753 Finally Made It Home

[Suburban 550 28]

Well I talked about it in another thread, the 753 my wife bought me on E-bay last Sunday for my birthday finally made it's way home today. The guy threw in a engine belt guard, an 854 drive belt cover, and an air cleaner. The tractor isn't as bad as I thought it would be and with a couple more parts and a little TLC, I think it is very restorable and will make a great winter project. A very special Thank You to a great Wheel Horse friend Mark (mack 1605) who picked it up for me from the seller and met me half way. Here are some of the pics after I got it home and off the trailer.

[wheel horse 1045 2]

good looking project but is that the right steering wheel for the 854

[Suburban 550 28]

It's a 753 tractor with a 854 belt guard.

[Gerry w 2]

Really nice gift! And it looks really straight as well, nice deal!! :notworthy:

[Ken B 3,116]

Very nice tractor. I saw that on Ebay as well and it seemed too run nice. Be cool too see them white walls cleaned up!

[Suburban 550 28]

Ken, didn't have it runnin' myself yet, but it did sound good in the video. Originally was goin' to use it as a parts tractor but after gettin' it home I think it will end up a full restoration. Was well worth the price.

[stevebo-(Moderator) 8,059]

Looks like a nice restore project. Seeing your other work I can't wait to see that one done in June at the show... :notworthy:

[Indy w h 4]

Good lookin 753 make a good project

Indy

[rickv1957 70]

Looks like a great project tractor ,Rick

[Suburban 550 28]

Thanks Steve. I don't know if I'll have this one ready in time. After doin' body work 5 days a week I think I'll work on this one only when the mood strikes. But you know how that is once you get started it's hard to stop.

[bell 11]

Looks like a GREAT one to start with Ray!!! :notworthy:

[Doubletrouble 10]

nice tractor, could you get your wife to talk to mine. i have a birthday comin up and she needs some ideas.....LOL

[whfan74 2,015]

You do fantastic work Ray, I can't wait to see how this one turns out! We all know what you will be busy doing once the snow flies! What a great birthday present! :notworthy:

[Suburban 550 28]

Thanks guys for all your comments and support. Bill, if want my wife to call yours and suggest a tractor for your birthday, leave me your number. They're is nothin' better than a wife that supports your hobby or should I say addiction to tractors. I hope to get out to the garage sometime this mornin', get it up and runnin' and make up a parts list of what I need. My good friend Duke out in Niles, Michigan told me let him know what I need and he'll take care of me. I'll probably take him up on his offer. :thumbs:

[Kelly 1,028]

I saw that on ebay too, but way to far for me to get, and like I need another one, looks like a pretty good starting point.

Is that the aircleaner top under the seat? if it is thats for a 8hp that is the thick style, did you measure the hood? from the seam at the front where the nose is welded on to the opening at the gas tank, it's 15/16" longer on the 854 and 754 hoods, I just picked up a tractor I'm guessing was built out of at least two lots of 62/63/64 parts, and has the long hood to clear the thick aircleaner, mine has a 552 belt guard, and a kohler, the 64 hood, 62/63 steering wheel, 63/64 front axle, 62 early 63 tooltray, ect.... like I said a bunch of parts, just wondered if it was a real 854 with the wrong steering wheel

[stevasaurus 22,274]

That horse is too nice for parts Ray...Happy Birthday :notworthy:

[buckrancher 2,678]

Looks like a good one to restore Ray

The only things I see you need off hand are the left side cover and a square pan

seat and a straight clutch/brake rod and new rear tire's

The steering wheel is correct and the 854 belt cover is the same as the 753

I have some of those parts if duke doesn't :notworthy:

[Suburban 550 28]

Thanks again Steve and Kelly and thank you Brian for your offer of parts. I worked all day out in the garage and got a good look of what I'm up against. First of all the serial number on the dash tower is 62-24495 which would make it a 1962. It has a 2 piece gas tank that don't leak 63-64 front axle seems to be 63-64, rear fenders, tool box and dash tower seem to be 62, steering wheel seems to be 62-63. I know the engine was replaced with a 8 h.p. which sounds and runs really good and it definetly has the shorter hood that won't fit with the thick style air cleaner. Now I'm really confused on what model it is. Is it something that someone pieced together, I really don't know. I thought by lookin' at the picture before I brought it home it looked sorta like a mongrel. Hope somebody here knows the answer. :WRS:

[Kelly 1,028]

Ok I'm no expert by far, but I studied the pic's better, it has 63/64 front axle, 63/64 gas tank, 62/63 steering wheel, dash tower looks like a 63/64 because the lift arm, looks to be the bolt in style(can't see very well in pic) has the 63 and newer lift stop adjustment, and apears to have the 5/8" hole behind it, 62's didn't, toolbox looks to be the 62 early 63 style that the fenders bolt on out side the box not on the inside, do the fenders have one set of mounting holes or two?? 62's only have one 63/64 have two, I'm going to say you were right in thinking 753 maybe a early one, I have 3 753's I'll check the id tag's on them.

Oh ya I think the brake pedal is 63/64 I think the 62 is more rounded on the outer end.

[can whlvr 991]

nice machine,pretty nice wife too

[linen beige 14]

First of all the serial number on the dash tower is 62-24495 which would make it a 1962.

WH used up the leftover 62 serial number tags on the early '63s.

[Suburban 550 28]

Thanks, Kelly. After I got done workin' on it yesterday I was really startin' to wonder what model it was. I'm no expert on them either and don't know too much about the 63-64 models and I do know Wheel Horse used parts leftover from previous years on the next years models. I do own a 702 and it is very similar except for the gas tank and front axle and steering. I will check later today on how many sets of mounting holes in the fenders. Thanks again for all the info. :notworthy:

[Rollerman 290]

Ray it's no so much what it is now as what it will be in the future with your detail for work.

Looking forward to seeing it all done. :notworthy:

[Suburban 550 28]

Thank You, Stephen, appreciate the compliment. Without making this a Work In Progress post I worked all weekend goin' over everything, changed the rear tires (took off the 1972 Pinto whitewalls), found a match to the one front tire (replaced the wheelbarrow tire), replaced the seat with an old square pan seat I had laying around and straightened out and cut the rod to make the brake-clutch pedal work right. I know I'm not as fast gettin' things done as my good friend Jon Bell, but ya got to realize I'm alot older. Now I either need a longer hood or a shorter air cleaner. The tractor was then loaded on my trailer and taken to the body shop I work at to get some welding and some roughing out of some of the sheetmetal. Here are a couple pics of what I accomplished over the weekend.