Inside the Wheel Horse factory, 515 W. Ireland Rd. South Bend, IN

[Teddy da Bear62 95]

I've driven past it many, many times having lived just 9 miles north.

Going into Chandler's with my dad as a little boy.  I wish I could have appreciated what I saw at the time.  I saw Chandler's showroom across 30+ years of it evolving.

 

But mostly.... I love wheel horse because of my Dad.  He was no ordinary Dad.  He was the best.

He taught me how to steer while sitting on his lap on the 1962 Lawn Ranger.  That and a 1963 Thunderbird!  Ha ha.

Then came the time to solo on the Lawn Ranger!  If he told me once, he told me 50 times..."Get in trouble?  Turn off the key!  This tractor will run right up a tree and flip on its back".  I often wondered what kind of beast I was driving.

My dad only lived to see me acquire one wheel horse.  A 1977 B-80.

I bought 8.5 acres of land.  And burnt up the Tecumseh motor on the Ranger mowing some of it.  

So I needed something bigger.  (I had no clue what wheel horse really made).

But the B-80 mowed about 3 acres sufficiently.

 

Each wheel horse I bought had a high and a low.

I thought of my dad each time I got one.

And was also sad to think he wasn't there to share in the experience.

 

Sorry I got caught running down memory lane.

 

I have often wondered.

 

Has anyone seen photos or videos from within the wheel horse factory on Ireland Rd.??

 

 

 

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 07:06 PM by Teddy da Bear62