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HA, That engine looks like Eraser head

Oh yeah we cover lots of topics on the ride. . politics, religion, fine cuisine but tractors, women, belching and farting are at the top of the list.

Wards/Custom Mfg. Co. Custom Mfg. Corp. began in 1940 located in Shelbyville, Indiana. During World War II, companies capable of manufacturing military equipment were required to support the war effort, which in turn provided finances for Custom Manufacturing to launch its new enterprise. During wartime production, Custom’s management began networking with established companies willing to market their yet-to-be produced tractor. Their agreement allowed the name of the marketing company to be inscribed on the tractor. Following WW2 Custom introduced its first tractor, the Model B. It was extremely similar to the CO-OP B-2. The row-crop tractor was powered by a Chrysler 6-cylinder engine and 5-speed transmission. In the early 1950s, Custom was sold to the Harry A. Lowther Co., Joliet, Illinois. Lowther marketed the tractors through Montgomery Ward & Co., Custom built Wards branded tractors from 1950 to 1952 sold through the Wards catalog.

but I never pass on a free one. Member by the handle of @Mat84 had one listed in the classifieds abit ago. Saw it and figured someone should here should get it. So a 4 hour trip to the twin cities was in order. He was only a hour north of @Shynon so @Achto and I set out yesterday to grace him with our presence too. 'Sides I had a 867 to get to him. She ain't exactly peaches n cream. Motor is tight but we think it has potential. I gave him a buck for it... traditional with Dan and I. Back story is the PO pulled it out of weeds up to the motor hoping to project it. Lady friend came up pregnant so his priorities somewhat changed. Understandable. Told him doctors finally figured out what causes that. Said it had a deck that was roached and he scrapped it. So I thought I would push it out in the back pasture and deal with it later. Dan says I got projects to finish. I got a serious problem so it went into the shop. Good golly Miss Molly whose idea was this anyway? After abit of cleaning motor freed right up... bonus... bore doesn’t look too shabby.

Always Interesting going on a road trip with Jim. Ya get a call or text saying "Road Trip!" Arrive at his house at 0'dark thirty. Get the orders to "Get in, sit down, shut up, & hang on". Wait for your opportunity to ask "Where we goin' ? " Get the answer that starts out like "Oh your gonna love this....". Well maybe it ain't always like that. Always enjoy hangin' with Jim.

That is what I have found most interesting about researching tractor trivia, you go down a road looking for one thing and discover something unexpected. Then, while looking at the unexpected another obscure item pops up. Many of the lesser known brands have very little information available until you make a connection to another brand that preceded or followed it. Some times an old advertisement is the only thing you can find, but some ads tell the whole story. I'm glad you are enjoying this, I will be covering Oliver in a few days along with many of the more familiar brands.

Didn't get much done in the garage today but i did score this 314H today. Watched it on chrigslist for the last week and finally called about it. There was only 1 picture of it and it was poorly taken but the guy Said $400 come and get it. The auger is pretty beat up on the blower but it's fixable. Much to my surprise when I got there he drags out a mint 42" deck and power flow baggers too that were never mentined in the add. Anyday bringing home a new horse is a good day.

I'm think'n that's EXACTLY how it goes every time! But that's exactly why you want to go too. Maybe his adventures are like a box of chocolates.

Yup, brush it off and fire it up! We poured a 1/2 gallon of water out instead of oil for a 12 hp at the big show. It sat out in jdog's yard for years but we needed a motor for a roller build. Got'er fired up and my brother was using it for a couple of years. No smoke at all. Don't know what ever happened to that tractor or where it ended up but I'd like to find it. And what's this BFH stuff? You know how delicate I am with things! LOL

Worked on the 1257HEAVY today and installed the belt guide. Installed the belt guard for final fitment seems to work as intended! Getting closer to done!

Heavy Duty Removable Receiver Hitch with Axle Mounting Hardware (do not have a #104659 bracket) for Wheel Horse - Wheel Horse Parts and More

I have a 16 footer and I'll bring the 3/4 ton pickup. I'm telling ya, if that Raider 14 is still in Michigan in the spring it's coming home with me

Hey @WHX?? does this mean I'm bringing 3 back from your place in the spring to go various places? LOL One for me, one for @953 nut and one for @ebinmaine?

And I thought my 84 was rough. Contemplating on mine ? Good luck on yours Jim. Could be a real nice blackhood if you got a lot of love to give.

I've always liked that style fender on a black hood. Looks real nice! And freebies are great no matter what!

So the PO... he commences to cleaning out the rest of his garage on us ... gives us this cute little 4 hp Briggs. Dan says we got a bro who has a boy that would love to get that running. Ain't that right @jeremi3210. Then throws in these HF dollies!

That 953 is singing to you... Happy to take the E-60 off your to do list, ya know, just so you don't have to change your name to "E60 nut"... Oh the unsolicited help you get when you least expect it...

I had one that steered hard even when jacked up. Put a little heat on each end of the axle to liquify the crusty old grease and everything worked great. Lol might be four if Richard still wants a 953 carcass. Jim, I better pass on the 953 can't believe I just said that. I have more projects than I will ever finish and I will be putting the E-60 and Jay's tiller in the bed of my truck for the ride home from the Big Show, no trailer this year.

Playing around with different designs.

Depending on how many captains are judging… anything is straight in Wisconsin!

An hour? slacker…

Already free and rolling. Psst ... no problem ... not taking it on a dive to the Titanic. We don't have the deep pockets of an engineer nor the luxury of useless schooling... We got @wallfishs BFH and a shade tree to work under.

Have no clue Richard... Dan says get it running and put it in the charity auction at Portage Show. Then he comes up with drop a 301S/G bench motor I have ready in it to check the Hydro and run in the bench motor. Not a bad idea till I ask him for help!

Some more disassembly this evening. We weren't exactly hoping to rebuild the transmission but both wheel seals are leaking. One bearing is a tad loose. The Limited Slip Differential spring is worn out. So we tried to drain it..... The lower drain plug is stuck. We finished removing the wheels and tipped the chassis up a little to allow the side drain to get the job started. A few pics.

I figure that Dan probably advised you to do that

Yes I did Don thank you. I stuck them on a piece of sheet metal just the way they were. .

Thanks a lot Richard!! Now it's gonna sit there until I can't take it anymore or I get a foolish idea in my head. Next thing ya know I'll be dragging it home to build something out of it.

Thanks for offering to shorten my to-do-list. The E-60 is for my wife so I guess we know what her screen-name should be if she ever decides to join Red Square.

For the sleeve hitch users, this wasn’t hard to make... Trailer tongue weight keeps it down. We use it to move over-the-road utility trailers around for easier loading and parking. We flip it “tab hitch up” for the garden trailer to get the hitch height needed for the trailer to run level. Of course the drawbar is still usable as well, with the hitch fully lifted and a low tongue on the pulled implement.

I’ve used the 416 a few times since this thread. It’s started like normal every time. I’m guessing it was just a bad connection somewhere. Me messing with it fixed it… for the time being. I’ll be replacing the fuel line soon. And will add a primer bulb. Thank you for the help

ok guys finally got everything re-done the way i wanted, no leaks runs and cuts and steers good, finished my rattle can paint job and got it all put back together today, im happy with it time for the next project:) just bought a 2004 gmc sierra needs cosmetics but runs and drives good..thnx for ur help thus far, i`ll be back dont worry 5 more mowers, and they alwaz need work

And don't buy the "Mower Shop" BS that you need a "Mower deck belt" and can't use a normal v-belt.

There was a time that I would argue OEM quality and special size requirements all day long. But since they no longer manufacture those belts, whatever you find is at least 30 years old. Rubber belts don't last much longer than that so you'd be buying a practically dry hardened belt waiting to fail... The TSC (huskie) belts are fabric covered as well, so they slip nicely on the pulleys for a manual transmission, but not so much on a hydro. They are very hard to beat, and priced far better as well.

A lot of guys will say you have to use a WH belt but that's I have had better luck with TSC belts and Napa (Gates) belts than the few WH belts I have purchased over the years. Most likely your tractor takes a TORO 108501 which is a Tractor Supply 5L820 or a Napa 5L820W

Our visit with Tom. Checked out his awesome machining equipment and his billet aluminum 701 dashes. Some nice 3-d ones too! I got a gas tank for the Amigo and Dan got one for his puller. Some nice motor mounts too. Picked up some goodies from Lowell. Since what is going on in his shop is top secret no pics but here is the tool cab I traded for. Me thinks he got the raw end of the deal. No Dan it does not fit where I wanted to put it. Yes Tom in our haste to hit the state line I forgot to hit the tri tip shop.

Definitely getting rehomed once i get her presentable, running & drivring. I already have one. Mower at the cabin. One that @Pullstart brought over. This one steers very hard but haven't greased it yet. My other one steers like a lumber wagon too tho. Was that common to these girls? I did see on service note on this.

So after last weekend I figured that I was only a few hours from welding the hitch together. Well....I didn't think it was going to take me all day but it pretty much did. Spent a bunch of time shaping the pieces before there was any welding involved. Most of the parts shaped to my liking. Then I could start welding things together. Back side of the hitch after welding was done. 3/4" pin installed in the bottom, 2 bolts into the tranny & all fits quite well. The hook point has to be a minimum of 6" behind the center of the rear axle. The hitch point on my tractor comes in at 6 1/2". I also picked up a gas tank from a K91 engine. (Thanks Tom!!) Had to drill a few holes to make it fit properly but it will suit my needs most excellently.

Well now hold on there a bit... The Board needs to meet and assess the details of how this little filly ended up in @WHX??'s barn after another one of them there infamous road trips with @Achto... Oh wait, sounds like Uncle Jim's an uncle again... never mind... Welcome to the Black Hood Club!!!

i don't know about you guys, but string trimmers are a dime a dozen. Ten bucks at a yard sale. they might start , but seldom run correctly. that is usually due to a metering valve/gasket thing having stiffness in the rubber. Chickanic is a no nonsense straight to the point small engine person who recently shared about some of the old guys bringing in string trimmers and chain saws that were years old needing a little love with something or other that the owner stated. "it was my Dad's ''. Hasn't run for years. what was surprising is that dad had taken the gas out , but replaced it with oil. a quick rinse out and new gas /oil mix and she fired right up. After seeing this a few times, she now recommends that we quit doing additives to chain saws and string trimmer and instead keep those rubber carburetor bits preserved with oil. I discussed this with my brother and he said that he has been keeping his stuff happy for years by using empty gas tanks and adding fogging oil to the cylinder, carb, and gas tank at season's end and adding it to chain saws at every use. It's really pretty easy to do and is probably as good or better than the regular end of season stuff . BTW. string trimmer evaluation is doing just that to a garage sale find. i fog the carb with CAS penetrating oil, right through the carb with the spark plug out. Then a whiff of lacquer thinner carb spray. when she fires, and they usually do, take the muffler off to inspect the engine bore, replace the rotten lines feeding the carb and they are usually good to go. buy your replacement carb rubber parts and rebuild them and they are like new. Discount Marine from Michigan has the older stuff for the old saws and trimmers

On the magnets I have only used the tubes but......back in my younger days, I built a few custom golf club drivers and glued the heads on with the syringe epoxy. No fails there either.

Done that before!! AND - it gives you a chance to take a good look at the condition of the boot. Best to remove the shifter / boot in neutral....

You will need something to do after the puller is finished. Know you will give it a lot of love.

Don’t need to tell YOU to be sure to mark those magnets so you get them properly polarized when you glue them in! Quite generous of the stator core to hold them in place for you!

I always write the date installed on the sleeve and stick it behind the battery. The belts are good quality and I also like to buy locally. When I am building a custom where I'm not sure what belt length will work best, I buy several different lengths , then return the unused belts for a full refund.

@Ed Kennell , been using those for years , been bombproof , have them on my mower decks too , they don't start to fray or separate like the rubber belts . often experiment with any regular service issue , make it easier / better / improve it . also have the belt sleeves , right next to related unit . more often than not , original set up , just needs some tweaking , for more efficient service / life . Pete

Great save there Gents

Got the 867 chassis primed and painted

Seems like you got your money's worth. Watha planning to do with it. Now you can be a black hood member too.