Leaderboard

Busy day Wheel Horsing around: Picked up this non running 1054 this morning about 1 hour away from my house. PO said it's been sitting in his garage for 25 years. He has a bunch of Cub Cadets and a couple Cub High Boys that belonged to his father and working to slowly sell. Engine was free, shifted into all gears so I decided to give it a go. Cleaned and flushed the fuel system, had no spark so cleaned the points, added my special tractor fuel and it fired right up. Managed to get the engine oil and trans oil changed before calling it a night. Oh, and bonus, it has a K301 swap. So 2 more HP for future plowing. Doesn't have a seat back, front grill, and start/gen belt cover. More to come on this. IMG_8754.mp4 When I got back from picking up the 1054, the weather was nice and it hasn't rained in almost 1 week so time to start prepping the garden. I may have planted a little too much cover crop in the fall, but it sure did plow nice. Although not enough to have an official plow day like the WI @WHX??and MI @Pullstart ones. IMG_9441.mp4

Those that have followed me at the plow days know (and smell it in the air)....it's100LL (low lead) octane aviation fuel. Similar to racing fuel and these old engines love it!!! No ethanol.

Nice! Someone went thru a lot of effort to reroute the exhaust into the headlight opening. Or is that a WWI machine gun??? I'd name it "Winkie".

James Bond had an Aston Martin with guns mounted in the headlights, why not do it to a .

April 26, 1977, the legendary discoteque Studio 54 opens its doors for the very first time. It would soon become the global epicenter of the disco craze and the most famous nightclub in the world. The impresarios behind Studio 54 were Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager, college roommates at Syracuse University who got into the nightclub business after their first venture, a chain of steak restaurants, failed to flourish. But before taking Manhattan by storm and becoming famous for openly and shamelessly excluding all but the most chic, famous or beautiful patrons from their establishment, Rubell and Schrager were running a far less pretentious operation called the Enchanted Garden in the far reaches of Queens.

You can smell him coming before you see him! That’s a good thing when we’re talking tractor exhaust, not @squonk exhaust…

I blame it all some people's peer pressure about needing another plow tractor!

Mods if I didn’t put this in the right section please move it. Well, Its been a grand total of 3 weeks since my last purchase and that I guess was a little too long! Today me and my dad took a ride to the MIDDLESEX equipment auction. Been there a few times before. First ones we picked up were those 3 push mowers. Then bought this nice giant vac leaf sucker that pulls over and has compression with the hoses! Then bought 3 toolboxes, 2 craftsman and 1 “stack on”. Then we got to the good stuff! I wasn’t really looking for any more tractors but when it price is right you gotta jump on it especially in an auction! I picked up a D-200 with a 3 point hitch. We tried to load it on the tractor but it popped but didn’t start so a carb clean and she should be a runner! It has new front tires and a very good condition original seat I think. From the time I cranked it all the gauges worked. And a plus that it has a 3 point hitch! It also came with a rear box with trailer hitch that isn’t pictured. That front sheet metal thing on the grille was the first to come off! Then the next Wheelhorse is a 310-8 with a magnum. I wasn’t even looking at it but with a price less then what it would scrap for I had to get it! It seems a little rough on the outside but doesn’t look to to bad. I didn’t try and to start that one but it has half a tank of fresh fuel and a good battery so who knows we could get lucky! Then I picked up a rear counterweight for our big tractor since I have been looking for one And then lastly my dad picked up this cool old go kart! I’ll get some better pictures tommorow. Enjoy these pics though!

Second Wheel turned out much better. Painting wide wheels is a different animal than regular ones. Getting way inside the dish produces alot of overspray. But I found a better method on the second wheel by standing it up, placing a bag on the backside and painting about 1/3 of the way round and using a heat gun to firm it up before moving to the next third. Sounds strange but it works. First one might need some touch up, but I'm done for today.

Picked up this C-81 today in Big Indian NY (Catskills). Bit rougher that I was looking for but the price was right! Haven’t run in probably 3 years, so will need a lotta going over. The steering wheel has left the chat . The soup can was removed on the Burger King parking lot near the Newburgh bridge when we stopped for lunch Saw an eagle on the way, very cool! Haven’t ran the numbers but I think it’s a 79.

In the interest of high quality exhaust flow, the custom tail pipe has been removed. They towed a car, so had a custom shop add the 90 to get the heat away from the front of the car. Unfortunately, that was the low point of the rear apparatuses and met the approach more than I had wished. A piece from the exhaust tidbits pile outside the shop made for a better flow. No 8” pipe Uncle Jim, but the kitty CAT 3126 should sound ok without that 4’ long muffler under there!

Here is a link to Then and Now. Be sure to tell them you have a vacuum pump. https://www.thenandnowautomotive.com/antique-auto-parts-store/Kohler-Fuel-Pump-Kits-c196218002 The kits offer two types of valves depending on your pump style. There are three vital moving parts in a fuel pump. The diaphragm, the inlet valve and the outlet valve. all of these components need to be working properly for the pump to work well. The Diaphragm is drawn downward when the engine's piston moves up the cylinder, this will develop a slight vacuum in the pump drawing fuel in if the inlet valve is operating properly. If the outlet valve is closing properly the fuel will be coming from the tank but if not it could be drawing fuel down from the outlet tube preventing it from reaching the carburetor. The Diaphragm is drawn upward when the engine's piston moves down the cylinder, this will develop a slight pressure in the pump pushing fuel up to the carburetor if the inlet valve is closing properly. If the outlet valve is opening properly the fuel will be coming from the tank to the carburetor, if not there could be no flow.

I see eagles every day running trains on the Hudson line. Over the winter I saw at least 15 sitting on the ice in a small cove. They were fighting over a fish. Mostly juveniles, but there were several adults as well. I wish I could have gotten a picture.

Ya ain't met me either.... yet.

I was just minding my own business and I get a message request on Messenger. Older gentleman asks me if I would be interested in this 1964 704, his grandpa had bought it new. We chatted and he found me from my many responses on Facebook groups and figured I would be the one that would be able to save it. He told me make an offer. So because I already have too many and a non original 704 already. I made a offer and He said come and get it.. needs carb/fuel pump cleaned up but has spark. Should have it running before Memorial Day Parade. A little cleaning up and Patina will be in great shape. Always garaged and only ever mowed during its life.

Needs both mufflers thru the headlight holes. Paint it Olive green!

Good score @Sparky Cool eagle too!

Sawweet Andy .. bout time you come around to vintage and you know damned well how great of a mule these girls are for a workin tractor...

Still trying to wrap my head around that steering wheel thingy. Not sure we can even call that a fix or repair.

He works at a airport Ken ... me thinks it's a fringe benefit. It's dyed blue in color and reminds me of the two stroke canned fuel.

Then and Now is business that you call and actually talk to a person, a nice person. Someone that is willing to help you. I’ve dealt with them a few times over the years buying fuel pump rebuild kits. I would highly recommend them!

I have re-installed the starter to the engine and it has remained secured for about a month at this writing. I have mowed the lawns several times and started the engine many more times. When I posted the above request for ideas, neither of the two starter bolts would tighten to the engine beyond finger tight. As a result, the ground wire was often too loose, for a good, tight connection. I cleaned the fine threads on each bolts' threads with carburetor cleaner several times also trying to clean the threads in the block. Then I applied Loctite 243 to the threads and slowly reinstalled the bolts to the block. Initially only using my fingers until I got some resistance. Next I tightened the bolts snug, using a 1/4" drive ratchet and socket. The engine was not used for several days to allow the Loctite 243 to cure(?). Anyway, for now at least this has been successful. The stater remains tight to the engine with no side play and the starter engages each time I turn the switch. Thanks for the suggestions. John.l I

Wonder if one of these would work. The sizes are national pipe sizes. A 3/4" knockout in an electrical panel can use a reducing washer to accept a 1/2" fitting. 1/2" pipe has a .840" OD (27/32") 3/4" pipe has a 1.050" OD (1-3/64") https://www.centralsupplycompany.com/buy/product/conduit-reducing-washer/414 What is the OD of the switch threads? What is the hole diameter?

Stay away from Samsung too. After many warranty repairs and losing everything in ours several times, we dropped back to a simpler Whirlpool (freezer in the bottom, 2 doors fridge up top). Also bought a small "backup" no name fridge just in case. The backup like the Whirlpool has a real compressor and no butane-coolant linear garbage like the LG and Samsungs do. When a single failure can spoil $300-$400 in groceries, it's worth it to me to have a backup. Plus with 5 people living here we have plenty of stuff in both refrigerators.

Looks good and great work I just hope mine turns out that good

Picked up a 1054 that hadn't run in 25 years. Cleaned and flushed the fuel system, added new fuel, cleaned the points, and started right up! IMG_8754.mp4

Fair bit of work done today.

This one is on my 552 I picked up in Winchester VA.

Be enough of those pics Pullhosen .. you obviously got these guys worked up stiffer than a wedding ... never mind... how 'bout that plow day...

Somebody looking at the Bikini

I finally got around to working on my 15-38HXL. I installed a new fuel filter (the one that came out was very dirty). I pulled the mower blades and sharpened them on the belt sander. I adjusted the mower deck's side to side, and front to back height. I used brake cleaner to remove a lot of old oil build up on the sides of the engine and rails. I replaced the hood hinge bolts, and straightened the bracket that hood mounts too. I used plastic restorer /cleaner on all the black plastic. It is very shiny now. I've ordered a new fuel solenoid kit because the existing connector is very loose and doesn't connect tightly. When I do that I'll also be installing a new float and float bowl gasket.

Who are you trying to kid! Very Nice!

The 9 at the beginning of the VIN indicates that it is a 1979

Surgical! (Level I Trauma)

I couldn't help myself. 9 hours round trip and haven't gotten it off the trailer yet but it's a really solid c-161

Necessity is the Mother of Butchery.... it gets an Honorable Mention in the "Fixed for Now" catagory.... Looks to be a semi-solid start.

Nice score !! One of my favorite looking round hoods.

Nice when they find you, instead of you searching for them.

I forgot to mention I also still need to fabricate the adjusting handle. Stay tuned....

Well dang, I'm sorry to have to report that the window for ordering has expired... I'm glad you like the progress so far! I've got to file two of the slots in the sector plate to size, tack weld the shaft to the sector arm and then do a trial fit on the tractor. If all goes well it then next up will be a lot of welding, cleaning, and painting.

Maybe the PO was attempting to mount a cup holder??? A rather nice use of assorted fiddely-bits.....

He got ya on that one Jim! (I was curious about the sticker too so now I'm glad you asked first)

Youll get to see it tomorrow at the show, I left it in the truck

Sweet looking machine.

Speaking of fuel mileage, here is my brother's malibu. He's owned this car for 15 years or more and just had the motor refreshed. The dad gum carburetor is as big as a briggs and stratton push mower's engine. The driver is my niece. My brother says it scares him to drive it-- anything much quicker than a 520H scares me. She has driven it all these years. Never married because she's too shy. He said he has it de-tuned a little because it's a little more umph than before and I guess he wants he to get used to it. She is wanting him to open it up. At one time he had an engine producing 700 HP. He self funds the car. New heads set him back $2,300. I think new back tires were one thousand--maybe each. This is the run and tune on Wednesdays getting ready for Saturday night. Glad I have Wheelhorse. To getting it running set me back six hundred and I nearly cried like a baby! 1971459591024186479.mp4

As part of the transformation of the DMV in New York, there were significant negotiations with the union over job classifications, performance standards, and staffing levels. I don’t know the details, but apparently there was good faith and pragmatism on both sides of the table which led to a successful contract agreement. Workers now must complete, and show competence in, specific stages of training before they are assigned to handle certain transactions. Both their demonstrated skill level and ongoing efficiency are now major factors in their compensation with seniority now a minor factor. Management also has standards they must maintain which include customer and staff satisfaction. Yes, it is a bit like a factory now but the upside is that employees at all levels can know both expectations and opportunities while still having some of the job security of civil service.

Getting closer to having it finished. I'm just about finished with the sector plate, just need to file the three slots to width and then weld the round bar to the sector plate. Also I still need to work out the adjusting arm, but I have enough pictures that I don't think it's going to be too difficult. Once I'm sure everything fits properly I'll get it all welded and painted.

After driving it around a while the lever started to stay put like it should. Its probably been sitting a while and needed worked. So far so good.