Blasterdad 2,564 #1 Posted January 17, 2017 (edited) A little history & some pics of our family's tractors... My grandfather purchased our first Wheel horse on 05/31/1979 when I was 14 years old, she was a brand new '78 C 81 eight speed bought from Baehre Ford Tractor in Allegan,MI. She came with a 36" rear discharge deck & new 10 cu. ft. dump cart, a 42" snowblower & wheel wheights were purchased a few years later. Fast forward 30 + years later I decided to "Retire" her & replace her duties with a "79 C141 I found locally for $350.00. She came with the same deck & a very well fabricated belly blade from a John Deere...(sacrilege) The plan was to to use the C141 while I rebuilt the C81, then I could leave the mowing to the 81 & the blowing to the 141... Well, the best laid plans of mice & men often go awry & I am no exception, between work, raising twins, remodeling the house, snowmobiles, quads, jet boats, cars & flying monkeys, life happens! So, this year I decided to add another carport & a plow for the Wheel Horse to my arsenal against Michigan winters, both arrived too late as we got hammered early this year. Now that they are both complete all the snow has melted, with nothing but rain in sight. (I'll take it!) Anyway, with a one day break in the weather & renewed enthusiasm in the horses I pulled the C81 out of the barn and brought her into the shop yesterday to keep her younger sister company while I work on her. No snow, but I did manage to pick up a whole trailer load of sticks & try out the new plow on a mole colony... The snow pics are from around early December... Edited January 17, 2017 by Blasterdad 20 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blasterdad 2,564 #3 Posted January 17, 2017 Thanks, they are just workers, but I love them. The C81 being VERY sentimental. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tankman 3,515 #4 Posted January 17, 2017 Very nice! The Horses look well cared for too. What model in the orange one? An English tractor? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aldon 4,826 #5 Posted January 17, 2017 Welcome. Nice pics Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blasterdad 2,564 #6 Posted January 17, 2017 5 minutes ago, Tankman said: Very nice! The Horses look well cared for too. What model in the orange one? An English tractor? 1972 MKIII MG Midget, I think it will hold a 60" deck no problem! 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tankman 3,515 #7 Posted January 17, 2017 1 minute ago, Blasterdad said: 1972 MKIII MG Midget, I think it will hold a 60" deck no problem! Had a '59 MG and several Triumphs. Does the MG have one rear spring? I had one Triumph had to re-arch the spring, tires were toe in topside. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 24,170 #8 Posted January 17, 2017 5 minutes ago, Blasterdad said: 1972 MKIII MG Midget, I think it will hold a 60" deck no problem! Front, mid or rear mount??? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blasterdad 2,564 #9 Posted January 17, 2017 1 minute ago, Tankman said: Had a '59 MG and several Triumphs. Does the MG have one rear spring? I had one Triumph had to re-arch the spring, tires were toe in topside. Nope, it has the half elliptical springs... Some MG'S did have quarter elliptical springs though... 6 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said: Front, mid or rear mount??? I'm thinking all 3.... But I would have to drop a V8 in it though....Hmmmm.... 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SPINJIM 1,978 #10 Posted January 17, 2017 Nice MG Midget. When I was in college, we had four people in one of those. It was a half hour ride, and it took an hour to get the circulation back into my legs. Nice car and nice Horses. Jim 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ClassicTractorProfessor 5,262 #11 Posted January 17, 2017 Nice Horses, and nice car too. to Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elcamino/wheelhorse 9,057 #12 Posted January 17, 2017 Nice horses , I see why can't get anything done. The shop is too neat. You can see the floor and work benches are clear on the top. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 51,754 #13 Posted January 17, 2017 to always like to hear of a third generation owner. The C-81 is special. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
benji756 341 #14 Posted January 17, 2017 nice horses I bought a 1979 c-81 last sept for plowing the sidewalks and really like it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blasterdad 2,564 #15 Posted January 17, 2017 35 minutes ago, SPINJIM said: Nice MG Midget. When I was in college, we had four people in one of those. It was a half hour ride, and it took an hour to get the circulation back into my legs. Nice car and nice Horses. Jim 26 minutes ago, Professor1990 said: Nice Horses, and nice car too. to Thanks guys, just a kid at heart, still like playing with little red tractors,& little British cars,had to get the MG to keep the Lotus company. 9 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 24,170 #16 Posted January 17, 2017 7 minutes ago, Blasterdad said: Thanks guys, just a kid at heart, still like playing with little red tractors,& little British cars,had to get the MG to keep the Lotus company. Very cool car! - Kinda James Bond-ish... HHHMMM...I'm thinking again, which is always dangerous... POTUS = President of the United States SCOTUS = Supreme Court of the United States LOTUS = ??? 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blasterdad 2,564 #17 Posted January 17, 2017 (edited) LOTUS = Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious BTW, The submarine car in 007 The Spy Who Loved Me was a Lotus Esprit.. Edited January 17, 2017 by Blasterdad 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Retired Wrencher 4,880 #18 Posted January 17, 2017 Blasterdad Nice tractors and a great looking garage. Set up for the working man and his projects. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blasterdad 2,564 #19 Posted January 17, 2017 37 minutes ago, T1257 RETIRED WRENCHER. said: Blasterdad Nice tractors and a great looking garage. Set up for the working man and his projects. Thank you, I'm definitely a working man, & have plenty of projects. Unfortunately, they usually aren't the ones I'd like to do, like work on the tractors or cars... Oh well, such is life, speaking of work....Off I go. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 46,809 #20 Posted January 17, 2017 Real nice horses Blaster...looks like room for a couple more tho! Those tubs are the handiest things to have around! Pay no never mind to those guys eyeballing your cars... they like to look at the beach ball instead of the bikini! BTW you must have the same affliction as I have in always managing to get your fingers in the best shots! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PeacemakerJack 10,671 #21 Posted January 17, 2017 @Blasterdad welcome to the forum! Nice garage, shop, cars, and tractors. I especially would like to hear more about the 81. If you can scrounge up any old photos or memories of it...I'd love to see/hear them! I always enjoy the back stories when someone owns one long enough to have some to share Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DougC 2,641 #22 Posted January 17, 2017 Great thread, enjoyed all the pictures and info. As a former owner of an old Austin Healey in the early '70's and a couple of English motorcycles around the same time, I know what you mean by lost's of trouble and parts were always about 2 weeks away..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blasterdad 2,564 #23 Posted January 17, 2017 10 hours ago, WHX9 said: BTW you must have the same affliction as I have in always managing to get your fingers in the best shots! 9 hours ago, PeacemakerJack said: @Blasterdad welcome to the forum! Nice garage, shop, cars, and tractors. I especially would like to hear more about the 81. If you can scrounge up any old photos or memories of it...I'd love to see/hear them! I always enjoy the back stories when someone owns one long enough to have some to share @WHX9 ALL THE TIME!!!!! Like you said, the best ones too. @PeacemakerJack I do have some stories to tell, & you got me thinking that I do have some old pics somewhere... I'll see what I can dig up for ya... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blasterdad 2,564 #24 Posted January 18, 2017 6 hours ago, DougC said: Great thread, enjoyed all the pictures and info. As a former owner of an old Austin Healey in the early '70's and a couple of English motorcycles around the same time, I know what you mean by lost's of trouble and parts were always about 2 weeks away..... Thank you, parts & information are a lot easier to come by these days thanks to the internet & GREAT forums like this one! I also belong to a couple of GREAT British car forums. Here's some pics of one of my neighbors Austin, (he bought it new in college), hope it brings back some memories for you... Darn finger in the shot again.... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHX?? 46,809 #25 Posted January 18, 2017 Hold your fingers up like yer drinking a cup of tea Blaster....'specially when snapping them Brit rides! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites