How did it all start???

[WHGuy413 2,771]

I'm curious how did this Wheel Horse sickness start for you??

 

For me it was mowing on my dad's 73 12 auto. I don't remember it before he did the Briggs swap but I know I had seat time then. When my parents built their new house I was about 10 and he tore this ole beast apart fixed anything broken re painted and added the 18hp briggs. Quickly he realized he needed a bigger tractor and switched to the dark side but he kept the old 12 auto for me stashed away in the garage.  When I moved into my house the 12 auto came to stay. This is the one that started it all. That's my oldest son on it. He was probaby only 4 then. I'm gonna restore this one just the way it is now. Wrong decals and everything cause that's how my dad did it all those years ago.

[wallfish 17,657]

416-8 with Ark FEL

Had a large pile of dirt to move for leveling the backyard and a friend called me about a little loader tractor he saw for sale. Went down to take a look, bought it with the thoughts of just selling it after the job was done but obviously that never happened. I loved that thing right away and then found RS, which actually fueled the fire about collecting them.

[Blackhood Bill 721]

For me it started after my dad passed. I'm wanted to keep his just to putt around the yard and decided to rebuild a gt1800. I also remember when I was young cutting the grass with his can't remember the model that it was but remember barking the tires and doing wheelies with it. Which now I wish I had learned about the 'S when I was younger. I inherited his c-145 and plan on retiring it this summer in his honor. The picture is the inheritance but will be looking for pictures of the one he had when I was younger. Started looking up and reading about the 'S and it just was amazing what they can do, so I've decided to sell his zero turn and keep the . I have since bought a tiller, wagon, plow, gt1800, gt1848, & a snow cab.

Edited January 30, 2019 by Whnewone

[Firebug 267]

Didn’t really know anything about them, went with my dad about 3 years ago, drove 6 hours for a d 160. He paid to much and didn’t have a need for it since he has a postage stamp. I ended up with it at my property and was amazed at the power and how well it ran. Ended up blowing the mower so I sold it, not knowing how easy an engine swap would be. Wish I had it back now. Fast foreword a couple years and I now have 5 horses that are all workers including a d 200 with implements and a c85 with a k321 swap and home made fel

[roadapples 6,983]

Dad had a 76 A90. Still up at Moms. Then about 20 years ago a friend showed me his 72 Raider 10, with deck and snow blower. I told him if he ever wanted to sell I'd be interested. Soon after he said it was really to big for his small yard and we made a deal.

 I got on interweb looking for an owners manual. Typed in Wheel Horse and found all kinds of pictures of "lawn mowers" all fixed up, this is my herd, etc. Had no idea people were silly enough to get so wrapped up in " lawn mowers". Welllll.......

 

 

Edited January 30, 2019 by roadapples

[dells68 7,498]

Wait a minute Jay @roadapples, who you callin’ silly?  I might resemble that remark in many ways.  Heck, I’m the one who was so excited to see Emory ride the tractor he bought at the show for the first time that I couldn’t remember your name☺️!   I got hooked on them riding a vertical shaft my grandfather had with him riding in the wagon.  Still got that wagon!  Tractors (also had an rj58) slipped away from me though.

[Pullstart 65,006]

I was looking on CL for a new mower, and stumbled upon Putt Putt in it’s formal glory.  Then as most, found RedSquare.

 

 

[KC9KAS 4,744]

I was given a B-80 from my wife's nephew. As I was searching for information, I too was directed to Red Square. I just "lurked" for a while then got active on the forum & in purchases....13 tractors later, it is all history now!

[The Tuul Crib 7,338]

The same here I needed a new mower when I found this back in April. The old green one coughed it's last cloud of smoke. No hope there. Found this one 10 minutes away.! I was hooked ! 

[19richie66 17,585]

Dad was a “collector” of sorts and I kinda had the itch but not sold on any particular brand till after he passed away. I inherited most of mine and bought a couple along the way. Joined here to let the ones my dad had dealt with know he had passed and never left. I’ll be a Wheelhorse nut till I am gone. Hope to pass it on to someone down the line. 

[WVHillbilly520H 10,376]

I was brought up on Cub Cadet (specifically an Original then a 1200 then my 106) but way back in 1998 I was wanting a new one with hydraulic lift and a twin cylinder engine so the hunt was on and being a cheap skate instead of paying $10k plus for a new Cub Cadet, JD, or Simplicity of similar specs I ended up with a brand new Anniversary 520H and I still have it as my snow blowing rig, Jeff.

Edited January 30, 2019 by WVHillbilly520H

[moe1965 752]

Bought my first one five years ago on fast track auction just to buy and flip it for a few bucks raider 10 with a mower deck not knowing any history on it. Paid 35 bucks for it brought it home and it fired right up. Gave her some new paint and still have it along with a few more. 

[AHenry014 127]

Like many here, i caught the bug from my Dad, but it took a while, and ill explain.  He bought a 1988 310-8, 37" SD, and snow thrower before i could remember. I have a photo somewhere of me on it about 15years ago in pristine condition.  I used that tractor constantly, helping dad around the yard for many years.  I remember "blasting" through the gears on the road without using the clutch and doing wheelies anytime that dad wasnt looking.  Once the snowblower failed and the 37" SD started to rust away, my dad purchased a 314-8 with a 48" SD, tiller, and plow.   The 310 got parked under the deck, i moved out, and it was forgotten until many years later.  A couple years ago, a good friend of mine was getting married and had a bachelor party he dubbed "tractorpalooza".  The party consisted of a morning woods ride, where IIRC about 15-20 tractors went offroading for about 4 hours.  Around noon-1pm, we all convened for lunch and started a poker run, where more people joined.  30+ tractors went to 5 different houses all across town (small backwoods town) and received food, drink, and a poker card.  The last house, where we received the last card, is where we did a tractor pull event for the night.  We have done this event for 3 years in a row so far.  So prior to the event, I called my dad and said "hey, is the wheel horse still under the deck?", he responded by saying "yes, can you please get that thing out of my yard?!".  At that point it was dubbed the "tetanus steed".  Most of the tins were rusted to the point where no more red was to be seen.  One floorboard was collapsed and the other wasn't far behind.  I cleaned the carb and the fuel pump and had it running in no time.  My first tractorpalooza event was where the bug really caught me.  Due to the state of disrepair, the tetanus steed was retired after its first event.  I removed the engine (that my dad had had rebuilt, it ran amazing) along with some other parts, and sent the rest to the scrapper (i regret this big time).  Soon after its retirement I bought my GT1100, and since have had (in no particular order) two different 312-8's, a 856, a 314-H, a 418-C, and a GT-1600.  The engine from the tetanus steed made it into the 314-H, which i bought without an engine, but not before inquired with all of you guys is the M10 would be an easy transplant into the GT1100, which didnt happen. 

 

A friend of mine, who is into Cub's, is jealous of how helpful and resourcefull RedSquare is.  Thank you all for your help with my projects!

[Racinbob 11,788]

I was 5 years old when my Dad brought home a new Suburban 400. I was immediately hooked. He traded it for a new 704 and then in 1968 I remember being very upset when he bought a green thingy. He said he liked the vari-drive. That one only made it two years until he bought a 70 Raider 12. I was happy again. That one stayed until he passed in 2005. My wife and I lived in Florida at the time and I found out my Mom set it on the road with a for sale sign and it quickly sold. I wasn't a happy camper but what could I say. She thought I wouldn't have wanted it. 

Going back to 1975 we got married and I had a Suburban 551 then shortly after I bought a new B-80. I won't go into that story again but it's still with me. Up to 2000 when we moved to Florida I had about 10 plus enough parts to build several others. Everything was sold for the move and I was without a Wheel Horse until 2009 when I found a 2005 Classic GT with 100 hours and made the buy for $1000.00 on the gulf coast. I stumbled onto a Suburban 400 about 15 miles away and quickly latched on to it. A short time later I was given a 500 Special and a 657 which I combined both to make the 500 Special nice again. They all made the move back here in 2017 and shortly after getting settled in my beloved 76 came home to me. I added an 854 to the collection at the big show last year. I don't have plans to add anymore but...………………………

[ohiofarmer 3,355]

 After we bought our house in the country, i was mowing two yards with a 10 HP Sears suburban. The engine needed a rebuild, and I spent way too much on that.  I started mowing the in-laws yard and the Sears /Tecumseh needed constant maintenance.   We got a used 520 and mowed that lawn like a boss. I also bought a 416-8 new, and it only has 200 hours on it now.

 

 I was looking for a cheap but decent tractor to use on the other farm and found a Raider10.  It is like a pit bull for the rough stuff compared to the newer WH. with two shorter belts driving the mower blades, it will walk through the longer grass without burning up belts.  Then I got hooked on the b and c series from the 70's.  so simple to work on and tough as well.

 i blame you guys for n+1 being just enough tractors, however

[JoeM 8,003]

Bought this place in 84, didn't think the yard was that big a deal, 5+ tanks of fuel in the push mower, thought.............this ain't going to work!

Picked up a used Monkey Wards, down the road used it for three or 4 years, The hill side killed it.

I was at work and a guy there worked part time at a WH dealer. I told him about needing a mower. He said they had a real nice 1975 B100A cheap and he would even deliver it. I bought it!

I do remember needing a hub cause the key failed. There was a dealer about a mile and a half from me. I kind a knew the guy. Went in to get the parts ordered and he said "you know I sell new ones, and that keeps the economy going" , I said well "what would you do" fix it or trade it in, His wife was there and she blurted out "he'd fix it", he looked at me and said " what parts you need?"

I did replace one deck and the engine. Ran it up until 5 years ago, put the engine on another. Still running.  

[Super-C 4 me 612]

The Janitor in my elementary school (mid 70's) mowed with a d250, always liked the look

Borrowed my uncles C81 this past spring 2018, I now have over 22 Wheel Horses as of Jan. 2019

Never gave back the C81 either

[Razorback 1,081]

My interest in GTs in general started back in 1974 when Dad bought a Sears SS16 for the garden and for mowing 2 acres.

 

I started acquiring GTs for my gardening back in 2007 or so. Up until last Fall, I had 4: 1966 Cub Cadet 123, 1981 Speedex 1631, 1994 Craftsman GT 6000, and a 2009 Craftsman PGT9000.

 

Then, last fall, stumbled upon my first Wheel Horse: a 1974 C160 8-speed, 36” RD deck, front blade, cultivators, tiller, lawn aerator, wheel weights, chains, and a MacKissic chipper/shredder. C160 was free, implements were $400..... 👍

This C160 has quickly become tied with the Speedex as my “favorite”!

 

[ebinmaine 71,203]

I got my first wheel horse back about three years ago now.

Literally bought it as a trailer full of parts from a very nice young fellow on this site. @Stepney 

That is a 1974 b80 that is now the Patriot horse.

We had been using a Murray lawn tractor that I had picked up for free a few years before that. I don't need a riding mower so I had sold the deck to someone else to pay for the gas I had to go get it.

That was a great running little Briggs 11 horse I C but the tractor was physically nowhere near enough weight. Only about 275 lb.

I was referred to the Wheel Horse brand by a small engine guy that I had a lot of trust in. In a previous career he had worked at a dealer for over 20 years.

 

 

My second Wheel Horse came a little over a year ago and that was a 1974 C160 that was in some kind of  state of disrepair.

That would be the cinnamon horse project.

In June of 2018 I was perusing CL 

And Found What would soon be my honey's 657.

Within a few days after that @Stepney came through for me again by finding a chassis for a 1977 C-160 that was in phenomenally better condition than the one I had so I have combined the two.

 

Then this past August I won a few more at the estate auction some of you are familiar with.

In the stable right now we have a 657, 867, 1267, 74 B 80, 74 c-160, enough parts to build at least two more whole tractors except for some small stuff.

Implements we have ... two Snow and Dozer plows. One 42 inch wide and the other of 48. Also a Mid Mount grader.

 

 

[bds1984 1,479]

My grandpa had a 312-8 he bought in 1990-91 which was the first time I ever heard of a Wheel Horse.  The first machine I had on my own I acquired in 1995 when I was 11, a 1984 C165.  I've never looked back since and have a 315-8 and 520H and had a few 312s, a C145, and a C195 over the years.

[PeacemakerJack 10,743]

Great thread! I’ve heard some of these stories in other places but it is neat to have them combined in one area for reference if for no other reason.  

My love for  started at birth with my dad’s 875.  Here I am with mom circa 1979. This tractor was an awesome workhorse and it did a variety of tasks through the years.

Dad, me, and little brother Nate circa 1983.  This tractor never failed to cut the lawn, blow snow, or dig the garden all through my formative years.  However, I grew up, got a job, married an amazing woman, and bought our first place.  Went through a couple of lawn mowers and then happened upon this beast...

It needed a little work and as I started to tinker with it, I caught the GT bug.  I restored a couple Cubs and then I thought of dad’s old 875 sitting unused and neglected in the corner of his barn. He hadn’t used it in about 8 years due to purchasing a throw away mower. It was time for action! I convinced dad that it would be worthwhile to restore the old tractor since it had been in our family for 40 years.

right at the completion of the resto-circa 2016 with my youngest, Zach.

 

 In the process of restoring it—I FOUND RED SQUARE and the hobby for me hasn’t been the same since. I have made so many new friends here and have acquired a small herd of my own with my kids owning a couple as well...

This is a great site and these are great little tractors built for more than a lifetime of use and even better—a lifetime of memories! Thanks Elmer and Cecil—well done.

[Andy N. 2,292]

Such a great thread!

 

I was recently clearing snow with the 312-8 and an older eastern European gentleman stopped and asked me about the tractor. He was so disgusted with the Big Box store tractor that he bought new 2 years ago and was interested in my WH as he had never seen one before and had been watching me working on the drive. I spent about 15 minutes telling him about the history of WH and how I acquired mine and all the attachments that can be used and how he could find them for sale on sites like CL and FB Marketplace and that he could stop by anytime if he had any further questions. It got me reminiscing about my childhood and then I see this thread. 

 

My grandfather was a WH dealer since the mid 60's in Upstate NY, Gordon R. Morris & Son (now Church St. Lawn & Garden). He has since passed and the business is now run by my uncle. That being said, I grew up around them. I can remember many a time mowing his lawn with whatever needed to be ops checked or was available. Never really paid attention (wish I had) as a kid to the year and model of tractor I was driving. I just knew them as red square hoods (late 60's/70's) or black hoods (early 80's). I always loved the late 80's models, but never got to drive them because they were new at the time. I now own a '89 520H that was passed on to me when my father passed that he owned since 2000 and a '86 312-8 that I purchased locally last year. They are both really great tractors and I enjoy every minute that I'm using them.

 

 

[midpack 982]

I was using a Craftsman with a snowblower on it, (that machine currently lives with a leaf collecting system on it full time), I got tired of swapping the snowblower and leaf wagon, so started looking for a used machine. Found the machine in my avatar pic in need of work, but it had a nice deck, plow, and blower. then I decided I wanted one that I could leave a plow setup on, found a C-175 8 spd with a blown KT17. go figure. in searching for an engine I found a "Classic 312 hydro" that someone painted orange. grabbed the motor (the rest was used hard and put away wet) for the C-175 and life was good   :)  

then while checking Craigslist a 417-8 popped up with a perfect deck, and unused plow for an unbelievably low price. even though I really didn't need another I shot the guy a message and ended up being first in line!  even though it was cheep, i tried to dicker and the guy was like "i can't believe how much demand there is for these machines" so paying full asking price, I made off with the pride of my herd... for now?    

[ohiofarmer 3,355]

5 hours ago, bmiller0457 said:

The Janitor in my elementary school (mid 70's) mowed with a d250, always liked the look

Borrowed my uncles C81 this past spring 2018, I now have over 22 Wheel Horses as of Jan. 2019

Never gave back the C81 either

Two words----just wow!          And I thought that I was buying "too many"----

[Stormin 9,983]

   I live in a small hamlet and there is a green opposite our bungalow. I mow the green and verges along the lane. I was using a Lawnflite I pick up cheap.

  One evening, about 7-8 yaers ago, I was walking my dogs down the lane past a field, where a chap kept a microlite. Two years previous he had had an accident and not been seen around. I noticed his hanger doors open and wondering if someone was up to/had been no good walked into the field. The chap was in there loading things into a trailer. When in hospital they found he'd a heart condition, so his flying days were over.

  While we were talking I noticed a Wheel Horse with deck inside the hanger. I had heard of them but new nothing about them. I commented on it and he said he couldn't get it running. Anyway, I got it running and as he was going to sell it, we struck a deal. The following night I went down and handed him £75 and drove it home.

  That '82 C-125 12hp was the start of my affliction. I now own four horses, The C-125, '79 C-81, '78 C-121 and a basket case '75 Raider 10. Also a rare over here, '78 Sears/Roper GT16 with the B&S twin.

 

C-125 plus 3 of the grandchildren.

 

C-121 AKA The Black Horse.

 

C-81

 

Sears/Roper GT16.