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Today would have been Cecil Pond’s 101st birthday. If your family and friends are dismayed over your love for these little red tractors you can blame it on Cecil Pond for bringing us the well built beauties.. He was the co-founder of Wheel Horse Products Co. Inc. along with his father, Elmer, and was the primary inventor of the modern American Garden Tractor and riding mower. Pond was born in South Bend, Indiana, to Elmer and Ann Marie Pond. He graduated from South Bend's former Washington-Clay High School, and served in the U.S. Army during World War II. In 1946, Pond returned to South Bend and in June of that year, married Betty Alber Pond. Mr. & Ms. Pond were the parents of three children: son Gary Pond, and two daughters, Linda, and Constance. 1946 saw the beginnings of Pond's manufacturing future. Pond joined his father Elmer, who at the time was building two-wheel lawn tractors from angle iron, surplus automotive parts in his garage. At first, the Ponds' company was simply called Pond Tractor Company; however, since Elmer’s brother Harold owned a similarly-named company "Wheel Horse" was chosen, and the name stayed with the company even after its acquisition by Toro. In the late forties, military veterans returning from World War II began moving to the vast new suburbs then transforming the American landscape. Their suburban homes had larger lots that demanded more attention—and the Ponds' riding garden tractors found many ready buyers as a result. In 1954, Pond introduced his first four-wheel lawn tractor, an event which altered substantially the lawn care manufacturing business. By 1957, his Wheel Horse Products Company recorded sales over $1 million (US $11,158,291.81 in 2024 dollars.) for the first time. Just two years later, the company's sales more than doubled, to $4.5 million. In 1975, Pond sold Wheel Horse Products to American Motors Corporation. At the time of the sale, Pond oversaw over 500 workers at his plant and over 3,000 dealers were selling the brand. Cecil Pond passed away December 30, 2011.

She’s a 1982 C-85 in incredible shape. Ran the Kohler numbers and it’s the original power plant. Runs good, fires right up. High and low range checked out. The 36” RD is solid and quiet. Tires are all matching and in nice shape. Battery is brand new. AND!!!! The worlds ugliest rear fender is mint

Favorite? Probably from 2013 until about now. I can’t pick the best memory, but ranking at the top would be the friends I’ve made in the last 12 years, the fools I reluctantly accept as friends (), and the journeys we’ve made along the way. I can’t tell how many miles I’ve racked up for these little tractors, or what kind of money I’ve spent. My first Big Show was epic, I never planned to spend the majority of the weekend packing my truck, but that’s what it turned into! Seriously, I thought my truck was full with just Putt Putt! Bringing tractors home to my girls, and seeing them develop motor skills like running a clutch smoothly, backing up well, operating trailers, plows, and such, building confidence along their young way, that’s pretty awesome. It built their ability to do engine swaps on trucks, drive a stick shift Jeep, break stuff, and smile a ton! Their first big show was just as awesome! Watching them cruise around, gather parts, make their tractors their own, and planting that seed that collecting old rusty stuff is ok, has been sweet. They both have summer and winter vehicles, Rylee has a pile of her own tractors, and our driveway looks more like a parking lot with projects! Country life is good clean living, and I don’t mean no dirt. How could I not mention actually shipping a tractor to Bavaria!? A journey of a lifetime, I picked up a 656 in 2018 from the Big Show, and it made it’s way to Michigan, then crated up in 2020 and shipping to Chicago, then Jersey, then The Netherlands, then to Stephan. Meeting my bro face to face last year at the Big Show became a big favorite too. We had a weekend for the memory books! @Racinbob and I had a conversation in 2018 at the hotel one evening. We all have different walks of life. We have different views, responsibilities, ages, health issues. We all have one common interest. Wheel Horses. Quite the bunch has gathered, and it’s pretty rare to find a bad egg! Picture heavy…

I'm 6'1 but I have short legs. I'm ugly and look terrible in Cowboy Boots with no socks and shorts!

Thanks Kevin, I guess it didn't turn out too bad.

Good point. His legs are long. We blocked it up and moved the seat pad back last night before dinner and it was better but not great. I’m thinking maybe a hinged riser and a “normal” tractor seat, to access the fuel tank and tool box, but allow further distance from controls. ‘Tis not an interview to become @Pullstart Jr…

Here's mine with a richmondred rebuilt K321 long block.

Im not gonna post as much as Kevin! 🤣 My rat rod was a really fun project & I really am not into that theme. My suburban was really too rough to cost effectively restore & it had no emotional/significant value to me. So here's a before & after pic. My diesel RJ project was also fun. Sold it. My plan is to build another diesel with some parts I have & the RJ I bought from Pullstart. Have to confess that my RJ, 753, & 953 I got from Buckeyes were already restored. Saved me the grief & expense.

Finally got the extended seat pan painted for the winter xi project. I don't like shooting metal below 70 and to cheap to turn on heat. lol

While buying a C-85 today I saw this old double sided sign laying around. Just couldn’t leave without it! ( FYI…my name is Mike for those that don’t know )

Well you guys asked so I finally took some pictures tonight. Dad and I have been working on this for months. It was a mess. Pump and cylinder was missing. Rockshaft also. Totally jacked up steering column that was. Belt covers were missing and flimsy tin ones were added. Your typical gas tank and battery location swap so underneath seat was hacked out. Toolbox was hacked and rusted. Big mess but it was grandpas. He purchased tractor jacked up. Motor was swapped with a Briggs at some point. Well here it is today. I have made and fabricated a lot on this tractor so far.

Shopping Cart Day on June 4 calls for a celebration of the baskets on wheels we use to journey through the aisles in a supermarket. The inventor of shopping carts wanted to increase the time customers spent in a supermarket in order to maximize the overall profitability rates by expanding the medium to temporarily carry items in store. The initial designs included baskets and carriage capacity factors. Many other points related to push-pull ease, wheel rotation, and material heaviness also had to be considered. In the starting days, shopping carts did not catch on as many males found the idea too ‘effeminate’ for them, while many females believed the shopping cart would be too similar to pushing a baby carriage.

Says it all.

Bought this mousepad at the show years ago…would like another one. Anyone know who sold these at the show??

So you want me to adopt you as Pa or Son? I’m confused, but I’d rather you not try to court one of my daughters.

That's Sr. to you Whippersnapper!

@Achto has a decent looking one. I mean, it’s ok.

Looking good. I dont ever seem to see really nice 953s or 1054s at shows. Glad to see another one be a "shiny" tractor. Also, being your grandpas tractor means so much too. Seems like they were mostly worked. Im thankful to Buckeyes for selling me such a nice 953 at such a fair price.

Like 20 minutes from home. Long story but old guy that owned it passed, his daughter sold it yesterday to a guy I know, that guy installed a new battery and got it fired up and sold it to me today. It’s a keeper!

My favorite memory was the first time I drove my great uncles commando 8 man I loved that I was 6 years old and he let me putt around the driveway at idle while he and my dad talked and followed behind me. Now I’m 16 and that tractor was gifted to me and I have use to for Lawncare and now I restored it this winter that tractor is more then a mower to me it’s memories I’ll cherish forever

The legacy of those post ww2 veterans as inventors and as entrepreneurs is incredible...Pond is great example of that American enterprise spirit that helped build the America we all enjoy.

That should be the required apparel for this year's plowing days.

So glad to have met the man at the WH Show. Much respect!

I trimmed up a tool box to clear my fuel transfer tank, then added a short box bed cover to Norman.

Took this tractor from this: To this in a month's time. Including replacing the transmission.

My first Wheel Horse memory was somewhat of a letdown but kindled the flame that now burns brightly. In 1956 we went to a lawn and garden show to look at the latest and greatest new equipment. I was eleven years old and we had looked at rototillers and mowers of all sorts, there was quite a good variety to choose from, then we rounded the corner and I saw it! It being a bright red Wheel Horse RJ-35. I jumped on that RJ and attempted to sell dad on the notion of us having a vestal rider with all of those accessories. I guess I wasn't a very good salesman, we ended up with a walk-behind Roto-tiller and a walk-behind rotary mower.

@Handy Don I could pick it up on the way home but Ed is going to be kind enough to bring it to the show so we can all check it out!

Ran when parked. Gettin awful fussy for free ain't we???

Well as fast as it came, it’s gone. Kind of. But not gone, just not mine. We found a seat off of what I think was “Big Junky” if I recall, and it had some brackets we could utilize to give it a lift kit, relocation, and still hinge up for the fuel access. I gave it to Brenen. He can reach all the controls and sit comfy. Winning! The short list of it’s needs: tighten the steering up secure/shorten the fuel hose that’s dangling the right side tie rod is held together with that blue bungee remove the deck bracket find a lift cable as the original is broken

That bead looks pretty beat up. Are you now using a crowbar and BFH instead of a tire spoon? I already have plenty that don't hold air, split open or are crazy cracked waiting to split. Kinda looking for a decent set on seasoned rims so I don't need to do tires. I hate doing tires for some reason, but I do have the HF tire machines. The lower one might make a good front motorcycle tire!

Got the hood stand made up and installed. Looks OK for a worker. Engine mounting is next.

There fixed that ... You find them Mike let us know.

That's when the shotgun comes out!

Never met the man, but I am amazed at the addictions his products have caused... and I thank him.

If you’re reading this Mr. Cecil, thank you for all the things you’ve done for us! I often chuckle, that none of my Horse are out of necessity. I could get by with just my zero turn, and maybe a front end loader some day. But what kind of life would that be, without Wheel Horses?

I know you’re a couple inches taller than me Skunky. What’s your head top out at? We are trying to find Rylee’s boy Brenen something suitable for long term use. We are keeping our options open, but I’d like it if he were to like this tractor. Something that needs some work, that he can learn from the beginning. The thing is, he doesn’t really fit into our family as far as height goes.

Got the steering support cleaned up, painted, and installed. Mocked the hood up just for giggles. I still have to make a new hood stand bracket but it looks sorta mean!

Looks in excellent condition. Congratulations…. But you are right about the fender pan.

@pfrederi , you just settled literally months of fretting over moving hydro from a donor c-160 1140 to a '73 electro 12 with an 1139 that I had already moved the k341 onto. My hydro cylinder ended up being trash so I got one from @WHX?? along with a new set of hoses from Lowell. I got everything moved over this weekend but it wouldn't lift...the difference between a light spring and a heavy spring is kinda like subscribing to this site or not. Either you fix stuff or you might not.

Please just no... My eyes... Can't feel my eyes...

What would @PeacemakerJack know about that?

Turn the arm around so the bend goes forward

Pry on the blocks that the shifter ball rides against. Yes the forks should move somewhat easily. You may have have to jiggle the input pully and rock the tractor abit to facilitate the forks movement. After you pull the shifter look at the forks. Have a flash light with you. They should be centered like the pic. One of the blocks should always be centered. The other to the left or right but never both to the left or right at the same time. BTW please don't start a thread with XXX give away... has a tendency to put the boys here in a frenzy when they think a tractor is free...

That's where I got the hardware. I got the screw long enough to make another one if I ever wreck it

Yeah, it's all about you! LOL

Yep we love them for plow mules. With that mod it would be like plowing sitting in a recliner!

Nice! Amazing how long it takes to get things back in shape, especially when hacked. Lots of patience.