Beginning a Full Restoration on a '77 C-120

[Polaris2007 4]

Hello all.

I'm new to this forum and this will be my first restoration attempt. My three boys are going to help me with this. They are ages 6, 5, and 5. Yup, twins. I aquired this '77 C-120 from a guy at work for $150. All four tires and all four rims were unusable, so I scrapped them. The transmission is now in a hundred pieces.....I disected it because the hi-low shifter would not work......broken shift fork. New one due tomorrow, along with all new seals and gasket. This 12hp Kohler is the SWEETEST SMOOTHEST running single cylinder engine I have ever seen! I figure just this engine is worth the $150, even if I throw away the rest (I wouldn't dare). I'll post some pictures now of the start of this project, and I'll post some more periodically as we progress. As I said, this is our first restoration, so PLEASE.....do NOT keep your comments to yourself......we'll need all the advice and ideas I can get :scratchead:

[Polaris2007 4]

1st

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[Polaris2007 4]

2nd

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[Polaris2007 4]

3rd

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[Polaris2007 4]

4th

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[Polaris2007 4]

5th

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[Duff 206]

First, !

...and Wow! If you've got a helper who can lift a Kohler engine one-handed (4th picture), I envy you. I can barely lift one by myself with both hands, but I am an old geezer by some measures.

Anyway, looks like a great project ahead of you and pepper us with questions - we're here to help!

Cheers!

Duff :scratchead:

[Polaris2007 4]

Here is an update on our restoration of our C-120. The frame has been degreased, sandblasted, washed, and primed. I got inspired by Canam 1991, and fabricated a frame support bracket to reinforce the back of the frame for when we try our hand at the pulls. My bracket is completely "bolt in" and can be removed at a moment's notice by pulling six bolts. or it could be swapped onto another tractor if needed. What are the holes on each side of the very bottom of the back end of the frame for? I hope nothing important, because my bracket blocks them off. Another reason why it is removeable I am toying with the idea of fabbing up a few of these brackets and maybe selling them on ebay. Anyone think there would be any interest? Here are a few pictures. I painted the bracket so it would stand out from the frame for easy viewing. More updates will follow as I progress.....

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[Polaris2007 4]

The bracket...

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[Polaris2007 4]

And the bracket mounted in the frame....

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[Polaris2007 4]

We finally got the transmission all back together. When I split the case, I found the high/low shift fork broken away from the tube that it is supposed to be welded onto. It broke at the weld. This explains why It would not shift out of high. All the gears and needle bearings were pristine. no signs of wear at all. I ordered a new shift fork, the four new seals, and a new case gasket. The whole thing only cost me about $50 bucks. I forgot to order the new shifting lever boot, and the little plug that goes in the shift fork detent ball access hole. So I gotta place another order for those. We got the frame and tranny painted up with Valspar Restoration IH red, and the two mated back together. If you look closely, you can see the frame brace that I fabricated bolted in place just in front of the tranny. I bolted the new Carlisles on also. Those are 23 x 8.50-12s, but I think they look HUGE without the rest of the tractor there. We're gonna get the front axle and spindles mounted up today, and then disassemble the Kohler for cleaning and paint.

More to come later.

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[Polaris2007 4]

Another view......

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[chamjack 0]

Its coming along nice. Keep up the good work :scratchead:

[tgranthamfd 29]

Good progression, keep it up and before you know it, it will be all together again and you will be starting another one for your little helper. Helpers

[Polaris2007 4]

I've already told the wife that we need three more 'Horses, so all us boys in the family can have our own. I offered to do one up for my 14 yo daughter too, but she has no interest The wife thinks it's a great idea! Lucky me I'd really like to do a round hood of some sort next. Back in 1980 when I was 10 years old, my father brought me home an old rusted up round hooded Wheel Horse of some sort. He and I fixed it up, gave it some paint, got it running, and I was the happiest 10 year old on Earth. As I got older, and went into highschool, i lost interest in the tractor, and my father, with my blessing, bartered it away for something. MAN DO I EVER REGRET THAT. No pictures of it exist, and I don't know what year it was or what model it was. The only details I remember are that it was a round hood, it had narrower tires than my C-120, it had the same uni-drive transaxle, but WITHOUT hi and low range. It had what I remember as a 5,6, or possibly a 7 hp engine. I THINK it was a Tecumpseh, but only about 85% sure of that, could have been a Kohler, but not a Briggs. It did have electric start, or you could rope start it, but I'm not sure if it had a recoil on the rope, or if you had to wrap the rope around a drum. Now that I think about it more, I think you had to wrap the rope around a drum each time you pulled. I think the steering wheel might not have been a complete circle, but might have been missing the part of the rim on the bottom. Not sure about that though. Does anyone have any ideas as to what year/model my old 'Horse might have been? I'd love to know for sure. Sorry about all this rambling on.....but I was just in a different place and time :ychain:

[linen beige 14]

By your description of your old roundhood gone bye-bye it was a 603.

Did I read twins? Here's the two "official" reasons I have more than one Wheel Horse. They'll be five at the end of October.

[KeithB 6]

Looking good, how much would you charge to make a couple of those reinforcement brackets? I am going to pull WHs this coming year

[Polaris2007 4]

I was wondering if anyone would be interested in having a bracket like this. I haven't thought about the cost much yet. Right off the top of my head.....Probably $10 would cover the plate and the flatbar..........probably a couple hours for lay out, cutting, drilling, tig welding and sand blasting. Then I'd probably prime it so it wouldn't rust up. I'd say I could do them for $50 a piece. Lemme know.......

[TT-(Moderator) 1,145]

What are the holes on each side of the very bottom of the back end of the frame for? I hope nothing important, because my bracket blocks them off.

The holes are where the yoke on the rear of the OEM Wheel Horse "sickle bar" mower is bolted.

I can't say I know of any other attachment that uses those holes. :scratchead:

[Polaris2007 4]

I figured the holes MUST be there for some reason. I wasn't sure what it was though, so I made the bracket removable. I guess if I ever need to hook up a sickle bar mower, I'll just unbolt the reinforcing bracket first :scratchead:

[Polaris2007 4]

It's been a while since i posted any progress because I've been so busy at work. Here are a few pictures. The paint looks orange due to the crappy lighting, but it is really Valpsar IH Red. The first picture is the front axle and steering gear installed. I need to replace both tierods because they are BADLY pitted. But i blasted/primed/painted the old ones anyway, just for now.

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[Polaris2007 4]

Here is the engine block, with all new gaskets and seals, primed and painted.

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[Polaris2007 4]

Close up of carb and fuel pump.....I used tire valve stem caps to keep the paint out of the fuel fittings.

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[Polaris2007 4]

And here are some misc parts painted and ready to go.

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[Suburban 550 28]

Nice work. Seems to be comin' along pretty good. :scratchead: