special edition WH

[HENRYG 34]

Has anyone ever heard of a special edition WH of the early sixty's maybe a  654 or 854 with a white grille or hood ?

[12 hp Kohler 1,014]

I have not, but that definitely doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. 

[AMC RULES 36,941]

From the  factory, NO.

        

 

Edited June 18, 2017 by AMC RULES

[EricF 589]

Any chance you're thinking of the "specials" built for use as tugs and utility tractors for the Indianapolis 500? Wheel Horse and their distributor in Indy, Radio Equipment Company, started a promotion in the 60s. In some years, the tractors were used in a one-lap exhibition race, driven by the race drivers.

 

In later years, there was a "500 Special" for sale with an extra set of white stripes on the hood and special decals. It was actually a lower-cost model, assembled using parts from the outgoing model year help clear out inventory, and offered as a nicely trimmed out entry model for buyers who might have had a harder time coming up with the typical prices that Wheel Horse tractors sold for at the time. It was built to be identical to the ones used at the track, so it had some nice collectible attraction even back then.

 

There have been various "special" designated models over the years, largely following the same formula as the "500 Specials", though without the race tie-in. They tended to pop up in years when a significant change to the sheet metal or mechanical systems for the new model year occurred. The "specials" were typically built with the prior model year's out-of-production parts to run out the inventory and, like the "500 Special", were sold at attractive prices. They usually had some sort of designation on the model number decal, but it wasn't necessarily obvious.

[953 nut 51,534]

Mike @squonk did one a few years back, looks good.