1st time wheel horse owner- Help ID Please

[stevenlandon 0]

Ive been helping my girlfriends grandma clean out her old barns.. Last fall I stumbled acrossed this.. She claimed they bought it new in 1952 and was there 1st tractor on the farm.. And it got parked in the 60s when they got larger tractors.. She was going to scrap it but I told her not a chance, ill fix it up and get it running again since we dont have much of a small tractor to get up close to the house with.. It has what I believe is a briggs engine in it, its missing the gas tank and the muffler.. Like I said im new to the wheel horses and id love to get her fixed up.. Im really big into the vintage sleds and im getting a wheel horse one lunger snowmobile to go along with this tractor. If this isnt the right engine, what engine went in it??

I have it mostly torn down right now.. Prepping it for paint.

[TT-(Moderator) 1,162]

:omg:

The tractor is a 1961 401 Suburban and would have had a 4hp K-91 Kohler recoil-start engine.

"Grandma" is off by about a decade. :D

[Suburban 550 28]

:D It's definetely a 1961 401 Suburban. Good Luck on gettin' it up and runnin. :omg:

[rickv1957 76]

Hello and Nice find,Rick

[stevenlandon 0]

Thank you guys for the info.. Im debating on trying to find an original engine for it or just use the one thats in it. Really all we are going to use this tractor for is to just tool around at vintage snowmobile shows.. and use it around the yard... Any idea what that engine is thats in it.. theres no stickers or stampings or a plate on the engine.

From what I can tell im missing the fuel tank..

[CasualObserver 3,411]

Looks like a Tecumseh. The spot on the front of the shroud that looks vaguely like a hot air balloon was the decal, it was round with a little block underneath that said the HP. Probably 6hp (either H-60 or HH-60 depending on whether it's an aluminum block or cast iron) just guessing by the size. The long rectangular discolored spot on the left side of the shroud was (or maybe is) the data plate. it would be an aluminum tag with the numbers embossed.

[Raider12 13]

Great find, and also thanks for NOT sending this baby to the scraper. Looks like it complete. Good for you and glad to have ya as a member to.

Denver

[stevenlandon 0]

Great find, and also thanks for NOT sending this baby to the scraper. Looks like it complete. Good for you and glad to have ya as a member to.

Denver

Ill be posting more pics of her as I go.. The engine thats in it has just enough spark to zap ya but not enough to spark the plugs.. so im gonna pull it today and hopefully get the tractor stripped down enough to where I can sand and prime it today.. 1st place she goes is to the carwash to be degreased..

Are tecumsehs hard to get parts for or are they easily available.. I figure if I can get this engine running I will use it for it.. Also any idea what the fuel tank looks like for this thing.. this one is missing one and Im sure i could probably find something to rig up from an old sled.. or another old lawnmower.

my girlfriends grandma wanted to scrap it, im like no way.. im fixing that up. and itll look darn nice. This will keep me busy until I can find a tire for the 57 John Deere 420 thats at the farm too..

[Roger from southern Iowa 1]

Hi! for saving it from the scrap yard.

:D

[stevenlandon 0]

Hi! for saving it from the scrap yard.

Well it looks like I found the reason it was parked.. The tecumseh engine that was in it.. turns over but knocks really bad. sounds pretty bad.. Im on the hunt for a replacement engine..

Can I use any old horizontal shaft engine I run across