What model is my wheelhorse? Any way to find out other then the model #?

[Mike_eash 59]

I recently purchased what I thought was a 69 charger 10 with a motor swap for a 10 hp kohler it has charger 10 decals. I am doing a full restoration 

However after tearing it down I realized the model number 1 7931 is for a 68 charger 9. But really it's almost identical to a charger 12 because of the Kohler motor. Did someone swap out the hood stand where the model number is located? Or is this truly a charger 9 with a Kohler motor? Or is this a charger 12 with the original motor? I am still a newbie.

Is there anyway to find out? I already received my decals for a charger 10 

Any insight would be appreciated 

Thanks in advance

[WHX?? 48,833]

Wow nice looking tractor regardless Mike. Pic of the Id plate on the motor might nail things down. We can then run some numbers. 

[JCM 9,177]

  to  

[Pullstart 62,916]

  I believe the Charger 9 had a 10 hp Tecky originally.  I can easily be wrong, but it was something funky like that.  After so many years, it’s hard to know what has previously been touched.

[Pullstart 62,916]

Looking at the hood decal, it could easily be that someone tried to rebadge it.  I haven’t seen a long decal like that “warp” or move the way that one did.  I wonder if it was workings of a heat gun and a steady hand at the time?

[Lee1977 6,673]

Everthing matches the Charger 9 except the Kohler engine. I would say it's a Kohler repower.  If there are no decals on the Kohler the only way to tell if it's a 10 or 12 HP is to pull the head and measure the piston.  A 10 HP .piston is 3 1/4" and the 12 is 3 3/8".

[953 nut 55,324]

Nice looking Charger.   One of the great parts of Wheel Horse Garden Tractors is the interchangeability of parts from model to model and year to year, The down side is that after five decades or more with no knowledge of what previous owners may have changed you can't say for sure what model it was when it left the factory.

My thought is that as long as you enjoy your Wheel Horse nothing else really matters! Have fun with it and please send more 

[bo dawg 516]

Id be willing to bet its a motor swap which is better off with a kohler