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Hello everyone, I'm posting here because I have not posted in about 7 to 8 years... so much was changing and has changed that I wanted to reintroduce myself. When I first joined 10 years ago I had just bought a house and gotten married to my HS sweetheart. We live in SW Michigan. I acquired thru trading my first 312-8 and found my 2nd love lol. In those days I was working at a local scrap yard and was bringing home tractors and implements daily. I had 14+ wheel horses at any given time. Also 7 years ago when I stopped posting we welcomed our first daughter into the world and in turn my world really changed. Wow did I have some learning to do. In that seven years I slowly found homes for most of my wheel horses and got down to only 2. Most went to kids for free with a first right of refusal clause. Then my second daughter came along. My wife graduated college and I started a demanding career. Our lives were a whirlwind. So now I have my amazing wife and 2 beautiful little girls, I'm truly blessed! Through all of this I held on to my favorite horses my first 312 and my 310. I also somehow ended up with a 312-A. Most summers they sat in the back of the pole barn as I mowed with a zero turn, winters they spent put away as I plowed with my bobcat. I never lost my interest just my time was precious. Recently I dug out my 310 to go live at my good friends house for his twin boys to enjoy they are 7 years old a very excited. This made me get my very first wheel horse the old faithful 312-8 out and started. It really hit me then. I have been missing my horses. Now my girls are old enough to enjoy garage time with me. (Dad keeps kool-aid jammers by the dozen in the garage) this lead me to buy a project for us. Im excited to share this with my girls they may never be gear heads like me but I want them to have understanding of doing things for themselves and quality engineering. I also would like to raise them with some awareness of things mechanical. So I stumbled across a big single 16hp k series from a C161. Out back behind the barn I have a complete minus engine C85. The plan is to make us a new horse with these. We are hoping to do a kinda restomod tractor. My list of horses now go 1988 312-8 1987 310-8. going out on longterm loan 1986 312-A. been on longterm loan for 2 years, getting its second rider now that big brother moved to a larger tractor. Unknown year C85 frame Unknown year 416 frame Tons of parts scattered between a pole barn and a shed. Numerous implements behind the pole barn.

I was mistaken. The two bars was not welded together. I released the tension from the spring and with a few taps with a rubber mallet I was able to pull them apart. Your explanation makes alot of sense for the purpose of the part. Now I think I'll be able to get everything aligned properly. Thanks for all the input guys. Feels great to be welcomed to this community.

Put the rear weights back on the 310-8. These new wider wheels required longer bolts, so I fired up the mig bolt extender and added an inch. I know, the carriage bolt head is supposed to be inside the wheel. But I don't like the nuts sticking out on the outside.

That could be a problem. I could be wrong, but it appears that bar is what fixes the mower perpendicular to the tractor and is the break-away link that allows the mower bar to swing back if it hits a fixed object. It appears that adjustable tension spring applies the friction to the two bars that determines the total length of the bar. If those two bars are welded together, the whole purpose of the breakaway system is defeated.

The great combination of peanut butter and jelly is celebrated on April 2 every year. It’s National Peanut Butter and Jelly day! This combo is just about the best thing since sliced bread, even though technically it’s been around a few years longer. Peanut butter debuted at the 1883 Chicago World’s Fair. It was mainly sold in fancy tea rooms until the early 1900s, when the peanut industry commercialized and peanut butter became more affordable for everyone. A home economist named Julia Davis Chandler conjured up the first known recipe for PB&J in a Boston cooking magazine back in 1901 (she recommended currant jelly). The 1928 pre-sliced bread revolution led a lot of people to eat peanut butter sandwiches during the Great Depression since it was an affordable and nutritious treat that kids could make for themselves. During WWII the U.S. Army’s food ration list included peanut butter, jelly, and bread — so give soldiers the credit for combining these tasty ingredients into the classic combination we know and love today. They brought their recipe back home, and American children have benefited ever since. Let’s give thanks to all the PB&J pioneers! Peanut butter and jelly’s an affordable, tasty, and easy lunch we can all appreciate on April 2.

Sounds like you need a good size heated garage, say 24' x 36'. Move the big stuff out on entertainment day, useful work space all the rest of the time.

Welcome!! That is an Industrial Strength Gopher Patrol implement !!

The proportions and body lines look off on most of the cars, specially the door gaps. Is this a picture of model toy cars?

Bonus picture. Sink hole we found while driving across the field. Probably 32" across and 18~20" deep. That's a new one for us. Mom said the man who witched for water when they drilled the well 50 or 60 years ago said there was an underground river and that there was sufficient water available to use for irrigation. My brother filled the hole in and we'll keep an eye on it. It wasn't all work. We caught a nice mess of bass and crappie. My sister-in-law fried them up for supper. Happy fish swimming after a bright lure and couple of hours later, happy Phil digesting said fish.

Spent past few days at the farm. One issue was a pond that washed out 25~30 years ago. The 6" pipe used to drain the pond was buried 15 inches under dirt. We dug it out--not easy as the pond dam had some 50 trees of various sizes, and their mass of roots, that we cut down and removed. I put an elbow on the original metal pipe and then added an upright of 15 inches or so. We also utilized the cattle panel dad installed 30 plus years ago to make a ramp out to the drain. I'm going to order a screen to cover the open hole.

I thought this was cool. Maybe it will be too easy but does anybody see something odd about it?

Already have one, but my wife wants more house. Happy wife, happy life!

Progress is slow with the weather in the 70's one day, 30's the next then repeating the pattern. I did manage to get the dash housing painted. Rattle canned with the Squonk touch. Final wet coat of red and immediately a wet coat of gloss clear. It came out great and the dry time was much shorter. I already had the dash dolled up. The PTO needed some loving. Both bearing were good. I didn't want to try and remove the needle bearing so I closed up the end and flooded it with mineral spirits. It cleaned up great. Greased it up and installed a new seal, put the outer bearing back in and it's good to go for another 47 years. Covered up the tires, a light sanding and rattle can primed the wheels. The color coat of custom mixed sorta almond linen beige will be done with a sprayer so I gotta wait on the weather. Then it will be new sealed bearings.

Dan nailed it but you all were getting close. Oh, and cheating is allowed. Anthony Schmidt Photography – Vintage Car Forced Perspective 📸 This young man sure does some cool stuff. The picture really caught my eye because it reminded me of the elementary school I went to.

The additional 55 foot pipe installed in the washout to help the pond to drain. It was an power line or light pole that the man who is doing the work had purchased for these type of situations. Of course he installed an anti-seep collar. The washout, represented by the blue line, drops a good 4 feet and get as deep as ten feet. With the 6" pipe now being restored to use, the water level is about a foot lower than the washout that is represented by the blue line. The pipe size is about 13" at narrow end to a couple of feet at the large end. Clay was packed around the new drain pipe. The excavator stripped off the black dirt and dug the hole pictured probable 6 feet deep. He will use muck from the pond to fill the hole.

Back at my tree removal project. Monday after work I spent about 1.5hrs splitting some of the wood that was piled in the drive way and added it to the existing pile. Work has us on 4 tens with a rotating day off, today was my day off so I decided to reclaim my parking spots. This was the scene that I had to start with this morning. Ran the splitter until I had a trailer full. Not until the wood was cleaned up, Unloaded and stacked this first load. On to the second load for today. My brother took some wood & I told him where to put any brush that he accumulated, well instead he drug it to the front lawn of my neighbors yard. Not happy, but oh well. Figured I better clean it up before the neighbor got upset. Cleaned that pile up and also raked up as much saw dust as I could out of my yard. Unloaded that mess at my nephews place and moved back to splitting up more of the pile that was blocking my parking spots. Low and behold, I was able to fill the trailer once again. Load number 3 for today. When this load was finished I was just out of "me" for the day, so it got parked and unhooked but not unloaded. Being a 1 man show today, I was happy to accomplish my goal and regain the parking spots for my 3 vehicles. @WHX?? took one trailer load off from this tree, my brother took 1 load, and I took 2 loads today. I'm guessing that there are 2 more loads on this pile that is already split. More than likely 3 to 4 more loads still laying in my neighbors yard, and I need to get equipment to carve up the 60"+ across trunk. Hopefully I can put a big dent in what is laying in my neighbors yard this weekend.

Sunday we had a severe thunderstorm with 80 mph winds roll through. It snapped the top off a big pine tree in my side yard, taking some branches of the maple tree next to it on the way down. Monday I bought bar oil and a new chain for the saw. Tuesday after work I got it all cleaned up wth help from the C-81. From plowing at @Pullstart's plow day on Saturday, to yard duty on Tuesday, she's been a happy .

More house, more for her to clean. More garage, more for you to clean. Just bringing up a selling point in your favor.

Today I had my shop door adjusted so it closes properly. Talked to my money guy and got the "OK" to proceed with a big addition to the house. (Wouldn't you know it; 3 years ago we moved into a house 1/2 the size of our old one to downsize. The family dynamics changed, and now we have 15 - 30 people here for regular family dinners.). Next life I'll know better! 😂 Took apart a dead laptop for parts and ordered a new one. I'm getting sick of my phone screen for web browsing and document viewing. EDIT: Also measured & drew up "plans" for the new garden. DANG wood is expensive! I hope the new tariffs don't make it worse. Supplies & soil & $55 rototiller rental comes to just shy of $700, not including mulch. 🥺

Thanks for the nice re-introduction! It may not seem like it at times, but by keeping it relevant to your daughters as you go it will penetrate and take root. And be ready for you to keep learning, since they will undoubtedly surprise you with ideas that may be outside your own comfort zone--try hard to welcome and encourage those. Good luck!

The door gaps on the Camaro and GTO look wonky - kind of big. The parking lot itself looks unnaturaly flat - almost like a sheet of plywood. There is a security camera on the school building, so it is probably not a vintage picture.

I vote for extra crunchy and orange marmalade on a toasted onion bagel.

Is the length of this bar adjustable.? to the

I have not seen a rear sickle before. It looks like there is room on the shaft to move this pulley ( circled in yellow ) closer to the gear box. If so, that could buy you some room.

Little progress tonight. Verified transmission goes into all 4 gears and is pretty darn quiet. Have not drained / flushed yet. Work / family stuff limiting my priorities... From what I could see through the shifter hole the gears look pretty good. I am keeping good to my promise not to disturb the ruggedly handsome good looks of this ... nothing cleaned or primped... Regarding power: I am not going electric. Decision now is gas or diesel and diesel sounds (pun intended) like a better plan in keeping with the overall look and feel I'm aiming for... more to come on that... The auto linkage will be interesting to address with the 3 speed manual... I'm either going to use it as a hand clutch or swap out with what's on the Suburban yard art... input welcome. Pic of yard art last... All for now! Yard Art:

And it maximizes aerodynamic efficiency when traveling at high speeds... better fuel economy... very green...

reporting back. warming a fat flat screwdriver and just making an indent in the tube was a great idea.. once cooled the screw driver turned the tube with easy. ebinmaine. thanks again for the tube. Cheers all Chris

It's amazing how much I now step out of my comfort zone never thinking I would. What a amazing journey!!! The great thing is I actually look forward to it. Raising these girls taught how much I didn't know and I keep learning

An innovative approach to using a mid tractor sickle on a three point D model that a thinker thought about and built! A first time item for me ! Another reason Wheel Horse tractors are still so popular you can do just about anything you can imagine with them!!!

Thanks for the input. What you're writing seems logic. 🤔 I'll have another look at the bars maybe I'm mistaken that they are welded together. I'll try and release the tension of the spring and se if I can pull the two bars apart.

Oddest thing I notice is only two of the drivers knew how to pulll a car into a parking spot.

I cheated, tremendous story!

@tmc2872 it's a wonderful thing that Wheel Horse parts are so interchangeable. That is until you get to a situation like you have of several modifications. Because of the various modifications listed below, (which various members have identified) I don't think? there's really a "Correct Belt Guard" What you currently have: WH Raider 12 Tractor C Series belt guard, probable late 70's C Series Shaker Plate engine mount, late 70's Large block , Small Base style Kohler engine 10,12,14 HP Very Short Kohler oil pan as used on the late 60's tractors with large blocks, Small base 1045, 1055, 1075 and 1046 I said I would get some oil pan measurements, so here they are: The original Large block, Large base Kohler oil pan is 2-3/8" high. I don't think it would work to space it up to this height since you have a C Series belt guard. Also, It's not an option for you to use an original 2-3/8" high oil pan on you current engine since it is a "Small Base style engine. The Regular late 1970's Large bock, " Small Base" Shaker Plate Oil Pan is 1-1/2" high (you have a special 1" high, Small Base late 1960's oil pan) Spacing the engine up a 1/2" would make the engine match the 1-1/2" shaker plate oil pan that matches the C Series belt guard. ----So this might work P.S. replacing the worn out rubber engine mounts with the solid one @Blasterdad showed, would also be a good idea whichever way you go. Because of several modifications, the Belt brake that @Ed Kennell Suggested might be the best way to marry all these modification's together. This pan is a shaker style pan used in the late 70's early 80's on the shaker engines This pan is the flat bottom style used on the 1045, 1055, 1075 and 1046, many Cub engines and other brands, the dipper on the connecting rod is very short on the engines that use this pan.

From the 1960's, whats up with the bugly antenna on the Camaro? Love the VW bus...

Yeah that pump probably came with the FEL. I am also thinking about a FEL for the other tractor so I wouldn't mind some photos. Photos of Wheelhorse's are always great!

I'd be interested in knowing that too. There's also these two sections that go along with what you have. I have them all printed and in a binder. Cool stuff.

Pete, I do like 100% Whole Wheat as a meal side or with grilled cheese but for me you jus-gotta have good old white bread for a PBJ.

Not sure this one will be kid friendly yet... I have C series floor boards from Kevin's magic shed, but they look pretty funky with the round fenders... if I can't totally isolate little feet and hands from the rear tires and belt they won't be driving this one...

I have seen a few built with a safety clutch using the implement lift lever to actuate the clutch and spring loaded to disengage when released. Those grandkids are getting older so you need to build this so they can learn to drive.

Love me some marmalade!!

Looks like a very well crafted mower. It appears that @Ed Kennell has given the correct answer. adjusting that stabilizer should do the job.

I do believe that clutch setup should work. Maybe a little creative work to get the throw correct, but they are very similar in design to the later model3 speeds.

Thanks guys! Means a lot to me. We'll see once I get the rest of the floor up, if I can replace the one beam without help. I got some ideas so we will see how it goes. Its hard to tell from the photo but the end of the beam is broken off and they bolted a piece of metal that they actually cleverly welded but it needs replaced.

Getting the last section done. Started the pile on fire, filled the trailer and threw that on the pile of coals that was left, and that all is burned up now as well.

A buddy welded up the fuel tank/fender support rails in the 520-8. Both sides cracked.

Cleaned up the C81 sluggish starter and got it working good. I did have to put a .010 shim under the front bolt. Brushes were good. Used a drill to turn the armature and cleaned the commutator with a stone.

The Senior is ready for plow day!