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Lee in RI

NOS Lauson/Tecumseh HT55C

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Lee in RI

Hello group, I was wondering if anyone could please help me identify what model Wheel Horse this new old stock HT55C would fit on? It has the LMB carburetor with a Walbro vacuum fuel pump, charging system and a American Bosch starter. The original spark plug was broken off in storage but I think I still have it kicking around here somewhere. It has been fired but only briefly and not long enough to even burn the paint off the exhaust port. Nothing has ever been mounted on the PTO. It just lives on a shelf in my collection of Tecumseh engines and I was always curious as to what it fits. Sorry about the messy bench! Thank you for all of your help! Lee. 

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AMC RULES

:confusion-shrug: Looks like my 653's H-60.

IMG_1395.JPGIMG_1650.JPG

Edited by AMC RULES
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oliver2-44

If it is an H55 it might also fit on a 1960/61 Wheel Horse Suburban. @Lee in RI if you have any interest in selling it please let me know.

 

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Lee in RI

When I first saw it I thought it was an H60! Lol! But after seeing the oil pump and reading the tag I was stumped. It is a HT55C with 6HP decals. And I am positive it is original and for a Wheel Horse. 

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SylvanLakeWH

Very cool!

 

And.. :text-welcomeconfetti:

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Lee in RI

Thank you Sylvan Lake!

@oliver2-44 I don't think I am ready to part with it but if I decide to I have to give AMC Rules first shot at it. He asked me as soon as I posted it. 

30 minutes ago, AMC RULES said:

:confusion-shrug: Looks like my 653's H-60.

IMG_1395.JPGIMG_1650.JPG

That is a very pretty machine!

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AMC RULES

:text-thankyoublue: Thanks so much Lee. 

      :WRS:

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Lee in RI
42 minutes ago, oliver2-44 said:

If it is an H55 it might also fit on a 1960/61 Wheel Horse Suburban. @Lee in RI if you have any interest in selling it please let me know.

 

I am pretty sure Tecumseh moved the location of the spark plug from over the top of the exhaust valve to between the valves in 1963. This engine has the centered plug so it must have been made for the 1963 model year or later I think anyway. I could very well be wrong though! Lol

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sorekiwi

Spec #3089 was used on the 1962 32E Lawn Rangers and the 552 garden tractors.

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slammer302

Very nice! 

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sorekiwi
23 hours ago, Lee in RI said:

I am pretty sure Tecumseh moved the location of the spark plug from over the top of the exhaust valve to between the valves in 1963. This engine has the centered plug so it must have been made for the 1963 model year or later I think anyway. I could very well be wrong though! Lol

The original engine from my (1962) 502 appears to have the spark plug in the same place as your engine.  

 

However I notice it is missing some of the shrouding on top of the cylinder head.  Paint on the fins tends to suggest that it was never there?

 

My engine had "5 1/2 HP" decals on it also.

 

IMG_1668.jpg

Edited by sorekiwi
Forgot photo!!
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Lee in RI

@sorekiwi Thank you so much for the info! I always thought the pre 1963 models without the head tin used the offset spark plug location (above the exhaust valve). 

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sorekiwi

Lee, I have realized that you know a whole lot more about these than me!!

 

One other difference that I just thought of is that my engine used an exhaust elbow that bolted on with 2 studs, whereas yours has one that threads into the exhaust port

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Lee in RI

@sorekiwi Mine has the threaded holes for studs also. I am starting to wonder if this was a replacement engine that the dealer stocked incase one failed? I know it has been test run, but it was not run long enough to even burn the paint off the port. I have had at least 20 HT55C's but never one with the "Tecumseh 6" on the shroud and all of the others I had the spark plug was over the exhaust valve. I'm stumped on this rare breed! Lol!

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Coadster32

Very detail orientated this group is. I have nothing to offer but amazement.:bow-blue:

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Terry M

Just a thought, "maybe" it started out as an H60 and the short block was switched out with an h55 replacement short block ..    that would explain the h55 short block tag and the h55 being dressed in h60 parts....maybe?   I had an HH60 with an h55 short block which I trade to shynon a few years back.   

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Lee in RI

@Terry M, that certainly would be a very good possibility if I did not know the history of this engine, but I know it's origin. This engine came from a gentleman that bought it from a local Wheel Horse dealer that was selling off old stock. He was not very sure what it fit (if even a Wheel Horse) when I bought it from him. He died in 2009 so I can't get anymore information from him. As far as I can tell this engine has never been apart. The paint on the block matches the recoil housing and everything else perfectly. The head bolts have not been removed since it was painted at the factory. Some head bolts do have paint loss but as you all know that is the first place paint comes off a Tecumseh and is due to not washing assembly oil off the head bolts prior to painting the engine. ;) It does have chips and scratches but for something that is 54 years old and being stored in a repair facility for most of that time, it is very nice. 

On December 6, 2016 at 9:35 PM, sorekiwi said:

The original engine from my (1962) 502 appears to have the spark plug in the same place as your engine.  

 

However I notice it is missing some of the shrouding on top of the cylinder head.  Paint on the fins tends to suggest that it was never there?

 

My engine had "5 1/2 HP" decals on it also.

 

IMG_1668.jpg

That's another good point! All of the H55's I had prior to this one did not have the head tin! But they all had the offset spark plug. :) 

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