'67Craftsman's 151 #1 Posted February 22, 2023 Hi Everyone, I am the newest member on the forum here and unfortunately I have no Wheel Horses in my collection yet...... but I do have Sears products and it is what I am mainly into. I have 2 Sears Craftsman Power Units from 1967 one of which is a 10 horsepower 857 that was already restored that I bought 3 years ago in 2020, and the other is a 6 horsepower 855 that I bought in 2021 that I am currently restoring and what I am posting about here. This post is going back 2021 when I bought it thanks to a member of MyTractorForum, along with a spare engine too! I bought this from him December 5th and now I got both the 6 and 10 horsepower version! It needs A LOT, mostly everything BUT i will get it there. It all started with me seeing this tractor somewhere on the forum but I forgot where and remembering the fella having it, then meeting the fella at a local tractor show and expressing interest in it saying "if you ever wanna sell it let me know". Then it turns out my first craftsman or the one in the 3rd picture on the left is having problems and asking the fella for some pictures of now my tractor on the right in the 1st and 2nd picture. He then sent me a message saying he was thinking of selling the tractor and asking if I was still interested in it, needless to say I asked if I can come look at it and then went to his house to look at it and then struck a deal. When I bought the tractor the fella I bought it from said he bought it from a kid to restore it, but was never gonna get around to it so he offered it to me before he put it for sale on Facebook Marketplace. The kid was gonna scrap it when the fella bought it! I am now the 3rd owner as far as I know, unfortunately no manuals or paperwork came with the tractor when I bought it though. My personal plan is to document the restoration here when I can and have time, and ask as many questions as possible if I or my stepdad don't know the answer to them. I am going to take as many pictures as possible when the resto gets started and throughout the resto and upload them here as well if my phone allows me to. I also am going to "bag and tag" and label every nut and bolt possible when I take it apart. Look for more on this tractor coming back from the dead in the hopeful near future.... Below are the pictures the fella sent me when he started talking about selling it..... It is now in my shed with my other Craftsman, now I have both the 6 and 10hp versions! 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
'67Craftsman's 151 #2 Posted February 22, 2023 Day after Christmas 2021, I took the gas tank off and found a nice nest....... 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
'67Craftsman's 151 #3 Posted February 22, 2023 Day after Christmas 2021 part 2. I cleaned all the rust out of it, I completely cleaned it out twice with rocks CLR and PB blaster. The 2nd picture shows results after cleaning 1 and the 3rd picture shows results after cleaning 2 and letting the CLR sit for 36 hours ...... 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
'67Craftsman's 151 #4 Posted February 22, 2023 January 3rd 2022, I took the shroud and starter generator cover off and the flywheel screen off too and found a nice big nest, I vacuumed out the nest since the pictures. I also took the air filter off, and it's the original one! I blew it out with the air compressor gun and it will be replaced with an NOS one, and I will be saving the original to be on the safe side ...... 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
'67Craftsman's 151 #5 Posted February 22, 2023 (edited) January 3rd 2022 part 2. I took the shroud off as well, here is what the back of it looks like...... Edited February 22, 2023 by '67Craftsman's 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
'67Craftsman's 151 #6 Posted February 22, 2023 January 3rd 2022 part 3. I also took the head off the engine, here is what it looks like when I first took it off along with what the oil looks like when I pulled the dipstick after I noticed there was no more transmission fluid in the spark plug hole . As you can see there is carbon on the head..... 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
'67Craftsman's 151 #7 Posted February 22, 2023 January 12th 2022. I cleaned up the head, the top of the piston, and the valves the best I could with a brass brush. Here are some pictures, the first picture is when I was cleaning the head. I sprayed some PB blaster on it and used the brush on it. The 2nd and 3rd pictures are when it was all cleaned up. The 4th picture is of the rest of the engine, this is the best I can get it clean unless someone has a tip to make it cleaner than this any help is appreciated. I am thinking of maybe replacing the piston head right now anyway, but there again why fix somethin' that ain't broke and replace something when it doesn't need it so i'm not sure yet. The piston wall is pretty smooth with minor small scratches. ..... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
'67Craftsman's 151 #8 Posted February 22, 2023 January 12th 2022 part 2. I also took a couple parts off the engine and a part off the shroud to put them in the parts washer and to sandblast them. Picture 3 shows them in the washer and picture 4 shows them all blasted...... 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
'67Craftsman's 151 #9 Posted February 22, 2023 January 12th 2022 part 3. 3 out of 5 of the parts are all painted, I got 2 coats of primer and 2 coats of white VHT paint on them..... 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Racinbob 10,282 #10 Posted February 22, 2023 Excellent! I've always thought the old Craftsman had a cool look to them. That mower deck looks to be cast. Aluminum? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
'67Craftsman's 151 #11 Posted February 23, 2023 (edited) 18 hours ago, Racinbob said: Excellent! I've always thought the old Craftsman had a cool look to them. That mower deck looks to be cast. Aluminum? Thank you Bob for following the build, I really appreciate it. I'm trying to do this as correct as possible since this my first personal real restoration, and not a touch up thing. I didn't even know these tractors existed until I saw my stepdads and loving the look of it, so of course seeing his made me want one of my own so I bought my 10 horsepower 857 with no deck. I then decided I wanted a 6 horsepower to go with my 10 horsepower, and I think we all know how it goes with tractor collecting you can't have just one. I'm still on the lookout for an 853 Craftsman though, I saw one in L> magazine but it was too far away and too much money. Regarding the deck yes it is aluminum and in fantastic condition, I just need to take it apart sand it and paint it. I will have more pictures on taking that off the tractor soon. Speaking of Craftsman's and mower decks and I know these tractors ain't really his bag but I believe@Bens vintage tractors has, or had one of these in one of his videos too from what I seen that I wouldn't mind having if he still has it Edited February 23, 2023 by '67Craftsman's 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
