1960 Suburban Hoods... kill switch holes or not?

[CasualObserver 3,406]

Hrmm... I don't know.... good question though.... I thought they all had the holes... just had a button plug if you didn't have a switch? That's what mine has.

[linen beige 14]

Hrmm... I don't know.... good question though.... I thought they all had the holes... just had a button plug if you didn't have a switch? That's what mine has.

I didn't mean to hijack the thread or get so far

My dad bought my 400 when it was only two months old. It has never had any sheet metal repairs or alterations of any kind and does not have a hole for a kill switch (I've GOTTA get the wife to set up this 'puter to post pictures!) I've noticed a few on Ebay that also had no holes in them, all were 400s. I've not seen any 550s without at least one hole, I'm not sure if they haven't all had one on each side?

The other '60 suburban I bought for parts has no engine, and has had a few alterations to the frame in the engine mount area. However, I see no evidence anywhere on it that it has ever had a solenoid or battery mounted on it so that leads me to think it is also a 400. It does have a hole for a kill switch, but has had a choke cable mounted in that hole, and appears to have had a different throttle mounted to the hood side. The original control levers are still on it!

I wonder if maybe the earliest 400s didn't have holes and later on WH found it cheaper to punch holes in all the hoods and put plugs in the unused ones? The only original parts that I don't have for my 400 are the engine heat shields, the exhaust shield and the engine controls and cover plate. ( I know there in a box or under a pile of "stuff" somewhere at my dad's just haven't had time to go snooping.) Without the plate I have no idea what the serial number was, so can't compare it to others. I do know that it was bought new in Lexington, Ky. over the 1960 Memorial day holiday, so it is from the first part of the year, but don't know how long it was at the dealer before being sold.

What do you guys think? Anybody else have one with no holes?

[CasualObserver 3,406]

Jim, don't worry about hijacking the thread... I moved it out into it's own for current discussions.

(for those just joining...Here's where we started... Painting thread)

Looking forward to more answers... and maybe some serial number co-ordination.... mine is 33445 and had a hole on the right side with a button plug in it. A PO had put a kill switch in about the same location on the left side... I can't tell you if the hole is original or not, but I'm guessing not.

Not the best pictures... but here's mine....

[WheelHorse_of_course 99]

Reading this thread, I am confused. Was there no 450?

[TT-(Moderator) 1,129]

I don't have any pictures of the hood on my 400, and I actually don't know what that part of the hood came from originally, but mine had the large open hole on the right side of the steering shaft hole. (which I welded shut. )

Explanation:

The hood on my 400 was cut off about 1 inch behind the steering shaft when I bought the tractor. (It had a 7hp Briggs on it at that time.) A nice fellow from SC sent me the rear section of a decent original-paint hood and I grafted the two together to make one good hood. :WRS:

[CasualObserver 3,406]

Reading this thread, I am confused. Was there no 450?

No. There were

400

4=4hp

0=recoil start

0=1960

550

5=5hp

5=elec start

0=1960

there were also 401/551 with the same breakdowns... just 1961

[TT-(Moderator) 1,129]

Reading this thread, I am confused. Was there no 450?

No - no such thing as a 450.

400 - 1960 4hp Kohler recoil start (some may have had B-1290 Clinton's)

550 - 1960 5.5hp Lauson electric/recoil start

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

401 - 1961 4hp Kohler recoil start

551 - 1961 5.5hp Lauson electric/recoil start

EDIT: oops..... Jason already got it. :whistle:

[linen beige 14]

400 - 1960 4hp Kohler recoil start (some may have had B-1290 Clinton's)

Here I am doing it again.

I noticed in the literature section (What engine does your Wheel Horse have) that they show the Clinton for the '61 model 401 as well. Has anyone seen/had/have one?

Ja-Tee, Thanks for moving this for me. The left hand hole on yours. Is it as large a diameter as the right hand one? I think the factory ones were the same size? It may not be original, but looks like it's in the right place.

[CasualObserver 3,406]

The left hand hole on yours. Is it as large a diameter as the right hand one? I think the factory ones were the same size? It may not be original, but looks like it's in the right place.

I'm not sure, I've never measured them. :whistle:

[DMESS 24]

Okay, we start talking round hoods and I might actually know a thing or two!

From memory all the 400's I've seen have the same hole w/plug on the right hand side of the steering shaft that was used on the 550 for the key switch. It is very well possible that early run 400's may not have had the hole. (I have documented a difference in early and late 401's which I will get to in a moment.) I can comfortably tell you that none of the 400's had any type of kill switch from factory because if you look at the serial number plate you will see an "OFF" position. A wire was connected to the control assembly and holding the throttle lever back against the rear was meant to ground out the ignition and shut off the tractor. Anybody find one that actually works? Thus the reason many probably had kill switches added.

The 401 thing: 401's could have factory kill switches in one of two places. Early 401's had a solid access plate over top the spark plug with the kill switch mounted just forward of the plug. Later 401's had the kill switch mounted right in the center of the access plug like the key switch on the 551. Early 401 uses a cut off version of the 400 serial plate mounted on the front of the hood stand while the later uses a serial decal like the 551 and 701 attached to the top of the right front frame rail area. Early 401's do not have a rib in the hood surrounding the "dash area" nor does the rib run past the gas cap towards the rear. Late 401 has the styled ribs in both places.

Oh, and TT, don't feel bad. We welded the kill switch hole shut on my early 401 and put it in the access plug! :WRS:

[DMESS 24]

I've yet to see a 401 with a Clinton......but it is surely possible given the way WH did things.

[linen beige 14]

Here are some pics of the hood from my dad's 400 Suburban, showing the lack of a hole for a kill switch.

As seen from the underside.

Close up of dash.

A little further away.

How many of these still have the original rubber grommet in the steering shaft hole?

[evanloock 217]

Just to add to Dustin's observations.....the early 551'a also used a cut-off plate from the 1960 Suburban tractors for the serial number ID. On the 551 it is mounted on the Tecumseh engine's rectifier panel cover.