Horse warranty WOULD BE HONORED as a "new" machine starting with Rick's purchase.

Maybe??? Maybe not???

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WheelHorseSteve

Jeff-

Here is the one sitting at the dealer .....

No way! I was just at West End Power the other day picking up a chain for my saw... didn't realize that is where this beauty was hiding. It's right around the corner from my work so I'm definitely going to go back again to check that out. I wonder if they'll ever loosen up on their price... I guess they see it as a price that they'll someday get...

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