Wheelhorse ID - Need Some Help

[leeave96 490]

I spoke to a fellow today who has a Wheelhorse tractor. It has fiberglass hood and rear fender and a 16 hp twin cylinder engine. It is an 8 speed.

What model would this tractor fall into and what years would it be made? I would assume the 16 hp engine being a twin AND with fiberglass trimmings would preclude an Onan and would be a Briggs & Stratton.

The tractor sounds like it hasn't been abused, but used hard mowing grass for the last 20 years. I might be interested in this tractor, but not for sure. Sounds like the deck spindles are noisy too - no info on if the deck has rust. Aside from the model/year range, (and I don't like to ask this question), but what would be a fair price for this tractor?

Thanks!

Bill

[whfan74 2,072]

1979 C-161 8 speed with a Briggs

If it is beat, I would say $125-$175......may seem low but would be worth more parted than together.

Price may go up a little after pictures have been posted.

Edited February 15, 2013 by whfan74

[Rock farmer 41]

Sounds like a late eighties to early nineties model to me (fiberglass hood?)

I'd expect it to say "Toro wheel horse". It would be a vertical shaft lawn mower.

Value would be between $50 and $300 depending on condition and local market.

Joe

[TT-(Moderator) 1,162]

1978 & 1979 C-161 twin...... 'glas hood & tupperware fenders - and probably the coolest looking headlight lens configuration ever offered on a 'Horse.

They were supposed to be C-171 models, but the KT-17 was unavailable due to a problem of some sort at Kohler.

The best pictures I have:

Automatic version:

[leeave96 490]

Tell me about the Briggs engine. Were they widely used in those years? I know what a K341 is, but what model is this Briggs? Are parts available, can they be rebuilt? How reliable? I assume the tractor has an 8 pinion tranny and 1-1/8 inch axles?

Thanks for the help!!!!

Bill

[Wheel-N-It 2,976]

Bill if it looks OK, and runs decent, and the deck is still in good shape, I will jump out there and say $200.

Remember Jay just bought a C-165 for $250. The engine runs good but smokes. Its a K-341 Kohler so the engine is certainly worth rebuilding. It has a really nice, and nicely quiet 48" mowing deck. To me that makes up for the engine putting out a little smoke.

It would really help if you could post some pics of it. I know you well enough to know you would not be interested in buying some piece of junk, so put some pics on here and lets talk about it a little more.

[Wheel-N-It 2,976]

Bill, I think the Briggs engine in this tractor is the Briggs equivilant of the KT series Kohler. I am not sure if the Briggs motor has an oil pump, or is splash lubricated.

Not sure about the tranny ,that would require further investigation.

[ericj 1,579]

i had a C161 twin 8 sp and hydro at the same time. talked to Ed Cole about them and he told me that the series 1 kt17 could not pass durability and reliability testing so at the last minute wheel horse tried the 16 hp twin briggs and it passed the testing, so wheel horse quickly through the C161 together and offered the 1st C series with a twin on it at the time the C series was using the square hoods. but the square hoods didn't have enough room under the hood so they designed the black hoods for more room and had them made in fiberglass because it was faster and easier. the C161 twins are the so called missing link between the C1X1 tractors and the C1x5 tractors. it used the early C series dash with the black hoods and the famous plastic fenders. they were only made in 78 and 79, in 80 everything went to the C1x5 series tractors

eric j

[leeave96 490]

Thanks everyone. I haven't seen the tractor, but got a good verbal on it. Not to knock the tractor, but it sounds like it hasn't been driven into a tree, but really worked hard and for a lot of hours.

So I take it that these fiberglass hood tractors were the first black hoods? And that they were replaced by the C-1x5 series tractors with steel black hood and rear fenders?