Picked up some GOOD parts today!!!

[bell 11]

I got about 15 miles from home. when I remembered the GT-14 mower deck sitting against the 1054. After about 1/2 hour, I had made it back home, loaded the deck and got back on the road. The rest of the trip went well. It was nice to see Steve (wh500special) again, and we spent a good hour talking tractors and drooling on the 550... It is a BEAUTIFUL machine!

We unloaded the GT-14 and loaded up the 854, talked a little more horses and I headed back home.

After unloading the 854, I started tinkering with it to get her running again... The more I looked it over, the more I realized that a restoration on this one would be more than I could handle with 15 other tractors...

The fuel tank is TRASH, which I knew from the get-go... The two pieces were welded together and the inside was coated with some kind of white tank liner that was about 1/2" thick and was cracking and peeling...

Then I realized why the hoodstand was soooo wobbly, someone (over the years) had cut the tabs and the long tab across the bottom that hold the hoodstand to the sheetmetal between it and the toolbox...

I was disgusted for about 10 seconds, then I realized... There is a LOT of REALLY good parts that I need for my other tractors!!!!!

I quickly set to getting it running to make sure I had a good running k181... I pulled the float bowl and adjustment screws.... and gave her a good douching... Hooked up a gas tank that didn't leak gas everywhere.... Screwed in a new spark plug and put in a new battery...

I sprayed a little carb cleaner in the carb to prime it, put the breather back on and cranked the key... It turned about 4 revolutions and ROARED to life!!!! :horseride: No smoke, no noise and it runs FANTASTIC!!!!

I went out back and grabbed Courtney's 876 that has been sitting since early summer with a rod knocking and went to work...

I had to "rebuild" the governor... someone had replaced the gov. arm and the little wheel, that the throttle cable hooks to, would not turn... It was pinched in between the threaded piece that holds the governor rod and the block. I swapped the external governor parts from the knocking k-181 (except the shiny new arm ) over to the new engine... Bolted it in, did a little wiring and fuel line hooking, etc., etc. and had her running again!!!! Courtney was VERY pleased!

Now, I just have to find a "lowrider" seat so she can reach the stirrups... I was going to put a C-series seat on it with the springs, IT LOOKED AWESOME ON THERE! But, it sat too high for her to reach comfortably.... And it will not fit the fender without the springs.... I'll find something that will work.

On to the PARTS!

a correct and pretty decent hood and S/G belt guard for my 754...

A pretty darn nice steering wheel for the 1045... AND, it came right off! I didn't even have to use the puller... Knocked the pin out and pulled it right off!!!

A decent pan seat, WITH BACKREST!!! for the 1045... I will probably use the backrest for trading stock, I am not really fond of them...

A pretty nice set of correct wheels for the 754 with Wheel Horse branded "super lug" 6-12 AGs and Goodyear 4.00-8 fronts. All in realtively good condition!

A belt guard, hubs, slot hitch (the pin is NOT STUCK!!! I could push it out with my fingers!!!!) and LOTS of other small parts for the herd...

Here she sits, awaiting final teardown... Kinda sad looking, isn't she?

I was really hoping for a restorable tractor, but this one would have been WAY too much work for me... It really worked out for the best, I probably would have had $500 in buying those parts on ebay...

Also, I got a nice pair of tire chains and a factory hitch pin that was in the tool box, buried in mouse turds and years of debris...

AND a mower deck that has really good spindles and belts... But is REALLY rotten and patched.. Now, I just need to find a good shell with bad spindles...

Thanks again Steve!!! :D

[Guest fireman]

I could really use that belt gaurd for my 702 if it woulg fit the 7hp !

[TJ 171]

You can't save them all, so a good parts tractor is a good find. :thumbs:

[Old Iron 0]

Boone's Farm!!! That's old school!!!

I am hoping to make a "parts" tractor score myself. Nice job. :thumbs:

[Brian1045 28]

That is a nice steering wheel!!

Mine below was in worse shape than yours. 1/2 hour later with some 3M brand rubbing compond and glaze I got this result.

Attached Image

[Kelly 1,028]

We all need parts tractors now and then, or we wouldn't have parts to fix our other ones, sounds like this one will live on in many other tractors, PS I might be interested in the back rest :thumbs:

[bell 11]

I could really use that belt gaurd for my 702 if it woulg fit the 7hp !

I actually have a 702 belt guard... It's on my 754. BUT, I now have a bely guard for every tractor. That's the first time I have been able to say that... I'd hate to know how much I've spent on e-bay just on belt guards/ shipping alone.

If I should happen to find another Kohler belt guard to replace the 754's, I'll let you know.

[bell 11]

Thanks for the support fellas! I figured I'd be FLAMED for parting out a 854...

Old Iron, Me likey the Boone's Farm! Always have, always will! I guess I'm old school like that!

Brian1045, It is in really good shape! I think, with a little polishing, it will look like new!

Kelly, Think about it for a little bit (backrest) and if you think you might have something I need, shoot me a message. Or, make me an offer on it. :whistle:

[wh500special 2,065]

Jon,

It was great to see you yesterday. You left just in time to miss the puke fest that the little ones seem to have come down with.

Glad that the tractor is serving some need. it's just been sitting here for years and I don't think I'd even touched it in half a decade or more. I'm very thankful the engine popped to life for you since sitting for so long seems to be tough on them. It seemed to run realy nice - as I remember - but the governor hunted quite a bit.

854's are pretty common...heck until yesterday I had TWO of them ! Parting them out is certainly not sinful and really makes a lot of sense to bring back your 754 since it is way less plentiful. Don't get used to the ease of disassembly on that one since it seems like everything else we ever mess with is rusted up tight. I think I may have bought it from the original owner and I guess it always slept inside...too bad they're not all that way.

I think I got the better end of the bargain here... ...Let me know what I can do to square things away with you.

The GT is still in the same spot we left it and I'm hoping to get it inside tonight before it gets wet. My wife was less than thrilled about having that bruiser out there to look at from the kitchen window. Girls!

Steve

[Rideawaysenior 25]

Jon,

Are you using the Boones Farm as a polish of paint remover there. LOL

Have to agree it's not bad stuff.

Jack

[bell 11]

Jack, if anything, I'd have to say it is polish... Because I "polished-off" 2 bottles of it before I called it a night!

Steve, It was great seeing you again! I'm sorry I missed the pukefest... I hope they get feeling better soon...

After I "rebuilt" the governor (external parts only) and adjusted it, it worked perfectly! I had always been afraid of messing with the governor, but following the Kohler manual made it SUPER easy! In fact, I fixed two of my other ones today that had governor issues!

Yeah, get the GT inside! If not for it, do it for your wife... :whistle: