'500' SPECIAL model owners

[BPjunk 184]

As you know the '500' SPECIAL will be the featured model at the 10th Annual Wheel Horse Show and I have been doing some research on this model. I have found some very interesting information that could be benifical to owners of the '500' SPECIAL but I need to verify my findings before releasing it. What I need is the serial number off the data tag, the first three numbers should read 490.

The serial numbers off my '500' SPECIAL is 490689 and the serial number off the '500' SPECIAL for the raffle prize at the Wheel Horse Show is 490582. If you will notice there is a difference of only 107 between the two serial numbers!

Please post the serial number off your '500' SPECIAL or e-mail it to me.

THANK YOU

Bill in Richmond, Va.

[wh500special 2,160]

Bill,

I don't have the SN readily available on my tractor (it is 200 miles away), but I bet I know where you're going with this...

From what I have noticed doing casual research on these things over the last 15 years or so is that there must have been two "runs" of these tractors made. Seems like I recall the first run having serial numbers in the 490XXX range like you listed and the second run being the the 700XXX range.

From what I think I noticed, there were some minor differences in the two sets of production. The first run had the #6 on the checkered flag decal and had a hood that was punched in the headlight area to accept the escutcheon plate. The second run had no #6 (mine doesn't and I know it is original since I am the second owner) and the hood has a no holes (for the headlight bucket) and instead has a decal that looks just like the escutcheon plate covering the front and not like the "fake headlamp" decal used on other tractors (i.e. the 855, etc).

I know in Mike's book he mentioned that the tractors may have been released in only the states bordering Indiana. But it seems that lots of them have shown up out east and were probably distributed by Brawly (sp?) and RECO. I hate to admit this, but I think if you look back at my posts on the Yahoo site I might have been the one who started the Indiana region distribution theory based on a conversation I had with my dealer in St. Louis who sold them new back in the day. Hopefully he was able to verify with CEP himself, but it never occured to me until this very minute to inquire about it.

My tractor (at least the one I have had the longest and which inspired my handle) was originally sold in St Louis by a dealership that dropped WH in the early 70's. Apparently this model was not covered the the literature put out by WH for many years after 1968 until enough dealers fussed that they didn't have a manual for the thing. So, evidentally, it was sort of a forgotten model for a few years.

Now, what i want to hear is that some of them were actually USED at the Brickyard for this or that!

When I retrieve the SN I will let you know.

Anxious to hear what you have in store.

Steve

[nylyon-(Admin) 7,254]

Now this topic can get very interesting! WH500Special

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,496]

Yes, this could get interesting. I also want to second Karl's welcome. :thumbs:

[TT-(Moderator) 1,131]

Me three ......

It looks like the "Steve's" are taking over the "Terry's" now. :thumbs:

[marvairplanes 34]

Almost afraid to post this...

A couple years ago I bought my "500 Special" from a fella' (collector) in Ft Wayne.

He claimed he bought it from the original owner, and that the tractor was original. Had no reason to believe otherwise.

I've been in a state of confusion ever since.

Tractor Model: 1-3631

Serial Number: 485079

Engine: Techumseh H70-130042

Model number and Serial number tags are authentic and original.

According to my "research" the Techumseh engine should have been on a 1969 Workhorse 700 Model 1-3741. I can't find any evidence that this engine was ever switched????

The decals have the crossed flags with the 6.

Ever try to sand blast a hood and not damage the decals? It can be done !!!!

Marv (Defiance, Oh)

[BPjunk 184]

Steve,

Well the subject of my query was to find out if some information that I was skeptical of could be true. I was given a number of which was supposed to the total amount of '500' SPECIALS produced but going by the serial number already collected ..... there is no way the amount I was told could be correct.

Now one thing you did do is create another tangent on the subject. I knew about the second run not having the number "6" on the hood stand but did not know the serial number break. (you can read about this in my up coming article on the '500' SPECIAL in Lawn and Garden Collector Magazine ..... funny how a article about the featured tractor of the Wheel Horse Show just happens to come out before the show) The ones with out the number "6" seem to be the harder to find models and if they were built with the hoods not having a opening for the lights mean Wheel Horse was building the second production with old stock parts as 1967 was the last model year for hoods that did not have a opening for lights in the hood.

The way Mike talked about the selling of the '500' SPECIAL it was "marketed for the Indiana region" but again how could this be true? I have seen '500' SPECIALs in states ranging from Illinois to Connecticut. My '500' SPECIAL was found in Winston-Salem, NC with a dealers decal on the dash from that area. I talked to my conection at Wheel Horse and their replay was that some one moved to North Carolina and when the engine got replaced the servicing dealer just put thier decal.

Give me a call some night and I will tell you the number I was told for the amount of '500' SPECIALs that were made. Some pictures of Wheel Horse being used at the Indianaopoils 500 have been located and I think they might turn up at the show.

Uh Hey I hope to see ya' at the show this year ... it will be your year! And I hope your dad comes too as I enjoy talking to him.

Bill in Richmond, Va.

[BPjunk 184]

Tractor Model: 1-3631

Serial Number: 485079

Engine: Techumseh H70-130042

Marv,

Did you get this number off of a small metal tag that was on the output side of the engine?

The '500' SPECIAL should have a recoil start H-60 Tecumseh.

Bill in Richmond, Va.

[nylyon-(Admin) 7,254]

If I remember correctly, Chevelletown got a 500 in his haul, maybe he can get the info from his. Ya know Chevelletown, I can change your user name to WheelHorseTown!

[chevelletown 37]

Yes there was a 500 Special in the batch, so this topic is very interesting to me. The tractor was purchased at an estate auction in Westfield, IN (almost my back yard) Westfield is only about a 20 min drive from the 500 track so could it have been used on the track? In addition to the belly mower it came with a sickle bar mower and had a large concrete wheel weight on the left side. The engine runs but does not seem to be original as it is painted black. Next time I'm at Dad's barn I'll get the serial numbers. It does have the '6' on the sticker. I think it still has the original tires. It was used on a regular basis.

Well now I don't think I've deserve being called WheelHorseTown but the Horses (21) out number the Chevelles (10). :thumbs:

[wh500special 2,160]

Gentlemen (and Bill ),

Thanks all for the welcome. I have been lurking here for about a year or so but never really got around to registering until recently...no reasons and no excuses other than sometimes it takes me a while to build up momentum! I really like this forum since the user interface and format is SO MUCH easier to deal with than Yahoo.

Always watch out for guys named Steve...we are a sly bunch! Some of us also type fast so we get a little long winded (keep reading to see what I mean) so I apologize in advance for all of my extended rants to come.

Treed -I find it interesting you are from Bonne Terre, MO! I am originally from southern IL (Granite City) but have relocated a few times (alton, St. Louis, South bend, BFE...). I worked for a company in St. Louis that had a plant in Bonne Terre. Spent a LOT of long days (and nights) there getting projects running! Always thought it was a nice town...you know, a "Good Earth, Good People" kind of place. Ah, the lead belt!

Chevelletown - where are you? Sounds like we aren't too far from each other.

The 500 I picked up was actually my "first" real, old WH that came as a consequence of dad buying a new tractor in '87 (Oh my gosh, I have been addicted to this nonsense for 21 years!). It has always been my favorite even though it really is a plain-jane machine. No electric start, no hydro, no frills...just a nice easy starting 6 hp engine that required minimal maintenance. Geez, i think I have had it for 15 years or so. I was lucky enough to get all the paperwork from the original owner with the thing...Only part missing was the receipt!

I love those old H60's and have had them on tractors, tillers, and water pumps and never had a bad one. Why tec's get a bad rap is a mystery to me...

Sad to say I haven't put gas in the tank of it for many years now. Last time it ran was when it trekked to PA for the show in '01 or '02. I love the fact it has no battery to leak or replace on a frequent basis. I really wish all my tractors were recoil start for that reason (If I could find a decent B-60 I would be set so I could retire one of the C160's which take that wierd sized and expensive battery).

As Bill well knows, i like to send things off on a tangent every once in a while. Hopefully this little exercise becomes enlightening for us all. i am always ready to learn and especially like to read peoples objective opinions about the things Wh did right and the thinks they cold have improved on.

i may have mistaken the "second" run serial number listing...might be 500XXX or something, but i seem to remember from my informal survey of the tractors's serial numbers that showed up locally or in PA over the years seemed to have a definate split to them. I will give dad a call and see if he can take a few minutes to find the SN for the listing.

I think it is interesting that at least some of these tractors were possibly built using parts from surplus inventory. THAT could very well be the reason a second run was made. We know WH made a habit of this practice (the 754 comes to mind as do the 1045 and 1046) and really all the models designated as "specials" really might fall into this category. I think the C-specials used the OHV techumseh engines in the 70's and the 800-special was a wacky tractor with a Briggs engine and a Foote transmission.

I have wondered about the "Indiana Connection" before, but never really gave it much thought. I know I found a few in the St. Louis area and have seen several in Indiana and Ohio. Seems like EVERYTHING shows up out in PA, NY, NJ, and VA. That region was WH's real sweetspot (but you guys have to pay more than we do for stuff). Curiously, I never saw a 500 when I lived in South Bend (where the landscape is littered with old red tractors. Seems like hardly any post-Toro takeover WH's in that area though).

I wouldn't completely rule out the H70 engine as being original to the tractor, especially if it came toward the end of the run from surplus parts. Heck, the 700 workhorse is all but identical to the 500 special and, what, only a year newer? From a production standpoint, it made a lot of sense in the sales boom of the late 60's to churn out as many variations on the theme as possible and perhaps they ran out of H60's before the end.

I have probably seen, either in person or on the net, about 30 or so of the 500's over the years since I acquired my first (I have bought and sold 2 others). I don't think they are terribly rare, but are a nice piece of WH history since they are a commemorative model of America's biggest spectator event until nascar swallowed everything up. I once heard (from a dealer) that some were actually used at Indy as "support" machines in and around the pit area and were sent to top performing dealerships after the race - which would easily explain why we see some in the east where most of the top sellers were. Who knows if there is any truth (or available proof) to this supposition. Other tractors were just cosmetic specials.

Eventually other manufatcures offered Indy Specials. I know Sears/Craftsman had one in the 80's with an Onan 18 hp engine. Toro is still (I think) involved there too.

Really, if you think about it, not that many WH models really are THAT rare. Sure there are limited numbers of the 754, the 1045, the 520-8, and the 420LSE and a few others but these are mostly (in my simple mind) only minor variations on a common theme (although I am still looking to add these to the fleet ). I liken some of this to the relative rarity of any special variation built of a John Deere model B, or a Corvette, or a Mustang. Really, they are all basically the same thing with only a few changes here and there. Again, this is just my opinion.

Of course, there are some real hens teeth out there. Like the Levers, and the Seniors, and - definately - some of the models I listed above...

Oh, and we are tentatively planning to make the show again this year. I say tentative since who knows what surprises lay in wait between now and then, but the hotel is reserved and we are planning to come.

I STRONGLY URGE anyone who likes this silly hobby to make the trip to PA. There are always hundred of WH's on the ground and lots to see, do, buy, and sell. If you get bored of looking at little red tractors you can always spend some time in nearby Gettysburg enjoying a little history. Truely a great show and really a "postcard" setting.

Thanks again for the welcome and please don't anybody hesitate to contact me about anything WH.

Bill, I'll give you a shout soon.

Steve

[BPjunk 184]

I wouldn't completely rule out the H70 engine as being original to the tractor, especially if it came toward the end of the run from surplus parts. Heck, the 700 workhorse is all but identical to the 500 special and, what, only a year newer? From a production standpoint, it made a lot of sense in the sales boom of the late 60's to churn out as many variations on the theme as possible and perhaps they ran out of H60's before the end.

Steve,

Also keep in mind that dealers changed a few '500' SPECIALs from recoil start to electric start to make the tractor a easer sell to a customer.

The serial number begining with 50xxxx is coming up on my list a lot now.

Bill in Richmond, Va.

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,496]

Steve,

Granite City, Il, huh? So did you know that when you were working in Bonne Terre that the whole town was above a mine. You could have caved in at any moment. Then you would have been part of the "Good Earth". :thumbs:

[CasualObserver 3,408]

Steve that was good reading, Thanks! I'd like to add that I too (and probably not from the same dealer) about the pit tractors.

I also heard from the same dealer, who was AT the Indy 2 1/2 races that are mentioned in the Martino book, that the tractors that they raced were sponsored by the area dealers. The dealers sponsored the tractors, and Wheel Horse brought them all in to watch the race, there was a barbeque, and then the dealers got to take the tractor they sponsored back home. My dealer in particular said that AJ Foyt drove his tractor and signed it one year. Said he's got pictures from the events, but would have to find them. If I ever get to see them, I'll let ya'll know for sure! I've been looking for a copy of the movie for a long time now, and still haven't been able find one. Anybody here know where a copy is?

[marvairplanes 34]

Bill and Steve,

The metal ID tag riveted to the hood stand on my "500 Special" is authentic and original...no question about that...and the serial number is 485079.

The Tecumseh engine H70-130042 sure does look original. I can't detect any evidence of adapters, special holes, mounting, etc..

BUT, if WH did use "left overs" on some models, would they have used them on tractors with serial numbers starting 485...??? Would'nt that have been an earlier production than the serial numbers mentioned on recent posts?

I understand that the H70-130042 was original equipment on the 1969 Workhorse 700.

Next question...How did the 500 Special and the Workhorse 700 differ from the 1968 Commando 6?

Marv (Defiance)

[pond195520032003 27]

Steve, i also would like to say and when its time and you get a chance :thumbs:

[chevelletown 37]

Steve, I live in Westfield, thats at the intersection of US31 & St. Hwy 32 on the north edge of Indy.

[BPjunk 184]

Bill and Steve,

The metal ID tag riveted to the hood stand on my "500 Special" is authentic and original...no question about that...and the serial number is 485079.

The Tecumseh engine H70-130042 sure does look original. I can't detect any evidence of adapters, special holes, mounting, etc..

BUT, if WH did use "left overs" on some models, would they have used them on tractors with serial numbers starting 485...??? Would'nt that have been an earlier production than the serial numbers mentioned on recent posts?

I understand that the H70-130042 was original equipment on the 1969 Workhorse 700.

Next question...How did the 500 Special and the Workhorse 700 differ from the 1968 Commando 6?

Marv (Defiance)

Marv,

I believe on your tractor it was one that did not sell right away until a customer could have a electric start installed and the dealer did just that.

Now I know that this is 40 years later BUT you could look for paint still in the threads on the engine mounting bolts to see if the engine has ever been off the frame rails. The engine serial number you posted was it off a small metal tag bolted to the output side of the engine or on the data tag on the blower shroud?

There was only cosmetic differences plus the electric start between the Commando-6, WORKHORSE 700 and '500' SPECIAL, now the H-70 in the WORKHORSE 700 does take a different connecting rod then the H-60.

Bill in Richmond, Va.

[wh500special 2,160]

Guys,

The SN of my tractor is 509203. Not sure where I came up with the 7000XXX number (Was going from memory). If they ran sequentially from the 485XXX to the 509XXX that would be exactly the opposite of a RARE machine. But, I think I might be on to something with the "two run" theory...

Anyway, it looks like mine is one of the "newer" ones.

Geez guys, I don't really have pictures of anything but my kids saved to the computer anymore (tractors have taken a back seat). I will gladly share some of those someday (the pictures that is, not the kids. Although... ). Probably ought to document what I have for insurance purposes some day...which reminds me I really need to get a rider on my insurance for my Red junk (probably ought to start a thread on this topic someday).

Yep, I knew Bonne Terre was sitting on top of an old Lead mind. Hard to forget when you get to see the giant pile of overburden on the west side of town. Do they still SCUBA dive in the mine? I lady I worked with in South Bend used to drive down to BT alll the time to dive.

Westfield is close...I am out in West Lebanon which is just about to the IL border (nowhere close to Lebanon). We are rural here in Warren County...dirt roads, no fast food, and no stoplights in the whole county. On the plus side, our taxes are really quite reasonable...

I have met many people over the years who recalled seeing WH's at Indy during the races of the 60's. I recall Ed Cole and Ron Snelson from Toro said they were there for at least a few of the 2.5's and recounted tales of one of the engines blowing and dumping oil on the track much to the chagrin of the people running the track. if I recall correctly, the "races" weren't completely on the up and up either!

Never heard of any copies of the film surfacing ("Day of the Horse" or something like that) but certainly there has to be one somewhere. Sounds like Martino's revised book will provide some additional info so perhaps ol' Cecil had one on his stash...

Bill, I never thought about a dealer retrofitting a tractor with an electric start engine to sell it, but it sure would make sense. WH's were pretty expensive machines and certainly a recoil starter would turn many customers away. Seems like the Deere's and Cubs of the 60's were all electric start (I think the Cub Cadet original had a recoil as an option though). WH really offered TONS of models trying to appeal to everybody...and it worked since they were king of the hill for many years. a recoils start was probably not a good feature to most people.

Changing out the engine on a new tractor kind of reminds me of the IH dealers of 1950 that had to repaint their WHITE Farmall demonstrators to move them. AND also like Deere dealers painting traditional JD green over unsold Patio tractors in the late 60's (Deere offered model 110's, 112's, and 140's in "custom colors"; blue, yellow, red, orange). So, an engine swap seems very, very plausible.

Picked up another tractor today (312), will this madness never cease?

Steve

[TT-(Moderator) 1,131]

The 500 Special I was dealing on in Iowa last fall is S/N 509101 (or 509104 -- it's hard to see )

This one actually had a K-181 with a gear drive starter! :D

[BPjunk 184]

Guys,

The SN of my tractor is 509203. Not sure where I came up with the 7000XXX number (Was going from memory). If they ran sequentially from the 485XXX to the 509XXX that would be exactly the opposite of a RARE machine. But, I think I might be on to something with the "two run" theory...

Geez guys, I don't really have pictures of anything but my kids saved to the computer anymore (tractors have taken a back seat). I will gladly share some of those someday (the pictures that is, not the kids. Although... ). Probably ought to document what I have for insurance purposes some day...which reminds me I really need to get a rider on my insurance for my Red junk (probably ought to start a thread on this topic someday).

I have met many people over the years who recalled seeing WH's at Indy during the races of the 60's. I recall Ed Cole and Ron Snelson from Toro said they were there for at least a few of the 2.5's and recounted tales of one of the engines blowing and dumping oil on the track much to the chagrin of the people running the track. if I recall correctly, the "races" weren't completely on the up and up either!

Bill, I never thought about a dealer retrofitting a tractor with an electric start engine to sell it, but it sure would make sense. WH's were pretty expensive machines and certainly a recoil starter would turn many customers away. Seems like the Deere's and Cubs of the 60's were all electric start (I think the Cub Cadet original had a recoil as an option though). WH really offered TONS of models trying to appeal to everybody...and it worked since they were king of the hill for many years. a recoils start was probably not a good feature to most people.

Picked up another tractor today (312), will this madness never cease?

Steve

Steve,

Thanks for the serial number (and everybody else who supplied me with thier '500' SPECIAL serial number) and I hope to find the serial number break between the two types. The production number of the '500' SPECIAL I recived from Wheel Horse was very very very low and this information was found "hand written" on a catalogue for the '500' SPECIAL ..... so suspicion arose right away. When all the information is gathered I will then disclose the amount given to me and being the low number that it was I did not want to create a sudden market surge on Ebay from unscurpulous sellers trying to cash in.

Yes getting documnetion of the Wheel Horses is importatint for insurance. I have looked into getting a assessors liecence here in Virginia but as I found out I could not write a assessment for my own property.

The stories that came out of the 2-1/2 mile race are funny ..... a small lenth of string hooked to the governor can do wonders for the amount of RPMs a engine can turn! Ron growing up in the Wheel Horse company as his father worked there too must have some good stories, a gentialman I talked to last year who was the Quality Controll Manager had me on the edge of my chair for an hour as we talked on the phone about working at Wheel Horse.

On switching parts to make a sale ...... in South East PA a dealer told me of a school board bid where he did not get the contact to sell the Wheel Horse because the competeing dealer wrote his bid up for a C series tractor at a B series price ...... all's the competeing dealer did was to swap over C series decals and sheet metal to the make the B series look a C series! The school board thought that they got the better deal! And ya' wonder why we have so much trouble finding original parts on a tractor!

Bill in Richmond, Va.

[chevelletown 37]

Went and looked at the numbers on the 500 Special today. Here is what I found:

Model: 1-3631

Ser# : 509497

[BPjunk 184]

Now as you may already know ..... there is not too many original pictures from the factory or any where else for that matter of a '500' SPECIAL ...... welllllllll now what ifn's your buddy Wild Bill jus' jus' jus' happen to come across a original picture from 1968 of a '500' SPECIAL at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and wants to raffle it off at the 10th Annual Wheel Horse Show!

From what I understand the '500' SPECIAL was not used at the race track so this may have been a promotional picture of the tractor and a hard to find picture indeed!

STEVE (wh500special)... are ya listenin' to me here????

Bill in Richmond, Va.

[nylyon-(Admin) 7,254]

Maybe you could tease us a little more with a thumbnail picture? Would love to see it... Please.....

[wh500special 2,160]

Bill, Bill, Bill....

I ALWAYS listen, but sometimes you're moving too fast for me to understand what exactly is transpiring until it is over!

Sounds like an interesting photo. Who knows, perhaps I'll win something in the raffle this year (I am 0 for heaven knows how many tickets over the years - but I'm not complaining).

sounds like you really have been putting in some effort on this year's show again. I know a LOT of work goes into making a show a "good show" and anybody who has been to arendtville certainly vouch that you guys are paying your dues.

It's been a long while since I looked in "Straight from the Horse's Mouth", but I think there might be a picture of a 500-spl on the line at Ireland Road. Otherwise, though, they were sort of a forgotten tractor for many years.

Interesting how many have popped up recently however. Last week one sold on Ebay just a little north of Indy. I lost out on another one here at a live auction close to the house (western IN) on Saturday (that one was #490048 I think and did not have the '6' on the flag decal).

Since last summer it seems like I have seen about a dozen of them sell...some close to me, some far from me. I am starting to think they are as common as 854's or C-160's! Certainly not the rare bird I once hoped for...

I don't think I will be bringing mine to the show this year though. Mostly an issue of transportation convenience since I am planning to bring either the wife's car or our minivan and not my 15 mpg truck. i may change my mind though if I decide to pre-sell anything and end up hauling it out.

Just where exactly did you turn up all these pictures you've been talking about? i know when i lived in SB many people told me stories of their days at the plant, but nobody had anything tangible. Glad you found some neat stuff and are making the effort to share the mirth.

I'm not really surprised that the 500's weren't actually used at the race. It really never made any sense to me that WH would send what basically amounted to a "stripper" tractor to the race as a representation of the brand. Certainly makes sense that they'd use the fancier Chargers and Electro's. I did see your remarks about the whitewalls on Kelly's tractor...great news! Only made me a little depressed to think of the tractor I didn't buy in south Bend that I saw with those tires. D'oh!

Thanks again for putting in SO MUCH effort!

Steve

PS- Treed, I haven't forgotten about you!