Greg Parnell 6 #51 Posted September 1, 2009 This is what it's all about!! Great fun, sharing opinions, learning, joking with each other and enjoying your Wheelhorses. Last night my 4 year old son and I took the K181 engine off the frame of that ugly parts tractor I bought. He was using wrenches, ratches, screwdeivers and turning bolts and pulling wires with me. Original, perfectly restored, over restored, customized, dragsterized, pullerized or just sitting there to be admired, to me, that's America and it's ALL good!! Glad to be a part of this group!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikesRJ 552 #52 Posted September 2, 2009 Last night my 4 year old son and I took the K181 engine off the frame of that ugly parts tractor I bought. He was using wrenches, ratches, screwdeivers and turning bolts and pulling wires with me. Original, perfectly restored, over restored, customized, dragsterized, pullerized or just sitting there to be admired, to me, that's America and it's ALL good!! Glad to be a part of this group!! I always loved it when my kids got involved. Made it all worth while. They are now 23 and 21 and the 21 y/o still helps me out allot. Gotta love it. Treasure it while they are young, they'll grow up fast on ya. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kpinnc 11,098 #53 Posted September 2, 2009 Awesome thread! I keep saying I'm gonna do a regular restore. But each time I tear into a tractor, I just have to personalize it. I always find something I want to change slightly- whether it be tires, or building a completely different animal. After all, as has been said here already, they do belong to me. Here in NC we don't see many older tractors. Truckloads of C series and 300/400/500 stuff, and of course the old Raiders, Chargers, Commandos, etc... But almost never anything much older than that. With that in mind, I seriously doubt my RJ and 701 will see modification. Those are classic machines, and I can't personally imagine changing anything. As for the rest- You never know what's coming next... Kevin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
joebob 45 #54 Posted September 4, 2009 some of us can, so we do!!!! it all comes down to what you think or the way you think, not what right or wrong, it sits in our shed ,garage or what ever ,so we personalize to our needs or wants, because we can! if everything in the world was the same it would be so boring wow your tractor looks like mine wow, if I had to restore a tractor that everyone approved, they all would be in the for sale section Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kpinnc 11,098 #55 Posted September 4, 2009 if I had to restore a tractor that everyone approved, they all would be in the for sale section I completely agree! Kevin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Suburban 550 28 #56 Posted September 4, 2009 I agree with Kevin. Sometime when you get started you just have to personalize it your own way. And some tractors you just have to keep them the way they were originally. It's really up to the individual, it's their tractor and don't have to satisfy anyone but themselves. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bitten 134 #57 Posted September 4, 2009 Very interisting. I can only go by what I have done. Is it a full resteration? No. Will it be just to look at? No. Will I be afraid to work it? No. It will however look nice and be a fully working tractor. In My opinion, I'm starting with a really good tractor ( Wheel Horse)and making it better. It worked really good but was a ugly duckling. Take the frame for instance. I went with a Wheel Horse service bulletin and welded a peice of metal were the rear end fastens. Not what they did origanaly but something that came up to make it better. I didnt pay the $180 for the primer I needed to get the pits out but did use clear coat. So no it is not restored but it is better then when new. When done (?) my non Wheel Horse friends will think it is a nice looking tractor. Only a true Wheel Horse fan will know that that is not the way it came. This is what works for ME. I do admire the work that I see here. Be it a complete tear down and fancy redo to the guy that adds things that make it better for him. Wheel Horse made tractors to make money. We all know that there was things that could have been done better at the factory but was cost prohibitive. That did not scare us away from them. We would not repaint a tractor the way Wheel horse did. It does come down to each his own. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Iron 1 #58 Posted September 5, 2009 Wow, lots of interest here, some are perfectionists and some are not. I guess you can call me a non-perfectionist. I'm not going to spend hundreds of bucks on paint just to mow, but preserving the tractor to keep it functional is more important to me, using the tractor for what it is intended to do. I do make improvements for reliability and durability with the intent to be able to return the stuff back to original if desired to do so. It's fun to "show-off" our herd, our toys, our abilities, our art, and more important, PROUD of what we can do with our own hands. Being creative is a talent worth showing. I still like my 1054's faded red look with spot touch-ups, that's a sign of a working tractor, tho I don't know if it is still a virgin?? My 244-H is still a virgin, untouched,unrestored, and love it as it is. It has scratches, little dents, a bit of rust, and showing charactor of the orignal owner-ME! Washed it and wiped it after use really goes a long ways. I made some modifications to adapt my methods, but since returned to original Over-restore is not necessary for me to be happy, a perfect restore isn't either, but a working restore that proves helpful as well entertain, that's priceless! A well maintained 45 yr old tractor is alot better than a 5 yr old tractor neglected. Main thing is, have FUN! :scratchead: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
