Army Ranger project

[Rollerman 290]

I got out the military surplus twin engine today & started doing some mockups for fitting it in a Lawn Ranger.

This is my son's snow blowing/mowing tractor & not the one I will be useing for the Army Ranger project...but since it was out & handyI took some pics to share.

I think it's going to be pretty neat when I find an 8 speed to put in it, bolt the engine down, put the ags on back, ribs on front & paint it to match the engine...OD green!

[nylyon-(Admin) 7,114]

What HP engine is that thing? Reminds me of the time a buddy of mine put a well built 440-6 into a Plymouth Duster. He got it in there, started it up, popped the clutch and bent the frame. :D

[Rollerman 290]

It's rated at 3HP...I know a few guys useing them & they say no way.

Here is that ebay link again...little more info on it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Gas-Engine-Generator-P...1QQcmdZViewItem

[combatmp29r 27]

Stephen it is most likely a 10hp unit. The military has underrated items for years to meet Nato or Geneva convention rules. Yes there are rules about things as silly as what size engine is on something.

[Rollerman 290]

Yeah kind of figured....tag & book show 3HP.

But I've been told it will pull about like a 10HP?

I still have not fired it, still working on a mount.

[Brrly1 1,146]

Kids and their Toys :D

[Michcruiser60 0]

That is one Wheel Horse I hope gets painted green!!!

Is that the one that was on fleebay? I was watching that myself. Had no intentions of buying but I thought it was a neat engine. Cool idea. :D

[Rollerman 290]

Mich planning on painting it olive drab just like the engine.

Still looking for an 8 speed rear end with 1" axles...so I can use the Lawn Ranger hubs.

The little twin cylinder military engine is designed to be mounted to a pump or generator so there's no mounts in the oil pan.

I'm haveing an L shape mount made at a local fab shop.

Will be a neat toy when it's done. :D

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,337]

Stephen,

I can't wait to see the finished product. Interesting project to say the least. Gotta love olive drab. :D

[wheelhorsepuller 1]

I really like the look of that engine... WOW..

[combatmp29r 27]

Stephen you'll have to get Terry D to make up a ranger tab for it. I can send you one to have him duplicate if you want. I'd have to dig a spare out, but I have some, some where :D

[Rollerman 290]

My boy is kinda incharge of the buildup....I did say kinda.

We were planing on useing stencils & flat white paint for any details.

So what is a "Ranger Tab" though incase I'm missing something?

For the record My son own's 3 horses now & none of them are red...silver,orange & black.... :D

[combatmp29r 27]

Ranger tabs are the Id patches for ranger units, or ranger qualified personell. They have there own look to them unlike any other army unit patches. Kinda like how we wore black Berets before General Dumb A#$ gave them to the whole army and gave the ranger beige baby S*(& looking ones. Sorry. I'll find a picture of one of my sudued ones from when I was still in the 75th. They look more like a scroll or banner that a patch.

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,337]

I probably got one around someplace. You can go here to learn more and see a couple of examples:

airborne ranger tab

Here is one of my favorite Army patches. I wore these when I was in the 11th ACR:

[Rollerman 290]

Thanks for the info Joel & Terry.

I had no idea what a "tab" was?

New question though...as I wasn't a member of the Army....would anyone consider it in bad taste if I added a tab to the Army Ranger?

My son cooked up this idea & I think it's going to look neat when done, but I don't want to offend anyone with it.

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,337]

Stephen,

I can't speak for all, but I wouldn't be offended. I think it would show honor and respect to a few good men who have served. I wasn't an Army Ranger, mind you, but I don't see anything disrespectful in doing this.

[wheelhorsepuller 1]

Or you could paint the whole thing Wheelhorse red, including the engine..

[kpinnc 10,670]

I can't imagine anyone taking offense with it either. I think you'd have to paint the tractor pink or something to cause any problems.

The 11th CAV subdued patch looks kinda nice too.

You could always put the WH horse head logo in subdued colors (flat black and gray or red) with the "ranger" tab over it....

Kevin

[combatmp29r 27]

Stephen I don't even think the Hardcore guys would be offended. As someone that wears a Ranger Tab I can say I would be honored that your son and you took the time to do it. It is a cool project and actually shows a good alot of support for our brothers and sisters over in the sandbox. Just my 2 cents. I'll add a pick of a subdued one when I find them.

Terry CAV? LOL I've seen all sides now. Started as a ranger with the 75th Ranger division 4 years, 2 years in Montana as a recruiter, and now 8 yrs as an MP in the reserves. Been shot at more in the reserves then ever on Active Duty. Something wrong somewhere there. :D

[Rollerman 290]

Thanks for the info guys....looks like it will need a tab then to give it a complete look.

Maybe on either side where it would wear the horse head logo on the hood?

Wheel horse puller....man that OD green engine to me is pretty just the way it is....I'd rather match the tractor to it than repaint the engine. :D

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,337]

Joel,

My MOS was 12B, Combat Engineer. I was assigned to the 58th Engineer Company, who were attached to the 11th ACR in Fulda, Germany. We wore the 11th patch and our company was an unique company. Most combat engineer companies were assigned to combat engineer battalions, like Companies A, B, C, D, etc. to the 5th Engineer Battalion. Those companies generally had about 120-150 men assigned to them and the company CO was a O-3 or Captain. Our company was to have 200-250 men and our CO was to be a O-4 Major.

The 11th ACR was a celebrated unit when it fought in Vietnam. When I was there, from 1980 to 1982, there were a few NCO's who were with the 58th Engineer Company when it was with the 11th in Vietnam. It was interesting to hear their stories. Well, enough of this

Stephen,

I agree, it would be a shame to waste this opportunity to paint the tractor olive drab. I think its a great idea. :P

[combatmp29r 27]

Stephen, I agree with Terry. OD will really make this tractor stand out at the shows. I'm sure you'll get some flack from a few dire hards, but who cares. Its for your collection (well your sons) as long as you guys are happy with it thats what counts. If they all had to be original Eldon, Tricycle Terry, Nick and myself would be exiled right along with you. Along with a bunch of other guys :D

[TT-(Moderator) 1,127]

I second that, Joel.

Come on guys...... (I hate to "black and white" this, but...) these are lawn and garden tractors. That's the bottom line. I used to get irate when someone would dismantle a perfectly good tractor just to make money from the parts.

Think about how many of these tractors have been scrapped in the last 10 or 15 years. Those parts are gone forever. At least places like Ray's Mower Shop and Joe's Outdoor Power are providing used parts for us to keep our tractors running and working -- and we don't have to give our money to Toro!

I never got mad when I saw one with a few modifications, or the wrong decals or paint color, and could really care less if a 401 Suburban doesn't have the "correct K-91 Kohler", or a GT1600 WorkHorse has a K-321 in it now since the Briggs "took a poop". They aren't Yenko Camaros or Shelby Mustangs, they are tractors. (the best tractors on Earth , but still JUST tractors)

The ones that get me are the guys that hoard all of this stuff up, and then let it sit there and rot away -- just so no one else can have it. I have 30 + years to go until I can retire (hopefully ) and I plan on still having some of my same tractors that I have now. The oil supply may be gone by then, or who knows what else may happen, but I'll have them. If I have to run them on grain alcohol that I make in my own basement and pump the crankcase full of KY jelly that I swipe from the proctologist, then so be it.

Greg Morgan has an RJ35 on ebay right now (you probably saw it) and it's up to $750.00! It doesn't have shiny paint OR EVEN AN ENGINE. This tractor was less than half of that when it was new.

To each his own, but for $750, I'll buy another Wheel Horse (or two - or three) that I can use.

I tend to believe that the value of these tractors is based on what someone is willing to pay for them. The "blue book" is a joke too. How can they put values on stuff like this? When was the last time you watched a 1967 Lawn Ranger roll across the block at the Barrett-Jackson auction ?

I suppose this will get moved to another location on here, which is fine. I seem to be the one that stirs things up on a regular basis, but a lot of this is the truth.

If I never go to the WHCC show again, I will still have my tractors. They might not be correct restorations, or have the wrong engine, or not be worth anything to someone else, but as the Mastercard commercials say, to me, they're "PRICELESS".

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,337]

TT,

I think a rant every now and then is okay. Okay let's see it.....

I like things to be original as the next person, but bottom line, it is better that one be saved and used again, than let it go to some junkyard to be crushed....that's what sad

I rather something be done like what Stephen's doing than paint the thing green and yellow or PINK! It's his tractor and even if he wanted to paint it pink, then so be it.

Like you said, TT, it's just a tractor, albeit a Wheel Horse. It will be functional and running again, that's the main thing.

[Rollerman 290]

Just want to add...LOL

TT I could here you typeing clear over hear in IN!

I'm not concerned nor do I care what color I paint the tractor...I think the OD green gonna be great!

I only ment to ask if by putting the "Army Ranger" moniker on the Lawn Ranger if any one would take offense to it who is or had been in the armed services or find it in poor taste.

My son currently has a B 80 painted orange with the General Lee decals on it.

He runs it like his 4 wheeler though & it sits broke down a lot.

Rants are okay in my book...I'm guilty here a few times. :P