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Picked this GEMCO BIG BOY Garden tractor up this summer just got it cleaned up & a good friend Del got it running again, drove it around the yard what a awesome feeling getting this old stuff back to life again! I will be leaving it as is in its original skin.

Big Thanks to LeeAve (Bill), we got a young family of three started as Wheel Horse people today. Scott, his wife, and their Son (Peanut) drove 2&1/2 hours east to pick up the 310-8 that had an engine transplant (upgraded from a M10 to a K301), a Brinly rear sleeve hitch mounted scrape blade, a Simplicity plow, and a factory WH Sleeve Hitch. I had to give Scott a crash course in Wheel Horse 101 as they were then headed up to Virginia to Bill's house to pick up a Johnny Bucket from him. Peanut was loving all the tractors and trucks at my house. I was kinda sad to see them leave so soon but they had a long drive ahead of them to get to Bill's, and then back home to Western NC. Now I have a little extra cash to spend on some already mounted up AG tires and wheels at the 2014 Show. Hopefully I'll score some nice ones like Mike did at this years show. This is the tractor but with a Red K301 engine in it instead of the M10 you see here. I do not have any pics of the tractor showing it finished with the Red engine installed.

I have been looking for about a year on and off (but not seriously due to funds to purchase). Well last night I came across an ad on CL for this 1949 Chevy 3100. It is from Kansas and all original and untouched. As you can see from the pictures it needs some work but I really like the year/model and color of this one. The last time this was registered was 40 years ago (the year I was born in 1973). Someone took the time to seal off the carb and gas tank with plastic. The motor is looked up but I think it should free up with a little work. Either way I think the motor will be coming out in the spring or earlier for a refresh. I have no plans of repainting this truck. At most I will clear coat it and maybe some touch up of old pinstriping. I am really looking forward to this project. It actually looks pretty good next to my new mini barn....

Thought I'd give a quick update. I pulled the head off the K301 with plans of removing the carbon, but instead found a rather heavy wear ridge in the cylinder, as well as 2 vertical scratches in the cylinder about an inch apart from one another, that were enough to hang my fingernail on. By the way, this engine didn't smoke at all, but I decided I better investigate. I pulled the pan, and removed the rod cap, which looked great, and so did the crank. I pulled the piston to find a wrist pin clip had come loose! The scratches in the cylinder aren't very deep, but the piston is trashed, as can be seen in the pics. I hadn't planned on rebuilding this engine, but I'm going to have to now. I pulled the valves, and found a pitted exhaust seat. I then pulled the flywheel nut, and realized it had a sheered flywheel key, and the flywheel was over 1/8in from where it was supposed to be, and you could tell it had been sheered for a very long time. How on earth was this thing running as well as it did? Its truly amazing. I already took care of the valve seat, as I have a really great working little valve seat cutter from Neway. With money being tight right now, I'll have to get one of those aftermarket ebay kits for $100. My machine shop charges $30 to bore, and hone a cylinder, so I'll get it dropped off soon. Here are some pics. Thanks Matt

I've never seen one before, but to me it looks like its just a little gear on the crank driving a big gear for the PTO. I'm guessing you just split that PTO housing, remove the gears, and then remove the rear of the PTO housing. Hows that for a wild shot in the dark?

Gonna need more salad dressing!

Belongs in a museum looking that nice.....

Ewww. GRODY TO DA MAX!!!!!

With my picks this week I might be using that bucket, but I will take it out and dump it. The idea of evaporated pee smell does not appeal.

Still like the "OBO" at the end of the add...... I usually wait a couple days, then I will call, and ask what their "best offer" has been so far. If I hear, " you are the first to call", which does happen, my response usually is, I'll give you a dollar, seems to be your best offer so far... LOL

Another good one. "Don't need it anymore. Moved to a smaller yard" The pic shows the tractor being sold and also in the pic are 27 other tractors, 6 pushers, a few 4 wheelers, and a couple of half dismembered Trans-Am's/Camaro's and Ford Rangers. all around a house trailer.

It might help to know how you intend to use a Wheel Horse tractor in order to recommend models to you. Strictly my opinion and I own 2 D-160s, but compared to other wheel horse tractors the D Series are clumsy mowers. They have loose steering and wide turning radius. They also take up a lot of room due to their size. They do make good plow tractors or yard tugs due to their weight. I thought about owning a D250 and then decided against it due to it being so unique and it may be hard to find parts and attachments compared to other Wheel Horse models. The C, 300/400/500 series have so many common parts and attachments that they are much easier to own and maintain. And, they are all very capable tractors.

This was forwarded to me in an email today FWIW thought I would share. For those of you who actually try to repair some older and rusted equipment, the following just might help you out. Worth the short read. Penetrating Oils Machinist’s Workshop Mag™ recently published some information on various penetrating oils that I found very interesting. Some of you might appreciate this. The magazine reports they tested penetrants for break out torque on rusted nuts. They are below, as forwarded by an ex-student and professional machinist. They arranged a subjective test of all the popular penetrates with the control being the torque required to remove the nut from a “scientifically rusted†environment. Penetrating Oils ........... Average torque load to loosen* No Oil used .................... 516 pounds WD-40 ....................... ... 238 pounds PB Blaster ..................... 214 pounds Liquid Wrench .................127 pounds Kano Kroil ...................... 106 pounds ATF & Acetone Mix............53 pounds The ATF-Acetone mix is a “home brew†mix of 50 - 50 automatic transmission fluid and acetone. Note this “home brew†released bolts better than any commercial product in this one particular test. Our local machinist group mixed up a batch and we all now use it with equally good results. Note also that “Liquid Wrench†is almost as good as “Kroil†for about 20% of the price. Steve from Godwin-Singer says that ATF & Acetone mix is best, but you can also use ATF and lacquer thinner in a 50-50 mix.

Since the winter is getting closer i had to put some tractors in storage. I have a storage room in the same building as the garage / workshop. which should be slightly warmed up just so it's degrees above zero not sure yet if i have time to do it before it's get to cold.. made a shelf in there this summer to have the suburban 551, so I can get a tractor under it well she's on the way up.. whit out any problem's thanks to this winch im going to mount it on the wall later because that will be much better.. and here she is on her storage place And she got company of 3 other horses in there to and if i do some more cleaning i can can get 1 more horse in there... Lars

Straight six and three on the tree, it doesn't get any more farm truck than that!

...or a crapsman. Good job Van the man.

You should have the WH #5053 transmission...here is the list...I go to Motion Industries...they have all but the # 1533 ball bearings... Description.....................................WH #...................Vender #..................Quantity.......size in side axle...ball...........................1533.......................n/a...........................2................1 1/2" ID out side axle...needle....................1528......................B-1616.....................2................1' x 1 1/4" x 1" input shaft...needle........................1508......................B-1212.....................2................3/4" x 15/16" x 3/4" 11/44 gear base...needle...cap......1532......................M-16121..................1.................1" x 1 1/4" x 3/4" brake shaft top end...needle..........1530......................B-1612.....................1.................1" x 1 1/4" x 3/4" cluster gear shaft...needle...cap....1529......................M-12121...................2................3/4" x 15/16" x 3/4" input spline shaft...needle...cap.....1531......................M-10121...................2................5/8" x 7/8" x 3/4" inside input gear shaft...needle......1518.....................B-108........................1................5/8" x 15/16" x 1/2" input gear seal...............................1303.....................skf-7410....................1 axle & brake shaft seals................1232.....................skf-9815...................3

Nice job, steer em down the right path before they go to Home Depot for a Green n yeller machine! Mike.........

I think Kiwi is right, at least that's how they are on the Kohler gear reductions.

Let me guess. Your wife was holding the plug wire and you pulled the cord ?????

If you want to drive down to CT. I've got a nice 1054 i'll sell you!

Nope not Necessary, it only takes one to win!!!! Besides that I don't recall anyone who said it would be a blowout. Like I said only one!!!! Go Hawkeyes!!!!

Nobody likes a tease.. . Mike........

My heart was with Iowa John...you know I absolutely love to see Michigan LOSE. BTW...I taped this game so I can watch it a few times when I need cheering up...

Thank goodness for the edit feature or John would be mailing post it notes to all of us.

What do you do when you have five guys who take Michigan, who are buried up to there necks in concrete? Get more Concrete!!!!! Go Hawkeyes!!!!!

Very cool! I always thought those were some very neat tractors!

Is there a vendor that sells those thumbscrews that hold the hoods on the round hood line? I've had my 704 over 2 yrs and the last 2 times I had it out I noticed one missing Worst part about today I moved that tractor maybe a total of 15 ft and It's gone. I know it was there when i started. You'd think I could find it? NOOOO!! I figure If I got new ones at least one of them will show up! :banghead:

I put nylon washers under mine to keep from damaging the paint. Secondary effect is that they don't seem to vibrate out.

You guys might want to try a few wraps of teflon tape to keep those hood screws in place. It does more than just seal leaks.

You are a brave man,I would be leary of anything my X baked for me.

The problem is with the gauge.

So are we......

Hey Russ how are you and porkchop doing? Your probably out plowing this morning I too use a pellet stove in a 1300 sq ft house. I run about 2 tons a year. I don't run it at night anymore as if we lose power the fan doesn't evacuate the smoke and it backs up into the house. Same for if we leave the house for any length of time. We lost power earlier this week while we were home. It took me less than 8 minutes to haul the generator out and switch over and we still had smoke in the house. This is the only drawback to a pellet stove in my mind. I like the fact that I don't spend weeks cutting, hauling, splitting and stacking firewood (although I enjoy a little of this). I can handle 40 pound bags and they don't track in snow, ice, bark or bugs. I agree you need to buy the best pellets out there. I bought a ton of a different brand last year and they were junk. Too much sawdust. I also tried a couple of bags of pine pellets. Don't waste your money on them. Premium hardwood is the way to go. I use a small fan mounted in the corner of a hallway to push the heat to the back bedrooms. The living room with the stove stays about 70 and the back bedrooms are 65. We keep the propane furnace set at 67 so when the stove is shut down the house is still comfortable.

Without pictures and more information who the hell knows. With the info you have provided I would say 100 bucks

And that would create then a separate issue. If it did start "running" then you would have to figure out how to "catch" it. What a dilemma.

Boy do I like the way you set that up,,,,,sweeeeet.

Only thing I would add is once you feel all the old oil is fully drained, I usually keep the plug out and pour just a little new oil in and let that drain out as well. That typically pushes out the little bit of old oil left in there. I just changed the oil on three of mine (all Onan's).

Might as well show this one too since this one is a worker. Not as an entry but just to put it in a thread that's about customs. Here's my homebuilt backhoe which has done plenty of work for a little machine. Spent 2 summers of spare time outside on the ground cutting, drilling and welding to get it together. By the end, I was sick of cutting, drilling and welding! Spent the winters researching the net for hydraulic info as this was my first time ever attempting to use them and building something this big from scratch. Built using the plans from PF Engineering.com

Geez...the day is young yet... let the guy get settled in Mike.

I like the ones that are complete junk that are listed for over $1000. An then there are the ones that say, "Ran when I parked it last year."

With all the talk of snow blowers and winter approaching I decided that I needed a way to provide a little heat in the barn for the cold days ahead. I was originally looking for an old pot belly stove on craigslist when my in-laws offered me a box stove that they had bought but never installed. Not exactly what I was after, but free is always the right price. The clearances this stove required were crazy large, so I went to my scrap building materials pile looking for an answer. I ended up installing 1" of concrete board on the wall / work bench side, followed by a left over piece of metal siding (spaced 1" off the concrete board with vents top and bottom). I wanted something different for the top so I took the Wheel Horse and garden cart down to our creek and collected some stone. A little cutting with my cheap Harbor Freight tile saw, followed by a steep learning curve in masonry and a couple close misses to the head by falling rocks and I have a wood stove surround!

that's a nice looking little unit, I have watched some vids on these pushing snow and I can't believe what they will do, for the size of them just awesome!

...and a grinder, resulted in this. What are you thinkin'...better than you expected?

Here's my trans after ALOT of brushing, Craig. My goal was to get mine as good as yours. Haha

Great looking setup Lane! Love it that you are not afraid to work your nice Horses! That is how it should be! That has got to be a fairly rare plow! First one I have seen of that design!

Real purty setup.

I would have much more fun playing in the snow with that little Horse than sliding down hills on a sled!

Zane I don't have any experience with napa paints.. everyone has their preferences. Depending on your skill level and the equipment available to you. My son and I recently restored a Commando 6 (there is a thread on it under restorations). We decided to use spray cans. We chose this method as it allowed us to do a little at a time without the worry of gun clean up and such. We used Rustoleum red primer in the larger industrial cans. This primer was nice, it filled well and sanded out smooth. For our top coat we decided to try out a Duplicolor high heat engine paint for the entire tractor. This flowed out well and looked great. The only caveat to any of the spray can paints is lack of hardener. We were patient and let our painted parts outgas and harden for almost a month before messing with them. Key to any paint job is the prep. A smooth surface prior to paint and a dust free environment while painting are really important. To date we are happy with our paint job.

gene haasman sells them.... haasman35