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Well finally got the 1045 aka "MUTT" out to get some seat time. This thing runs better then almost any other tractor I have had. It got to pull around it's new friend "TUG" the tub cart... also it's adopted yellow and white brother "BUC" and the cart "TAIL" snuck in for a picture

Bought this tractor last fall in anticipation of the Big Show. Bought new seat and tires. Then in January I got ahold of Terry about a throwback to the 1965 (first year for hydo's) 875/1075 . My 520 is a 95 so I thought a 30 years in hydro would be kinda cool and mine would be different from sea of 520's at the show . Terry and bounce ideas back and forth and came up what you see . In May it went off to the mechanic for some tlc . Well my son , cousin, mechanic and Terry (Vinlyguy) surprised me with this. We're still working on the dash plate as I added a cigarette lighter. @Vinylguy ill probably just mail you my dash plate so it's right . Anyways I made it to the Big Show for the reveal and I think it was big hit with all the complements it got . Literally we where finishing up on Thursday, buying footrest, painting them and putting them on . Now for the bad news yesterday the daughter was driving it to get pictures and it wouldn't hardly climb a small hill . Hopefully this doesn't turn out to be just a "pig with lipstick" and the hydro isn't trashed . Off to the mechanic again! There's still some more finishing touches to do (maybe a wet sand and buff) fix the exhaust and I'm still missing a few small parts . I might play with the graphics some more (sorry Terry) to tie in the 30'th anniversary as next year's show is anniversary models (I just make my own 1 of 1 ) . Figured I'll show you one half of the barn to show how bad my addiction is . This isn't all of them as the other side of the barn looks like three round hoods blew up . I really need to thank Terry again , he's one good guy ! Here's a before pic . and one with Terry and I coming up with ideas .

Being from old farm family we repair things. Some times you have to build something to repair another part. That was the case with steering bracket. I had an extra for a C-120 but they made a few changes on the 312 bracket. Little different angle and deeper bracket for the fan gear. There was just no way to weld it back true alignment with out a jig to hold it. The jig had to be sturdy so I started with a 3/8" plate. Had to notch the plate so it could be bolted down, and added spacers to move it up from the plate. The angle and vice-grips are to hole it in alignment. Then we brazed it back together. I was out of red paint so I painted it black. Don't have a picture but it's back in the 312.

I found this little bronze gem below at TSC, cost $4.00 and is a perfect fit for the usually worn out plastic shaft collar. It is a Hillman part, so likely available at various stores stocking hardware. If your shaft is painted, you will need to sand it down to bare steel for it to slide down to the shaft collar stop. Part number and size in the pics.

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A friend of mine restored a very dilapidated !978 Sears/Roper GT16. Engine is a 16hp B&S. Due to where he keeps it soon to be sold, he sadly decided he'd have to sell it. No room at his home and to big to transport in his car. After some discussion a deal was struck and I took possession of it in May. Some photo's below.

Ok, what do you think of this wheel color? This is Ace Hardware Premium Gloss Enamel in Antique White. I am pretty sure this is the old Krylon formulation based on the way it goes on and it's smell. Plus it has the old style adjustable fan spray tip. The center portion of my rims still had the original color, and was still shiny. This looks to be just slightly lighter in shade, but I think the original color probably darkened over the last 50 years. Your thoughts?

Was showing off for the Mrs Rules this morning... the "new" trailer I picked up from Tommy(aka Limited 12)at this years big show. In the process, discovered my Ol' Smokey(1960 Model 400) might be due for a set of rings. Still not bad though, considering it's only 57 years old. Can't seem to figure out why... the crustier this old stuff is...the better I like it.

Started a new project I've been day dreaming about for awhile now. I've always been a fan of square hood and more recently round fenders. Figured I couldn't go wrong with a big block kohler either. Started with an 857 that had no engine. So for now and until more parts arrive I have a short frame, big block kohler with round fenders and no cutting of the hood to make it all fit. There's still lots to do but thought I'd share the progress so far.

I got a c-141 yesterday that had been garage kept and the owner inherited it with his house. A very exciting find for $200 as it includes a solid deck and a very nice pusher blade. It also looks very nice and clean for its age. Like any non-running tractor, you can expect a few problems. First, the starter nose gear is heavily worn and so will not engage. It is a Massachusetts built Bosch starter, and I have borrowed one from another tractor, I thought it a good idea to remove the engine tins to check for mice nests, but there was a great deal of dried oil gunge suggesting a blown head gasket. i found the only head bolts that were anywhere near tight were the two closest to the exhaust. There are no scratches in the piston bore, but at TDC, the valves can be rotated . I have cleaned the engine and plan to adjust and lap the valves. The front of the piston top has eroded a bit and you can see a bit of the top piston ring. I suppose it could be due to all that grunge build up on the cooling fins from the loose head bolts I did notice that the tractor has an electric fuel pump. I used the pump to empty the tank and the gas was pretty good as it appeared to have Sta-Bil in it. In any case it still smelled pretty much like it should, but i pumped it out anyway and used it to clean up the engine. Does this sound like a good plan? I know some of you would just do a complete rebuild, but i already have one tractor in pieces to paint

Hi Red Square, I know how everyone likes to see everyone's new acquisition. So here's mine.... 1988 414-8. Purchased from the grandson of the original owner It seems to be in good shape. The deck has rust holes in it. Not sure if it's worth resurrecting. Needs 2 rear tires and 1 front tire won't hold air at all. Has a split in it. I will change all 4. I will be asking some questions in the future about tire options. Needs a battery. Also a small electrical issue that they bypassed, again will ask about that as I get to it. Other than that it just requires a good cleaning. Purpose of my purchase was to save the K46 hydro unit in my lawn tractor. Now I will have something I can use to pull my trailer, and work without damaging my lawn tractor. I started looking into purchasing a standard gear tractor a few weeks ago, and as I was researching I realized that Wheel Horse was the way to go. My grandfather owned what I remembered was an 854 when I was a kid and he worked the crap out of that tractor. I used to cut his grass with it when I was a kid. Here are some pictures of the 414-8 on the trailer last night when I got home. Oh, I think I got a great deal $250. Ontario, Canada.

I like it! Howard, I resemble that remark!

Brought my big show purchase to the lake and gave it a test run on the lake front. Needless to say I am overjoyed with the results. Beautiful cut and runs and drives like new. What a machine.

Hello all, our local FFA Alumni had a GT pull on Sat July 1st. With all of the rain that we have been getting in our area I wasn't sure if we were even going to have a pull. We did not roll the sod off of the track until the morning of the pull & surprisingly the track looked real good. Even though there was no representation, I wanted to share a few pic's from the pull. Classes included stock tractors. Youth class is for kids under the age of 13. This young lady was 5yrs old ( the minimum age for pullers). She drove her hot looking tractor "Mickey's Ride" on a nice slow pace to win 1st place in her class. Just look at the determination on her face as she gets ready to take off with the eliminator. This custom tractor "Basket Case" was among one of my favorites. I liked the old styling and admired the work that went into it. The outlaw pullers, reaching speeds well over 25MPH were of course a crowd pleaser. This tractor "Triple Trouble" was sporting a hopped up 3 cylinder, 2 stroke snowmobile engine. This machine "Top Secret" had a 4 cylinder, 4 stroke motorcycle engine. This incredibly impressive machine "Marvin Martian" was powered by 2 1200cc Honda Gold Wing engines. The owner custom made the high rise intake manifolds, which are fitted with automotive carburetors. It was one powerful machine with an indescribable sound. The spectator crowd was not quite as big as we had hoped, but we did have a nice turn out and people seemed to enjoy them selves. The Wisconsin Garden Tractor Pullers Inc. put on a great show, they said our track was a great power track. With any luck our club will be able to put on another pull next year, maybe with a pure stock class added for locals to run their worker tractors.

It must be close to original, I have to sets of wheels dismounted, and both sets are the same color on the inside of the rim. It looks slightly darker in the picture than it is because of the light. The Ace Antique White is one or two shades lighter than the original rim color found on the inside of the rims.

You got a great deal. I have a 314-8 and it is a real tractor that will last for 50 years. I know I have a few 50 year Olds and a four 40 year tractors that still work great. I always say take care of it and it will take care of you. You will get all the help you want from guys that know everything about the wheel horse tractors and more. I've been here 2 years and have learned more then I ever thought I could. One thing that we need to help anyone with problems is lots of pictures. Welcome to the best wheel horse site in the world.

Well I really like all the old classics, but kept reading about the newer models. An old friend of mine popped up with one with 600 hours so we made a deal. I like the heft of the machine. I like the 52" deck and the cruise control. It mowed my 1.5 acres much faster than my 316-8 with 48" deck. First thing I did was change the fluids and sharpen the blades. It cuts nice. Questions: The deck is quite loud. Is that normal or do perhaps I have a spindle in need of a bearing? After mowing for about 45 minutes I disengaged the pto. When I went to re-engage the pto it would not spin the belt. Waited about 10 minutes and it kicked into spin mode. (spindle bearing?) Gas gauge doesn't work. Is their a sending unit in the tank? Easy to replace or not worth the effort? Reverse Warning Light is always on. Gas tank is almost double the size of the classics. Does the 20hp twin burn twice the fuel? Front plastic piece is gone. Which from what I see is quite common. Anyone found a suitable replacement or just live with it? With only an hour of seat time, I'm not sure I am sold on it, but will give it a few more chances before sending it down the road. Thanks for any input.

No issues with tranny... I'll just chalk it up to driver error. needs a little adjustment and it'll be fine !

Trailer I got to tow behind one of my RJ-35's... that I have yet to reassemble. One day it will happen.

MUTT-TUG and BUC-TAIL are fine looking machines and trailers! I thought my wife was nuts when she names her tractor......

There's a lot more right with repairing stuff than our present culture gives credit. There's also a lot to be said about building things so they CAN be repaired.

Well after about a month delay, I finally got the frame and engine painted. Will start assembly in 2 days so the paint can dry.

Grab some popcorn and a pillow, lol. Hope to get rolling on it heavy here soon. Between a Honey do list, rain, 300% humidity and a host of other things that get in the way, it's been a long time on this.

Everything I have that was Linen Beige originally I have painted Allis-Chalmers cream. Marvin''s hood is that color. (Glen should have painted his orange)!

Well I truly did not know what wheel horse was thinking when they made this model. Just darn lucky that the next year they did it right with the B-80. What I am saying is they put these small tiers on it to look like a small tractor. But it looks better now with the deep dish on them and 22" on the back. I had to fix the seal on the drive pulley anyway so a double fix. I had the fronts but needed to exchange a tier on one of the rims because it was bald in the middle.So Hence the yellow on C-List. I had to buy the 22" on E-Bay. MUCH BETTER NOW IT LOOKS LIKE A REAL TRACTOR. I hope you enjoy the picks. Ohhh the pick with the Silvertowns is what happen when they get old but I have fix this before with large patches in side I like these old time silvertowns. Enjoy your ride.

Fantastic ! Just after I got done with mine ( Rustoleum gloss white ) I flipped through the forum and found some painted Antique white . Wish I'd have looked sooner

I worked for A & P [The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co] part-time while attending college. Stocking shelves was my main responsibility, but back then we closed at 8:00 p.m. M-S and were closed all day on Sundays. The Manager & Assistant Manager could check groceries, but did not really like running a cash register, so they trained me as a fill-in checker for the 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. time slot when the day checkers began getting off. The training consisted of the manager going shopping and you checking him out. He would have anywhere from a 25 - 35 dollar when the tally was completed, but he looked for every multi-units priced products in the store ie: 2 for 39, 2 for 61, 2 for 79, 2 for 99, 3 for 67, 3 for 88, 3 for 97, etc, etc. and he would have one of the two for, and one or two of the three for. This was years prior to scanners and you had to punch in the numbers, all while he was asking you questions about why something was out of stock, why the price had increased on another product the entire time you were checking him out. He already had calculated the prices and knew the total, and you had better be accurate with the total, and then give him the correct change. If the total was $26.17 and he could give you two $20 just as easily as a twenty & ten, but whatever it was you counted the change back with the least number of coins possible like three pennies, 18, 19, 20, then a nickel 25, then a quarters, 50, then a half-dollar (which were still in general use back then) makes $27, then three ones, for 28, 29, 30 if he used a 20 & 10. If he gave you two $20's then a $10 was added to make $40, and it had better be a ten and not two $5's unless the cash drawer did not contain a ten, then the two fives were counted back as 35, and 40 sir. I do apologize for the two fives sir, but I seem to be missing a ten in my register and had to use those fives. And there was no just handing the customer their change, it was counted back verbally in a clear & distinct voice. During the time I worked for A & P the Manager attempted training a couple of other stockers to be alternate checkers, some made the alternate status, some didn't. When we were on vacation, the wife and I usually split the cash we carried and some travelers checks were in her name and the balance in mine also (Then we had plastic for an emergency, but the general idea was the cash & travelers checks would pay all expenses during the vacation). We stopped for lunch at a fast food place and I gave the cashier a travelers check. The young man looked at me, looked at the travelers check, then asked, "What do you want me to do with this?" I explained to him if was the same as a $20 when I signed it the second time. His reply after turning if over a couple of times was, "It don't look like no twenty to me!" I told him to call his manager, which he did. The manager wanted to know what the problem was, so I explained I have given his clerk a travelers check twenty, and he seemed to think I was using funny money. The manager looked at the travelers check and asked did I sign it in front of him. The young man acknowledged I did sign the check. The manager told him to put it in the cash drawer, it was the very same thing as a twenty and anytime anyone else had one, as long as they signed it in his presence and the two signatures were pretty much the same take it just like cash money. With plastic so prevalent in use today, travelers checks may be obsolete. We haven't used any in many years now.

I vote yes, maybe because I did an antique white on my 854, it's suits me. BUT, it has to suit you. Glenn

I love the original red paint look but I like freshly painted wheels to go with it. I don't know why. This is how the old 606 looked before the hub caps (and the engine) were installed.

I like dirty and I agree with the others. It needs to be what you like. Jay

I like it... will have to give it a try... even though, I'm a nasty rust kinda guy.

Above all.............it has to suite you !!!!!!!.......If YOU like it,,,,,that is what counts,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Looks like you layed down a nice finish.............. Now,,,,as far as original look,,??!!!??! it looks a little dark.....Cotton white is a very close match,,,,,, I have even seen white,,,,,,, Its in the eye of the beholder...........Good luck in any descision you settle with....,,,,a nice paint job always looks better than nasty rust.....But again.!!!!! that's me

So satisfying when a project finally gets started. Especially when it's one that has been in your thoughts for a while.

Put it up for the night! Made it so it's the easiest to get out of the garage lol

Thanks everyone for all your welcomes! I'm looking forward to learning from such a great community. I've been pretty impressed with the knowledge I've seen here during my research.

What; you don't want to sit on a bomb? By the way, the gas tank on most of our since 1963 have been under the seat!

Welcome. couple more checks for your stator. when you get new regulator make sure it is well grounded,

What else can 'ya say ? Welcome to Red Square !

You made a good investment, The will make a believer out of you; next thing you know you'll be making room for another one or more!

Hey Rob, . Good luck with your 1st one. Glenn

Welcome Good deal, this place has tons of great info.

Good deal on that horse and Welcome to Redsquare.

If you notched the frame and then welded a 3/8" thick plate about 12" long between the framerails, i dont think you would have strength issues. I would weld it in and then notch the frame with a cutoff wheel to keep everything straight. Too bad you weren't a little closer. I have a complete engine out of a 1056 that would fit in there nicely with starter/generator intact.

No Craig with this year this is the way they made it because of the small !5" or !8" on the back and the centering hub is smaller on these also. Funky set up.

If that is the worst you have done I think you can rest easy; This guy did it backwards and we all (politics aside; just looking at the ) liked the look.

No shoes🙄

If you are happy that's what COUNTS.May not be absolutely correct color but in my opinion better by far than rust.

to Rob...You got a fine deal on that . She should last for many years. Lots of guys here willing to help out with any questions you may have. We're glad you're here!!! Jim