Disassembly continues on the C160…

[RoubaixRider 210]

4 hours ago, Retired Wrencher said:

A lot of times when people get into this hobby, they make a mistake where they want it to shine and look new. I’ve been there done that a few times. Much time involved and I guess when you get older, you just think that it’s not worth it. That’s why I’m at it happily just enjoying what I have for what it is. Just my two cents.

I hear you. I definitely debated on whether or not to do it, but during disassembly to work on a few little things, I started to notice areas of concern. Working on these tractors is like therapy for me. It’s something that I can put my energy into positively. I just wish I wasn’t so far away from the east coast to be able to attend the annual show. That would be good fun. Even though this tractor was purchased locally in Escondido, CA in 1976, I have NEVER seen another, or a CASE. They were east of the Rockies brands. 

[Handy Don 15,620]

53 minutes ago, RoubaixRider said:

I just wish I wasn’t so far away from the east coast to be able to attend the annual show. That would be good fun.

You would be most welcome even without a tractor. In 2024 we had a member from Germany fulfill a long-held wish to get there!

Plus, if you are interested in US civil war history, there is a LOT to learn in the area, starting with the Gettysburg battlefield. 

[sqrlgtr 1,786]

6 hours ago, rjg854 said:

The only ones I've painted were the ones some else had already messed with.  I'm of the idea they are only original once.  And I like them to show their age and yet they still perform like new.  I do like clean wheels, that to me is the eye catcher.    

The only one I have that hasn't had some kinda "paint" job is the 856. I agree on the wheels I will paint them up first thing. I like um both ways and even some of the custom stuff but cant bring myself to cut one up just to make a custom .

[sqrlgtr 1,786]

4 hours ago, Handy Don said:

You would be most welcome even without a tractor. In 2024 we had a member from Germany fulfill a long-held wish to get there!

Plus, if you are interested in US civil war history, there is a LOT to learn in the area, starting with the Gettysburg battlefield. 

I put off going to the Big Show for years and regret it. I finally got to go last year and had a great time and got to make some great acquaintances. I will warn you though I took one tractor with me (GT14) that I sold on here, but brought back home 3 tractors (551,856, and a 1257) and some more goodies. 

[RoubaixRider 210]

Got the steering in today… Temporary fabricated sleeve for that… Till One shows up from the parts store. Hydraulics are fit in place after cleaning and painting those and the steering is feeling really nice.

Edited Friday at 10:47 PM by RoubaixRider
Added image

[RoubaixRider 210]

8 hours ago, Handy Don said:

…

Plus, if you are interested in US civil war history, there is a LOT to learn in the area, starting with the Gettysburg battlefield. 

Absolutely! I have been watching Ken Burns Civil War and it is fascinating! I’m actually about to celebrate my first year of being a US citizen on January 14. Moved down here in 1999 from Canada for my job.

[SylvanLakeWH 30,146]

9 hours ago, RoubaixRider said:

Absolutely! I have been watching Ken Burns Civil War and it is fascinating! I’m actually about to celebrate my first year of being a US citizen on January 14. Moved down here in 1999 from Canada for my job.

Excellent series!

 

Welcome and thank you for going through the legal process of becoming a US Citizen! 

Edited Thursday at 10:36 AM by SylvanLakeWH

[Retired Wrencher 6,264]

20 hours ago, rjg854 said:

The only ones I've painted were the ones some else had already messed with.  I'm of the idea they are only original once.  And I like them to show their age and yet they still perform like new.  I do like clean wheels, that to me is the eye catcher.    

@rjg854 That is an old saying and really fits the bill. Old times always sed that and it still holds true today. I’m not really against it, but I just don’t think it’s necessary. A nice clean tractor looks just as good with a little enhancement.

[Retired Wrencher 6,264]

18 hours ago, RoubaixRider said:

I hear you. I definitely debated on whether or not to do it, but during disassembly to work on a few little things, I started to notice areas of concern. Working on these tractors is like therapy for me. It’s something that I can put my energy into positively. I just wish I wasn’t so far away from the east coast to be able to attend the annual show. That would be good fun. Even though this tractor was purchased locally in Escondido, CA in 1976, I have NEVER seen another, or a CASE. They were east of the Rockies brands. 

I was told that they never shipped anything west of the Mississippi river. Maybe in the early days they didn’t, but as they became more organized lack of a better word, they may have started shipping further west.

Edited Thursday at 10:43 AM by Retired Wrencher

[Handy Don 15,620]

3 hours ago, Retired Wrencher said:

I was told that they never shipped anything west of the Mississippi river. Maybe in the early days they didn’t, but as they became more organized lack of a better word, they may have started shipping further west.

Running a dealer network is hard and the more spread out, the harder it is for communication, transportation, staffing, and even cultural expectations. 

[RoubaixRider 210]

5 hours ago, Retired Wrencher said:

I was told that they never shipped anything west of the Mississippi river. Maybe in the early days they didn’t, but as they became more organized lack of a better word, they may have started shipping further west.

This tractor came with the whole lot…original bill of sale, manuals, even the tag that hung on it on the showroom floor! 😂 The gentleman kept everything. I have the original bill of sale from Palomar Tractor in Escondido California. They were a Wheel Horse dealer. He also bought a rototiller, but despite efforts to contact him again, I could never find out if the tiller was sitting in a yard somewhere on his property. When I get a chance, I will post some photographs of all of the paperwork, kinda fun to see. 
I would love to get a tiller for it, but the shipping from back east would be pretty hard. I am a helicopter pilot and Mechanic, and have our helicopter back east all last fall and was trying to find ones on eBay to them. Coordinate picking up on my way back to Denver with the aircraft. No luck! There is a guy in Pueblo selling a snowplow for a CASE, which I may pick up in January, bringing an aircraft from Denver to San Diego🤣

Edited Thursday at 03:50 PM by RoubaixRider
Spelling

[peter lena 9,642]

@RoubaixRider  terrific job on that !  ever think about  running a frame length  5/16 "  steel brake line , as  major removal  of  fuel hose break down?  that inner corner  90 deg bend , would make it disappear  ,  leaving only a  short tank and carb run  to , from it , use a hose barb  filter on each end , from tank to carb ,  also , sta bil  in all my fuels , and no fuel hose debris . pete   

[RoubaixRider 210]

1 hour ago, peter lena said:

@RoubaixRider  terrific job on that !  ever think about  running a frame length  5/16 "  steel brake line , as  major removal  of  fuel hose break down?  that inner corner  90 deg bend , would make it disappear  ,  leaving only a  short tank and carb run  to , from it , use a hose barb  filter on each end , from tank to carb ,  also , sta bil  in all my fuels , and no fuel hose debris . pete   

Interesting idea… I’ve got all the tooling for bending brake line and doing flare fittings, etc. I might pick your brain on that some more in the coming weeks. Just trying to get all the paint work finished before I’m gonna have to go back on duty. Looking at a few different options right now for Installing bearings instead of just straight pins into pivot points… Heim joints, etc. I hate rattly feeling actuator handles, etc..

[peter lena 9,642]

@RoubaixRider  terrific job on that !  ever think about  running a frame length  5/16 "  steel brake line , as  major removal  of  fuel hose break down?  that inner corner  90 deg bend , would make it disappear  ,  leaving only a  short tank and carb run  to , from it , use a hose barb  filter on each end , from tank to carb ,  also , sta bil  in all my fuels , and no fuel hose debris . pete   

[peter lena 9,642]

@RoubaixRider   just some  rattling ideas  , heim joint , pete

 

[RoubaixRider 210]

Lots of prep work for the belt cover… had to do some minor dent removal, a little bit of welding and some very light Bondo work prior to paint. This is the only panel that is not going to be 100% unfortunately, primarily in the area where the spot welding was done by Wheel Horse. It’s basically right down near the flywheel area from the engine, so it won’t be tremendously noticeable I hope. By afternoon, was able to shoot paint on it. 

Edited Friday at 11:59 PM by RoubaixRider
Grammar

[sqrlgtr 1,786]

39 minutes ago, RoubaixRider said:

This is the only panel that is not going to be 100%

 

May as well scrap the whole project. If you split shipping I would take the tractor off your hands .

Edited Friday at 08:16 PM by sqrlgtr

[RoubaixRider 210]

2 hours ago, sqrlgtr said:

 

May as well scrap the whole project. If you split shipping I would take the tractor off your hands .

You’re totally right! It’s totally ruined. No point in going on.🤣 I really appreciate you stepping in and offering to take this bucket of bolts off my hands for me only paying half the shipping🤣🤣🤣🤓

[sqrlgtr 1,786]

3 minutes ago, RoubaixRider said:

You’re totally right! It’s totally ruined. No point in going on.🤣 I really appreciate you stepping in and offering to take this bucket of bolts off my hands for me only paying half the shipping🤣🤣🤣🤓

 your welcome, that's what friends or for.

[RoubaixRider 210]

Dry-fitting assembly continues to check for assembly issues. I had to put all the pieces together, just sitting on top of each other just for some instant gratification.🤣

 

Edited Saturday at 04:23 PM by RoubaixRider
Deleted image

[RoubaixRider 210]

Well, that’s it for all the big stuff on the frame… Going to let the paint cure for a week or so, and then apply the rest of the decals. Everything went together perfectly, and I still cannot believe I did not have a single frozen bolt or nut on the entire project!

I’ll be shifting focused to the engine and a complete rewire of the electrical. I think I might take a break for a few days or a week or so anyway. Give my back and hands time to recuperate lol. 

[sqrlgtr 1,786]

@RoubaixRider looks great, man I love them seats. Sure want hurt to let that paint cure out a little either. Again looks great.

[SylvanLakeWH 30,146]

Great job!!! 

[rjg854 12,723]

She's a beauty  

[RoubaixRider 210]

20 hours ago, sqrlgtr said:

@RoubaixRider looks great, man I love them seats. Sure want hurt to let that paint cure out a little either. Again looks great.

Definitely! Thinking at least a couple weeks before I put the new decals on… Especially the hood. I purchased mine from a company on eBay that looked very good quality. I’m sure it’s the same guy. Everyone else is using. Want to apply some non-slip grip tape to the foot rests… thinking just a good 3M product would work nice… That black adhesive that looks almost like sandpaper. I could do rubber with contact cement? I see that there are holes drilled in the foot rests and I’m assuming that there was originally some kind of a rubber fit in place there?

All the best guys, thanks for cheering me on and for the great advice so far

Best, Jason