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MrTrimmier

701 is finally home!

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MrTrimmier

After almost 2 years after purchase, we drove from Beaufort SC to Winston-Salem NC to claim the 701. The seller was supposed to bring it to Myrtle Beach and save us a bunch of driving but it never happened. Oddly enough, when we were about 20 minutes out from his place I noticed a trailer in front of us with a restored 701 and another round hood sitting side by side being pulled down the road on a red trailer. As we passed it occurred to me it had been 30 years since we had sold our 701 and it's implements, which was the last time I had actually laid eyes on a wheel horse.

 

Having said that, it was an uneventful trip back through my home city of Charlotte NC back to Beaufort. The 701 is in very sad shape, having set outside for obviously decades. The shifter is sheared off above the pivot. The L steering arm to the spindle is broken off where the roll pin goes through, and the belt cover is missing off of the Kohler. The seller told my wife "everyone" wanted the mower deck so I suspect the belt cover was a quick sale item to one of the lookers.

 

The wheels and seat pan are rusted out, the mower deck is holed and pitted. Other than that it is a complete 701 replete with vintage battery and liquid varnish in the tank and sediment bowl. I have some other wheels to fit, so that will be step 1 followed by vacuuming the leaf buildup around the shifter and in the tool tray. The 7 horse spins, but I didn't get too aggressive without some lubricant in the cylinder. It appears all the hardware is now melded with it's respective sheetmetal. Some PB blaster will be in order prior to any attempt to remove the lugs or hood bolts...

 

Guess it's time to pull it down into chunks and try my hand at some electrolysis tank immersion...

 

I bought a new dash, throttle cable, muffler, rear hubs and adjustable implement lowering device while in the Middle East...

 

Good Times Ahead!

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Sparky

Looks like you have your work cut out for ya! Good luck ith it.

Mike.......

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rmaynard

Looks like you have your work cut out for you. There seems to be an awful lot of oil all over the pto side of the engine. I am curious where that is coming from. I think that I would forget the e-tank and go for a sand blast cabinet on this one.


All great minds think alike Mike.

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AMC RULES

You found   :wh: 701 parts in the Middle East?   :scared-eek: 

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stevebo

I see the belt guard is missing on this one. I would try a really good cleaning with a pressure washer and then wet sanding the tins with 1000 grit and see if there is any paint under that surface rust. You may be surprised.....

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MrTrimmier

I'll clean it up as best possible and see if it wishes to obtain operational status. Been hunting ebay for a steering arm to no avail. Anyone have one to sell???? L side tie rod to top of spindle??? And a shifter if anyone has one as well. The rear axle turns as evidenced by the thing trying to roll off the trailer with 4 flats after we got dudes Bobcat running and loaded it up. I had mentioned the electrolysis tank to see if that would help in sheetmetal hardware removal. I'll start with some PB blaster then move to 50/50 trans fluid and acetone if that doesn't work, followed by some heat!!! Might just pull the hood and motor and drop the whole mess in a molasses tank. The hotrod guys seem to have good luck with that method as well!

Mike

Edited by MrTrimmier

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stevasaurus

That deck is the original deck for that horse...only year they made that deck and it went on the 701.  Don't lose it...it is on the rare side and is sought after.  Notice the wheels are on the inside of the deck.  They would get a little tangled with grass clippings so for 1962 the wheels were moved to the outside. :)

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MrTrimmier

Yep, 3661 deck is it? There is a legible decal but it's been a couple of days. No progress to date, she's still on the trailer!

 

Need a steering arm! The manual calls out P/N 3919LH. Also, what size roll pin holds it on plz!

 

The shifter stick is P/N 4215

 

TIA

Mike

Edited by MrTrimmier

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buckrancher

looks like one I would miss with :banghead:  :deadhorse:

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MrTrimmier

YOU ROCK BRIAN!!!

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stevebo

Shoot me a pm to remind me to see if I have that part. Away from home right now

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MrTrimmier

BTW I'm willing to trade off the deck I have for the other model if serviceable. Our old tractor had that deck and a silver frame/axle, so that's the route we'll go with this one come time for paint. Almost forgot, need a seat pan as well!

Mike T

Beaufort SC

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Wheel Horse Kid

Looks like a great project and most of it seems to be there! Would love to get my hands on a 701 someday when I get some cash. Good luck with it!

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OnlyRedInMyShed

I went to see this tractor awhile back.  Although it's a pretty big project i'm glad it found an owner who will give it new life.  Someone needed to save this horse because the owner had too many projects and would have left it for dead. :deadhorse:     

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buckrancher

Mike

I may have some of the parts your looking for. pm me a list

all the roll pins should be 1/4" doubled up (1/4" with a 5/32" drove inside the 1/4")

 

Brian

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MrTrimmier

Here is my parts needed list!

 

I need the following for a 701.

1. L steering arm (tie rod to spindle) # 3919LH
2. Shifter rod # 4215
3. Seat Pan (round or square)

You can emai me at mrtrimmier@gmail.com
Thanks
Mike Trimmier
Beaufort SC

 
Edited by MrTrimmier

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BPjunk

I would not trade off the RMR 3661 mower deck as that mower deck was unique to the 1961 model 701. The 1961 model 701 is one of the hardest Wheel Horse tractor to restore due to the many parts that were not found on the mid engine models and later 1960's model round hoods but this makes a restored 701 very rewarding to own.

 

One of the rare parts found on just a few 701's is the 1345 and 1346 hood thumb screws that had a step cut into them, my 701 had only one of these and Tony Beugger from Quebec, Canada has them on his 701 that he had at the Annual Wheel Horse Show this year. I will post a picture of this type of thumb screw when I can.

 

Good Luck on your restoration.

 

Wild Bill

Richmond, VA

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MrTrimmier

Hand wash, Pickled the engine (turns/good compression) and some new shoes!

Regards

Mike

 

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Jake Kuhn

Looks much better cleaned up!

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MrTrimmier

just a green scrubby pad and some dawn after an all over spray oil soak. bolts are starting to move! around the shifter and the toolbox are still pretty crusty. hood came out decent!

Mike

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Wheel Horse Kid

Wow! What an improvement from the first pics! Keep up the great work!

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MrTrimmier

Kudos to Buckrancher for hooking me up. Shifter and some steering arms. CHEERS!!!

Mike

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Ed Kennell

Nice save.

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AMC RULES

Nice progress so far.   :) 

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Hodge71

Looks great compared to what she started out as!!!

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