Reintroduction 10 years later

[Wheelie again 157]

Hello everyone, I'm posting here because I have not posted in about 7 to 8 years...  so much was changing and has changed that I wanted to reintroduce myself. 

 

When I first joined 10 years ago I had just bought a house and gotten married to my HS sweetheart. We live in SW Michigan. I acquired thru trading my first 312-8 and found my 2nd love lol. In those days I was working at a local scrap yard and was bringing home tractors and implements daily. I had 14+ wheel horses at any given time. Also 7 years ago when I stopped posting we welcomed our first daughter into the world and in turn my world really changed. Wow did I have some learning to do. In that seven years I slowly found homes for most of my wheel horses and got down to only 2. Most went to kids for free with a first right of refusal clause. Then my second daughter came along. My wife graduated college and I started a demanding career. Our lives were a whirlwind. So now I have my amazing wife and 2 beautiful little girls, I'm truly blessed!

 

Through all of this I held on to my favorite horses my first 312 and my 310. I also somehow ended up with a 312-A. Most summers they sat in the back of the pole barn as I mowed with a zero turn, winters they spent put away as I plowed with my bobcat. I never lost my interest just my time was precious. Recently I dug out my 310 to go live at my good friends house for his twin boys to enjoy they are 7 years old a very excited. This made me get my very first wheel horse the old faithful 312-8 out and started. It really hit me then. I have been missing my horses. Now my girls are old enough to enjoy garage time with me. (Dad keeps kool-aid jammers by the dozen in the garage) this lead me to buy a project for us. Im excited to share this with my girls they may never be gear heads like me but I want them to have understanding of doing things for themselves and quality engineering. I also would like to raise them with some awareness of things mechanical.

 

So I stumbled across a big single 16hp k series from a C161. Out back behind the barn I have a complete minus engine C85. The plan is to make us a new horse with these. We are hoping to do a kinda restomod tractor. 

 

My list of horses now go

1988 312-8

1987 310-8. going out on longterm loan

1986 312-A. been on longterm loan for 2 years, getting its second rider now that big brother moved to a larger tractor.

Unknown year C85 frame

Unknown year 416 frame

Tons of parts scattered between a pole barn and a shed.

Numerous implements behind the pole barn. 

[953 nut 57,459]

[Handy Don 13,255]

1 hour ago, Wheelie again said:

have understanding of doing things for themselves and quality engineering. I also would like to raise them with some awareness of things mechanical.

Thanks for the nice re-introduction!

It may not seem like it at times, but by keeping it relevant to your daughters as you go it will penetrate and take root. And be ready for you to keep learning, since they will undoubtedly surprise you with ideas that may be outside your own comfort zone--try hard to welcome and encourage those. Good luck! 

[SylvanLakeWH 27,172]

Back!!!

 

Good to have another Michigan member!!! 

[rmaynard 15,887]

Welcome back. The C-161 engine is unique to the models that began in 1978 and had a "shaker" cradle. Those engines had a small oil pan. Your engine should be the model number K341AS. The only model not utilizing the cradle was the C-81. Then came the 1980's with the black hoods, but still using the K241AS, K301AS, K321AS, and K341AS. The 8 hp, the C-85 still used the K181S. So if you want to put that K341AS into another frame, look for a 1978/79 C-101, 121, 141, or 161.  Or find a 1980-83 C-105, 125, 145, or C165, all still utilizing the shaker cradle style engines. It would difficult but not impossible to adapt it to the C-81. My neighbor added a K-321S to his C-81, but no modifications were required. For you it would require adding the cradle, modifying the PTO, replacing the belt guard.

But other than that, have fun with the girls before they discover boys.

[ebinmaine 70,312]

. (Back)

[Pullstart 64,359]

Welcome back!

[Ed Kennell 40,222]

  BACK         And thanks for the heart warming bio.   Many years ago I built a low rider dragster where  I put a shaker plate 14HP in a Raider frame.  I cut the upturned ends off the shaker plate and used the center flat section as a motor base plate.   I may have also used some spacers to get the pan to clear the steering shaft.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Wheelie again 157]

1 hour ago, Handy Don said:

Thanks for the nice re-introduction!

It may not seem like it at times, but by keeping it relevant to your daughters as you go it will penetrate and take root. And be ready for you to keep learning, since they will undoubtedly surprise you with ideas that may be outside your own comfort zone--try hard to welcome and encourage those. Good luck! 

It's amazing how much I now step out of my comfort zone never thinking I would. What a amazing journey!!! The great thing is I actually look forward to it. Raising these girls taught how much I didn't know and I keep learning 

[Wheelie again 157]

1 hour ago, rmaynard said:

Welcome back. The C-161 engine is unique to the models that began in 1978 and had a "shaker" cradle. Those engines had a small oil pan. Your engine should be the model number K341AS. The only model not utilizing the cradle was the C-81. Then came the 1980's with the black hoods, but still using the K241AS, K301AS, K321AS, and K341AS. The 8 hp, the C-85 still used the K181S. So if you want to put that K341AS into another frame, look for a 1978/79 C-101, 121, 141, or 161.  Or find a 1980-83 C-105, 125, 145, or C165, all still utilizing the shaker cradle style engines. It would difficult but not impossible to adapt it to the C-81. My neighbor added a K-321S to his C-81, but no modifications were required. For you it would require adding the cradle, modifying the PTO, replacing the belt guard.

But other than that, have fun with the girls before they discover boys.

This is what what makes this place so amazing. Great people and great knowledge between friends!

[rjg854 11,845]

Great to have you back. Thanks for your post of re-introduction. 

 

WHEEL HORSE FOREVER 

[Blasterdad 2,988]

2 hours ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

Back!!!

 

Good to have another Michigan member!!! 

                                                                

[parsonsponyz 169]

Welcome back and nice to hear your story.

[Achto 28,576]

Welcome back. 

[8ntruck 7,326]

 back. As @SylvanLakeWH says, always good to hear from a fellow Michigander.

[Pullstart 64,359]

17 hours ago, Ed Kennell said:

  BACK         And thanks for the heart warming bio.   Many years ago I built a low rider dragster where  I put a shaker plate 14HP in a Raider frame.  I cut the upturned ends off the shaker plate and used the center flat section as a motor base plate.   I may have also used some spacers to get the pan to clear the steering shaft.

 

Stuffing a big block shaker plate Kohler into a round hood automatic found myself in a similar boat.  I heated, bent, and ground the steering shaft, and just barely cleared the dipper casting to swing around it to and fro.  The engine is bolted to the frame that was also clearanced a tiny bit.

[Wheelie again 157]

5 hours ago, Pullstart said:

 

Stuffing a big block shaker plate Kohler into a round hood automatic found myself in a similar boat.  I heated, bent, and ground the steering shaft, and just barely cleared the dipper casting to swing around it to and fro.  The engine is bolted to the frame that was also clearanced a tiny bit.

A update. Fella i bought that engine from was a little unsure of the exact model it came off from. All of the talk and knowledge from you all got me excited so last night when my girls and I went out to feed their chickens we ducted into the pole barn and looked. The model number is K-321S. I believe from this means the engine is most likely from a C-160 not a 161 and should bolt straight to the frame. I would love some conformation on that if anyone knows. 

[Ed Kennell 40,222]

    From what I could find, C-160s and C-161s both used a K-341S-71128A          C-160 also used the K-341S-71113A.   C-161 also used the K-341S-71246A.

 

 

25 minutes ago, Wheelie again said:

The model number is K-321S.

That is a 14HP that was used in Broncos,Raiders, and no names.

[Wheelie again 157]

10 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

    From what I could find, C-160s and C-161s both used a K-341S-71128A          C-160 also used the K-341S-71113A.   C-161 also used the K-341S-71246A.

 

 

That is a 14HP that was used in Broncos,Raiders, and no names.

I think its will take a picture of the tag and post it so that you guys can help me narrow this down  right now we are depending on my memory some... my wife would tell you that probably isn't the best bet