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I picked up this, what was left of a 1961 model 551 Wheel Horse, out of a wooded lot about two years ago. This was a local c-list find for $75. She was pretty much a basket case left for dead in the woods but I really wanted the square pan seat for my dad's 1962 restoration project. The seat you see in the first pic is now on my dad's restored 1962 502 Wheel Horse that I have shown in my avatar. Everything was rust locked solid on this tractor. The transaxle/drive pulley/brake drum does not rotate even though the gear shift is in the neutral position and won't go into any gear. Found a lot of issues to fix including three holes being busted out of the transaxle mounting flange on the back of the main frame... I was pretty much undecided what to do with it until I saw a 1961 Wheel Horse hot rod tractor at the big show this past June. That was all the inspiration I needed. So, I have since started tearing the poor thing down and am building what will become my one-of-a-kind 1961 Wheel Horse hot rod tractor. I have been working on the front end and have painted everything so far in metallic black paint... You can't see the metal flake in the black paint in the pics but up close, it really looks cool. I have mounted 10 x 4.5 x 5 quarter midget wheels/tires on front and installed a racing go-kart steering wheel so far... Next, gotta work on disassembling the transaxle to figure out what the problem with this is...

I just picked up a D160 last night and 520h last week I think I'm packed now!!

The C series Black hoods with Kohler engines where the ultimate Wheelhorse when Wheelhorse was still Wheelhorse. They were the last of the breed. I have a 83" C145 hydro and a 84" C165 8 speed. These are my go to tractors for everything. Today I am hauling firewood with the C145. I use the hydro for mowing and snow blowing and the C165 for rototilling, snowplowing and 2nd mower if needed. Personally with the steel rear pans they are just aggressive! Anyone putting down or steering away from Black hoods, probably isn't into rugged well built tractors. I like the part about the using the hood for a workbench. It works great and keeps your beer from sliding off.

I like them all my least favorite is the newest style Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So, I'll make this one short and sweet. I found a 1967 1277! She's not pretty, but she's solid! Runs and drives great! I'll have to make a tie-rod adjustment though & I just wish the rear fender pan wasn't as bent up, but I think I found a new winter worker! OH MY was it wet and rainy getting it though.

Not sure if this turned out or not but here is a pic toward the end of the day. I'll fix tomorrow on the computer if it didn't turn out.

Nope you are correct it can be done.

We are all cursed once we buy the first one!

Where's Jake's mug?

Looks like you need a bigger barn, there are still a lot of horses out there

I actually got it to break free with the "hub to remove a hub" trick! It took about forty five minutes of tightening downs bolts, but it came free. Now I start cleaning and priming!

Is that Geno trying to cast off his last purchase?

Some photos of my dad's original 1962 552 model tractor which I restored as a 1962 502 model.

Picked up this Hardi 30 gallon sprayer at an auction today. Has a spray gun and fold out booms. Going to use it to apply liquid fertilizer in the garden next year. Thad (Ohio)

Hope it's a good snow pusher.

Prototype Prototype too In use DON'T look at the welds. OOPS, too late you already did. As I get older I have to be more careful about how I do things I am past the stage of invincible. I decided I needed something to help me install and remove the lock pins ont the stabilizer legs of my hoist. This works for me and takes a load off my back and legs. Marvin

GREAT time had by all. Pleasure meeting the Man the Myth -----Mr. STEVASAURUS!! Sure hope he made it home ok.

From Mr Peabody's Way back machine ..... I was bringing home my B80 ... first WH purchase actually.... Can't see it for the snow blade ... little trailer was pretty full Not exactly a mirror shot but you can actually see what's on the trailer

i went with tubes because the rims are old and i thought i would have issues with slow leaks. for $15 bucks I wasn't going to deal with the potential issue

We all need tractor racks!

When my wife thinks I have too many, I'm going to send her a link to these pics.

When my wife thinks one more is one too many, I'm thinking one more is never enough. You can still squeeze another one in there!

Looking forward to some pics. Next year we may have to get a New England caravan out there !!

Seeing your pix reminds me of 30 years ago when you could go to the local WH dealer and that is what the showroom looked like...and the guy knew you by name!. Yep, those days are gone forever.

Yeah...chock full o' the old there.

Access is a problem. I'm 6" #200, and I feel a little cramped. Stepping over the center tunnel is not easy, especially when you have the seat jammed forward, the chute director handle and other related goodies in the way, and you are wearing winter boots. I was considering converting the snowbeast to one of Matt's foot pedals, but between the space and boot issues, I think I will stick with hand control for now.

That's a great collection!. Come on now. I see where you could jockey a few around and fit a couple more in there.

Man Shaun, I would say your packed to the gills. But boy does it look great. Glenn

i've you cursed me, came home with my 2nd horse last night

I just received my new vinyl cab from OTC. The plastic roof seems to be constructed well, the vinyl fabric looks to be just as durable as what was on my cub cadet cab. The steel frame does seem a little light but overall it appears to be well designed. I opted for the glass windshield for a total cab price of $1052.00 shipped to my door. I already have LED lights and plan on buying a wiper made for golf carts. I really didn't think the price was that bad for what I got, considering I expect his cab the last a minimum of 20 to 30 years. Oh, and it's specifically designed to fit my tractor. No modification needed. When I get Home from Scott's I'll take pictures of it and pictures of it installed on the tractor. I should add that it was packaged for shipping well. No shipping damage.

Glenn, I'm at the cabin, and don't have the cord to load pictures. I'll put a bunch up when I get home Sunday.

As much as I prolly should, I WILL NEVER BET AGAINST MY TEAM... As far as this year goes... I'm getting SCREWED more than Hue Heffner! ILLINOIS, MARYLAND, INDIANA, WISCONSIN, MICHIGAN, MICHIGAN ST.

No way to win Nick, the cat was the deciding factor.

4 quarts of homemade apple butter just got done making it now bring on the biscuits Tim I love apple season Tim

I want to see a video of someone getting in and out of a cab. I have enough trouble getting on and off a horse as it is. I may have go take Yoga classes!

Wow nice guys, and thank you all for the info. Mine is not anywheres near that nice "yet" it was sitting outside for a few years. The guy that owned it thought the motor was seized so I gave him 50 for it. I got it home and when I started on it the starter was lodged , I removed it cleaned the gas tank put it all back together and it fired right up and drove it around with no problems. I will post some pics once I get it back together but everything was so crusty I wanted to get it all free and clean before to much running. The only problem I have with it is my wife seen it and said "is that a hydro?" I said yes why, she goes, well that ones mine!

Needed to till up the garden and had to get most of the tractors out to get to my Troy-Built tiller out of the garage. My 10 year old son loves tractors and got most of them lined up...so I thought I would take a quick pic. Don't mind the green thing on the end 522Xi C-161-8 520Lxi 518Xi C-161-8 520-8 2320 Deere Still had a 520-H, 520Xi, and another C-161-8 that I didn't get in the picture. Thad (Ohio)

modified john deere radiator cap exact copy of original Brian

Just a few more pictures of the new (to me) I'll have to get a few pictures of what I got with it. The previous owner had made a rake that attaches to the bottom of the dozer blade to tear up ground, and also a home made rear weight bracket!

Most definitely not.

It sounds a little wound up, don't blow it up Nick! It does sound smooth.

Like this: http://theawesomer.com/adult-size-green-machine/93852/

The engine is installed and it's alive. I am so proud. I got all the electronics hooked up properly and it started as soon as fuel got up to the carburetor. Engine sounds great. I must have got the valves adjusted properly. No video at this time, I never even thought about it. Last time I tried to upload video, I couldn't get it to work. Must have done something wrong. I can't wait to try that foot pedal. Now I have to get tires and paint the wheels. As this tractor will never cut grass as long as I have it I can't decide what I should do about choosing tires. I need help on this subject. Already planning on what to do to the 417-A. That will be the next project. At least I don't have to tear it down, I did that last year. But first I have to install the electric wench in the attic so I can haul a lot of stuff up there and get it out of the way. I won't be able to get in the shop tomorrow as my Grandson is getting married and my wife says I have to go. And then Sunday is football.

my c125 gets just as much love as the others. i think they are a good looking model, no different than any of the other wheel horses i own. can't resist posting a pic or two of mine.....

Blackhoods, I have two words !! My first tractor was a C-100 then I joined this forum and saw a blackhood for the first time.. Now Im obsessed with them... I have my eye on about 3 of them that will make it to my stable eventually! I love the design!

This is a C-161 with the initial Fiberglass Blackhood and Briggs 16 Opposed Twin......Now that I have most of the mechanicals worked out, I really like it so it will be getting the full spa treatment in near future. I really like the ride and profile of my new to me GT 14's. Feels more steady and the hydro speed more consistant yet it is slower max speed than the C-161. So II will keep both!

My first and only 'Horse is a C-85 Black-Hood. Still working on it and still loving it. It's a love-hate relationship sometimes, but still loving it! When I brought it home... After a little TLC.

Here is the hub puller I had built (since I do not have welding or machining skills). It is super heavy duty and I have not found any hub that will not succumb. It is made from 1/2 inch steel plate with a 1" grade 8 nut welded to it and uses a 1" fine pitch grade 8 bolt to apply the load to the axle shaft. Bolt the plate up to the offending hub with five 7/16-20 bolts, put a 1 1/2 open end wrench on the welded nut. (These wrenches are long enough so that it will touch the floor and provide the resistive force to the torque you will apply to the bolt). Drop a 1 1/2 inch, 3/4 sq drive socket onto bolt and crank away. Because the threads on the bolt are not long enough to completely remove the hub, halfway through the removal process, I have to remove the puller and insert a 1 inch diameter cylinder into the partially removed hub and reassemble the puller. If I had to do this all over again, I would use a 7/8 diameter bolt so it could be used on 1 inch axles. How well does it work? I have pulled 3 sets of hubs. Two sets were real nasty and one was relatively easy. An impact wrench would have speeded up the task. The puller that an earlier RS member made from a hub will work as well, I just did not have a spare hub lying around.

I have one: Mine began as a 1968 Charger 9. I built it about 8 years ago here in my own shop and didn't have access to fancy machinery, so everything was done with my hand grinder, sawzall, Dremel, hand drill, Miller 135 welder, etc. Unfortunately I did not document the build, but I do remember some of it. I removed all of the original front axle brackets and welded a piece of channel iron under the frame rails. I used a modified late 60's (iron) mower deck spindle assembly to mount the wheels to the tractor. All sprockets, chain, (#40 single-row) 3/4" flange mount bearing and upper steering shaft with u-joint came from various eBay sellers. To "slow down" the steering, I also built & installed a reduction (cluster) sprocket midway between the steering shaft and the front end. Using roller chain / sprockets allows maximum rotation - which in my case is infinite because I never got around to installing steering stops.