What model did I have?

[Old Iron 0]

I had a Wheel Horse years ago. I had to bore it .03 over just to clean up the piston slap it had, and the deck mowed the grass uneven, but it did have a plow. When it was given to me a snow thrower was also offered, but I refused because of the condition it was in. Must have been left out behind the barn since the '60s.

Anyway, it was an 8hp Kohler. The only distinquishing marks I can remember were on the body lines. It had the outline of the very bottom of the words "Wheel Horse" stamped into the steel on the hood. I remember because the Wheel Horse badging didn't match up to it so I figured it had been replaced. It did look very similar to the 1057 that I have now.

I eventually had to pass it along because I was a youger man than, trying to start a family and really didn't have two dimes to rub together, let alone restore a tractor.

I've combed the picture galleries and haven't seen it. I don't even know what year it was. If anyone has any ideas on what it was I'd appreciate it. :thumbs:

[Old Iron 0]

It was an 8hp Kohler. The only distinquishing marks I can remember were on the body lines. It had the outline of the very bottom of the words "Wheel Horse" stamped into the steel on the hood. I remember because the Wheel Horse badging didn't match up to it so I figured it had been replaced. It did look very similar to the 1057 that I have now.

I've combed the picture galleries and haven't seen it. I don't even know what year it was. If anyone has any ideas on what it was I'd appreciate it.

I'm surprised no one has a guess.

I would love to know what is was.

[Sparky-(Admin) 19,572]

Maybe it was a Commando 8 ?

They have a line under the letters on the hood decals? I think only round hoods had stamped Wheel Horse letters but they were in the front.

Mike......

http://www.wheelhorseforum.com/index.php?showtopic=909

[Old Iron 0]

Hmmm....It looked a lot like the commando 8 but I don't see the lower half of "Wheel Horse" stamped in the hood.

Thanks Sparky

[stevasaurus 22,231]

old iron...you sent me an e-mail...don't know how to reply...can you tell me how you sent that to me...would like to reply to you

it came from redsquare yahoo but it will not let me reply.

thanks

can't help on the tractor...sorry

[Old Iron 0]

I figured I'd bump this to the top because I still would love to know what tractor I had. There are a lot of knowlegable WH gurus, here at Redsquare, so I'm sure someone has to know what it was.

[CasualObserver 3,406]

John, to be honest, you've posed a very difficult question. You say that it was similar to your 1057, in other words a mid to late 60s square hood? You also say that Wheel Horse was stamped into the hood... which as far as I know was only on the the round hoods, 1956(or 57)-1964 models and the 1965-1968 Lawn Rangers. In 1965 the larger models changed to decals instead of the stamped name. Can you perhaps sketch up a likeness and describe anything better? 8HP Kohler was a start... but, Where exactly on the hood was this stamped name? Was it a gear drive or hydro? Wide rear tires or skinny? What type of seat did it have? Did it have headlights? What did the muffler look like? Any little clues can help.

[past7971 0]

I'm with you on this one Jason. I cant think of any Wheel Horse that had name STAMPED into metal hood after 1965 (except the Lawn Rangers which dont resemble a 1057) The fact it was only "the bottom outline" makes me wonder if someone wasn't being "creative" somehow??? Lord knows some of the "field-fixes" and "modifications" I've seen performed on these over the years.

[Old Iron 0]

I wish I had a picture. I'll try to discribe in more detail. Keep in mind I only had this tractor for a few months and that was over 10 years ago. My mind isn't what it used to be....

-The rear fenders were exactly like a 1057 (or very close). They hinged the very same way as well.

-The plow was the same as the one I have now.

-The hood definitly was of the square varity, not rounded.

-The latch on the hood was exactly the same as a 1057.

-The fuel tank and it's location was exactly the same as a 1057.

-The dash and controls were exactly the same as a 1057.

I do remember not noticing the stamped feature right away. Someone must have repainted the tractor (although it didn't apear to have been redone) and used decals like the ones I posted here. Obviously the decals didn't match up to the stamped feature in the hood.

Decals looked like these but smaller.

Hmmm....linky no worky.... click here

to see the decals.

[CasualObserver 3,406]

fixed your picture.

(you had an extra Http:// in it.)

Those red/gray decals are 1970-1972 only I think. TT?

[Teddy da Bear 11]

Yep....those hood decals are on both 1970 GT-14s and my 72 Raider 10

[linen beige 14]

I wish I could get a picture with sufficient detail to show this, but the hood sides of my 400 look to have Wheel Horse stamped lightly into them. This is because the decals were peeled off and paint applied over some remaining adhesive. for some reason the Wheel Horse script shows through and looks just like it is stamped into the metal.

Could the same thing have happened to the one you had?

[CasualObserver 3,406]

Jim, good thinking... but maybe instead of just adhesive, the whole decal was painted over.

Unfortunately, John, I don't think we'll ever be able to id the model from this vague of a description. A range of a couple years... maybe. But there were no stamped names on the square hoods, and the different styles of decals that could have been painted over to look like an embossed name were used on multiple models in multiple years. Particularly I'm thinking of the short length narrow script used on some 65 and 66 models, and the long length 67-69. Both of those "could" look stamped if they were painted over.

[Old Iron 0]

I don't want to come accross bull-headed. I know that you guys really know your Horses and I hate to be so adiment, but I am almost 100% posative there was the bottom outline of Wheel Horse on the sides of the hood. That is probably the most distinctive thing I remember about the tractor. I have to ask the friend I gave it to what ever happened to it. I think he passed it along too, so who knows where it is now.

Thanks for your help guys.

I hate unsolved mystories... :whistle:

[linen beige 14]

The area of my 400 hood is three dimensional just as if it has been stamped. The glue from the decals stuck to the hood, except the backside of the Wheel Horse script and it left a 3d effect on the hood. Even the horse and wheel is there. This effect is a bit shallow but if you didn't know better you'd swear it was stamped into the steel.