C101 Barn find

[John c 177]

Here's some pictures of the C101 I found earlier this year on FBMP, a little more than an hour from home too. It came with a 42"RD deck that looks better than the one a rebuilt last fall, so I swapped all the new parts over from one shell to the other and now have VGC spindles to make another serviceable 42"RD, just won't have the old patina, but it's not rotted out. I really have enjoyed going through this machine. I cut some grass with it yesterday and probable cut some more today or tomorrow. I runs smooth and strong, it's weathered and solid I went with penetrol and steel wool finish refurbish and I like the OG survivor look. 

[953 nut 66,289]

Looks like there was a hot time under the hood at one time,  if only they could talk ant tell their story.

[oliver2-44 11,496]

2 hours ago, 953 nut said:

Looks like there was a hot time under the hood at one time,  if only they could talk and tell their story.

Nice seat repair too

[Achto 31,861]

Nice Tractor  

 

 

21 hours ago, 953 nut said:

Looks like there was a hot time under the hood at one time

 

One thing that I've noticed with a Nelson muffler on that style of tractor. It's difficult to find the happy spot between being too close to the points or being too close to the hood. The B100 that I recently picked up had the muffler way too close to the points cover, actually damaged the points under the cover. I think I have it centered good now, time will tell.

Edited yesterday at 10:11 AM by Achto

[JoeM 9,983]

49 minutes ago, Achto said:

with a Nelson muffler on that style of tractor. It's difficult to find the happy spot

And if it leans out a touch there is a Chernobyl effect!

[Pullstart 70,022]

Congrats on the score!  Good job!

[ebinmaine 79,012]

2 hours ago, Achto said:

Nice Tractor  

 

 

 

One thing that I've noticed with a Nelson muffler on that style of tractor. It's difficult to find the happy spot between being too close to the points or being too close to the hood. The B100 that I recently picked up had the muffler only way too close to the points cover, actually damaged the points under the cover. I think I have it centered good now, time will tell.

 

 

Not for sure here but I'm thinking the larger can style didn't come out until after the black hoods, which were a larger wider hood.

[Achto 31,861]

34 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Not for sure here but I'm thinking the larger can style didn't come out until after the black hoods

 

Mine has a smaller can, still tight on room.

[ebinmaine 79,012]

Just now, Achto said:

 

Mine has a smaller can, still tight on room.

 

 

Yeah they definitely are. Not a fan of it. That's why on the last several tractors I've built you can see where I've switched over to the exterior mounted Gravely Muffler that points down and forward. I don't like the look quite as much but I think it's more practical.

[c-series don 11,941]

When the paint bubbled on my freshly restored C-121 I showed it to the man himself,Cecil Pond. I asked him about this and he said flat out, well I guess that’s a poor design! That little picture in the upper left corner was taken 10 minutes after we had that conversation. Me, Betty and Cecil 2004.

[oldlineman 1,721]

Great tractor, I have a 1979 c-101 with many many hours on it and has been one of my best tractores. You can see it in my picture along with my daughter which I also acquired in 1979.   

[squonk 46,657]

18 hours ago, Achto said:

Nice Tractor  

 

 

 

One thing that I've noticed with a Nelson muffler on that style of tractor. It's difficult to find the happy spot between being too close to the points or being too close to the hood. The B100 that I recently picked up had the muffler only way too close to the points cover, actually damaged the points under the cover. I think I have it centered good now, time will tell.

My muffler on my C-160 actually holds the hood from opening too far!  

Edited yesterday at 09:57 AM by squonk

[Retired Wrencher 6,692]

On 6/2/2026 at 8:46 AM, 953 nut said:

Looks like there was a hot time under the hood at one time,  if only they could talk ant tell their story.

953: I had a C141 one time and it had that same problem. So I went to see my dealer when they were in business with wheel horse he told me it’s probably because the engine was not in tune which created overheating and it bake the paint.  And the other thing with the cradle mount to me that seemed to be a power robber with that big 14 shaken all over the place. This is just my two cents.