Why do you collect these tractors?

[Lane Ranger 10,943]

This is the reason we are still into wheel horses after 27 years!

Look at those proud to have this grins!

This was taken in 1962 in gary, Indiana at my parents home. They still live there but this first wheel horse is gone (way too bad). It was our mower and snowplow for about five or six years. Dad kept adding to this tractor. Weight box in the front. Bigger motors, chains, etc.

We did not find out until this past Thanskgiving that my dad bought this tractor at an auction in Merrillville, Indiana for about $250 or $300. Neither dad or mom could remember!

But mom did remember that she had saved up that money for some time in the savings account to buy a clothes dryer. We had two younger sisters also - so a dryer was an important item in a house of six people.

Mom said she never forgot that this whole Wheel Horse craze started with Dad taking her dryer money!

So no much has changed in 47 years - we are still into the Wheel Horses ( 11 and still looking...) and we are still using savings money!

However, I think the two dryers at my parents house are now fully understood!!

:thumbs:

[Doubletrouble 10]

Mine is simple. i bought my horse from a freinds father mainly for the snowblower that came with it. I got a '71 work horse that came with the blower and a 36" mower deck. I fixed it up a bit, couple of electrical issues and some paint. I began to use it every week to mow and just got addicted to it's vintage feel, the sound that the old tec makes and looking out over that long narrow hood reminded me of my childhood on my grandparents farm with the old IH model H tractor. I know grandpa would be proud of the way I fixed up my lil horse. It's a difficult thing to explain but I know alot of you know what I'm talkin about. Someday when finances are there I will own more than one. For now I'll enjoy the one I have as often as I can.

[VinsRJ 721]

It is a long string linked story but the short version is this.

My dad grew up in Maquoketa, IA (Hometown of Clinton Engines) and he used to have a go kart that was painted like a John Deere that had a Clinton on it.

I was starting to get into small engines around the age of 5 and my dad started to steer me towards Clinton. Thanks dad! $45. We bought that and it started to REALLY GROW. We now have about 60 engines.

At next years show I saw several Wheel-Horse RJs with Clintons being displayed (by I think the Rhoads family) A couple monthes later I saw a 401 for $130 in Lancaster Farming.

You can GUESS what happened from there!

Charlie that is a great connection to Clinton Engines. Did your father have family working for the company back in the day?

I've got to tell you I've been bit by the Clinton bug (my RJ35's Clinton is almost complete)... for years my brother and I just heaved Clintons into the dumpster thinking that they were a lost cause. But.... now that I have given a couple Clintons the respect they deserve, we've been not so quick to toss them, partly due to you and your father. Again thank you for all your help.

For everyone else, I'll do it for ya, :thumbs:

[rwilson 128]

Well it all started when I moved into a house and had to take care of the property. I needed a mower. Went to a guys place that sold used mowers. He had a Roper that ran and mowed, but he wanted a little more than I could afford. Next to the Roper sat two wheelhorses. One being a C-120 Special. And the other being an 800 Commando. The comando needed a head gasket. And the C had no spark and needed the engine tin. NOT A BIG DEAL. So I bought both tractors for half the price of the Roper. Got them home, was looking for parts, and found you guys. Now my dad and I own 7 tractors. Thats my story and i'm stickin to it!

[Dafixer 1]

Most of my years I grew up on lots that took longer to start the mower than it did to mow it other than the cemetary we owned. My granfather and I would always maintain the grass with a pusher lawn boy and an old WH. I think it was a 310 but not for sure, which he traded for a lot. This old tractor ran year after year without problems until a fire took out the shed and destroyed it. After that we hired the mowing out until he died.

11 years ago I bought a house which was part of the original land adjacent to the cemetary so now I had the duty of once again mowing the lots, along with the 2 acres or so I live on. I bought a 84 211-4 for $400 which I have mowed with since. 2 years ago I purchased a new Classic to continue on. Since then I have aquired about every attachment to add to my collection. I am now hooked and I can foresee another one or two so I dont have to trailer them around so much! My children use them now and enjoy them as much as I do. Seems like all the stories here have a common ground, family ties! :thumbs:

[dadstractor1 5]

my grandpa bought a 656 brand knew , and as a kid , could not wait to go visit , so i could drive the tractor around . remember running into a tree , though he would kill me for that , always wanted that tractor if something happened to him. ended up with tractor , restored myself ,and left dent in the hood , to be remember for what i done ,know have fifty of them. and may he rest in piece.

[whfan74 2,066]

For me it has evolved in to a true appreciation for craftsmanship.

My family owned a dealership that carried the Wheel Horse machines for over 30 years. From the time I can remember I was sitting on a Wheel Horse or Massey Ferguson up at the shop or when dad brought one of the customer's tractors home.

I never took much interest in working on them growing up. I would rather be out in the driveway shooting hoops or in the back yard throwing a baseball or kicking a soccer ball.

I always loved messing around on them up at shop but never sat still long enough to really learn anything about them.

Fast forward to year 30 of my life and I moved in to a house that needed a rider. So I started looking for what I knew was quality. Dad always taught me........you get what you pay for so junk wasn't allowed in my garage. I purchased my 312-8 from a friend and fell in love with it. It only came with the 37" deck and that just wasn't good enough. Dad helped me out by giving me a plow, and some wheel weights for the tractor. After that he sent me some chrome hub caps. I was now officially hooked.

Dad never pushed the idea of collecting or restoring the tractors on me. He was always hoping that I would take some interest in them and when I started the hunt for the next one he became very excited and became hooked to. Over the past 5 years we have acquired over 50 tractors..........have sold a bunch, and only kept a few that were desirable to us.

As you can see from some of my other posts we now have a work shop to enjoy the hobby together. The most important thing to me is that I get to share it with my Dad. We haven't been in to it that long but we have surely enjoyed the journey so far. My father in-law always reminds me the best present you can give someone is your time...........I hope I can go to my grave saying I did the best I could.

An addition to all of the fun we have had we feel the same way as many of you that have posted previously. Friendships along the way have been amazing and I enjoy sharing in this hobby with the rest of you!

[Horse'n Around 22]

I got mine from My Dad in 2000. Im not sure exactly what it is, it closely resembles a 702 but it is more of a Franken Horse at this time than anything.It has no push button starter switch or key switch so I suspect it had a pull start engine in it origionally it has a round hood but it is a 1961 style hood with no slots in the grill section and the shifter is straight with no bend in it. I was told it probably was a 502. The frame has been lengthened 9 inches in front and there is a K181 under the hood .Someone did a nice job adding 9 inches to the hood.He had owned it for quite a few years and as his health started to fail the tractor fell into a state of disrepair. I eyed it sitting in the shed on day after my son and I moved in with him to care for him.Anyway I wheeled it out and spent a day working on the carburator and generally tinkering with it. I was taken by how much it looked like a scaled down full size antique tractor and how well it is built. Well after a afternoon of work I got it fired up and was driving it around his yard. He came up to me and said "you really like it dont you?" I said I really did (I have always loved working on anything with a engine). Well he gave it to me right then and there and I have treasured it ever since. Im thinking Im might make it into a 702 I dont know. The frame will be easy to put back into its origional configuration and I can always get a 1962 hood for it.As for the K181 thats in it , well it looks like a K161 and tho it has a gear drive elect starter, I could swap it with a starter generator, unless I can find a the right engine to make it back into a 502.It will need a bunch of work but I dont care, it is a labor of love! dad passed away in 2002, but it was Dads and he glowed when I talked about restoring it, so I cant wait to start collecting the parts I need and get to work on it. I have pictures of Dad driving my son JJ who is now 23 around on it when my JJ was about 5 or so, just thinking about it makes me smile. In fact my son drove it thru a wood fence and into a peach tree on that very day.... but thats a whole nother story

Wheel Horses are few and far between here in Az(to say the least) but Im sure looking forward to moving to either PA or VA where they are much more plentifull so I can start collecting more or them.I only have two of them and Im already addicted to them.

John

[Cody 276]

For me it all started when me and my brother were talking on the phone one day and he made mention that he was thinking about selling his old wheel horse C-160, I said that I would be interested in it. He said that the motor was rubuilt in the mid 90's and haden't been used much sence. When i went to look at it, it was sitting out under an old pine tree. It had a home made snow plow and an almost brand new replacement 42" deck the tractor was fairly straight and not all hacked up. He told me that i could have it for $150, there was something aboout that old horse that I just had to have it. It needed some work due to it sitting outside and not being used very much but with a little work I had it up and running again. later that day i started tearing it apart to restore it. Once it was comleted I used it all summer to mow grass so i could afford another horse to work on and restore. I looked on ebay and found a C-81 five miles from me, Perfect so I bought it and did a complete restoration on it. I was bit by the Wheel horse bug! And i had to find another one and another and another which has led me to having about 50 tractors, mostly Wheel Horse, a John Deere A & B, a Farmall A & C and a few other brands of graden tractors. Along with no room in any of the five garages, no room in the barn, and some outside. And I coulden't be happier!!!!! Wheel Horse in my opinion is the best built garden tractors I have ever seen.

[Suburban 550 28]

All great stories guys. My facination or addiction started in 1988 when I bought my first horse, a 1972 Raider 10. From there it just took off. I had seen my first roundhood and wanted one for the longest time but could never find one. Now I presently own three. The Wheel Horse in my opinion is one of the greatest and toughest tractors ever built and the parts and attachments from many years are interchangable. I couldn't see myself owning any other brand of tractor.

[sscotsman 148]

Well, I might be fairly unique here..(after reading stories of guys using wheelhorses as kids, that belonged to their Father or Grandfather)

I discovered wheelhorse tractors...on the internet!

about 2 weeks ago.

before that, I had never heard the name, dont recall ever seeing one in my life, and I have yet to actually see one in person!

I bought my 40 year old snowblower a year ago.

I became so impressed with its American-made quality, (and im so disgusted with the modern, cheap, Chinese-made junk at the Big-Boxes) that I decided to use the same reasoning that led to my snowblower, to look for an old Classic American mower-tractor. This led to some on-line research, which led to 'mytractorforum", which led to here..

I have only used one riding mower in my life, when I was a teenager in the 80's I mowed my uncles lawn for one summer..I dont remember what it was..a small riding mower.. I have never driven a tractor, of any size...I have never known anyone on a farm.,(although my grandfather was born and raised on a farm!

but had left the farm long before I was born..)

I have zero "brand loyalities"..JD green means nothing to me.

I think Ford tractors are cool, only because im a "Ford Guy" (my first car was a used 1981 Mustang, I loved that car) but other than that, I have no connections whatsoever with any tractor brands..

So I have been aware of Wheel Horse for literally 2 weeks now..

even so, I have decided I want one!

So I have become addicted merely due to the internet alone..

anyone else have a story similar to mine?

im sure there must be a few of us..

Scot

[sscotsman 148]

Curious to hear some of the stories from the newer members of how they came into the Wheel Horse or garden tractor hobby?

Most of us "old timer" members know each other well enough & how we all came to collect.....thought it would be good to hear from the newer members.

For me my father, god father, & neighbor used them.

I had my share of seat time on all of them too.

When I had my first home about 20 years ago I found an 855.

I used it to plow snow & pull a cart.....the collecting bug was born.

Okay...who's next!

You know how you sometimes read things wrong, or strangely, while reading posts?

Stephen, I read your post as "God, father & neighbor used them"

Scot

[IthacaJeff 151]

I'm not a collector, but value quality. I grew up in San Diego with a yard the

size of a postage stamp, just like everyone else. Never even saw a yard/garden

tractor, but even if I had I would not have been interested; I hated yard work as

a kid. Took time away from playing sports. What I did learn from my dad, a

mechanical engineer, was simple quality. Used quality is much better than new

junk.

Anyway, I moved to Western MA to go to grad school and fell in love with the

rural beauty (and met my future wife). I worked for the local Parks & Rec dept.

during the summers and winter break, where we used Lawn Boys, Wheel Horses,

and Gravely two-wheeled tractors to maintain the parks and ballfields. (In the

winter we plowed sidewalks with the Gravelys, boy would those babies jerk

right out of your hands when you hit something. . . nothing like having the spring-

tripped blade on the WH!).

After I bought my first house in the 1996 I got a free Lawnboy mower from a

friend because the pull-start recoil was busted and the mower was 8 yrs old. Fixed

the recoil and use the mower still. Another friend gave me an old Simplicity 7 HP

Yeoman from 1970. It had been in her garage when she bought her house. I got

it running for one season then the engine blew, put it aside and never really had

time to get it back up and running. That same friend about 5 years ago said her

husband wanted to sell his old tractor and would I be interested. I looked at it, a

310-8, and knew the WH was a quality machine. I knew nothing about years or

differences amont them, only that WH were good. The seat was rusted off, it

needed a new battery, but $150 for the tractor and a 1000lb dump cart seemed a

good deal. Got a plow, chains, and rear attachment from a WH guy in Buffalo, and

I was hooked. The deck cracked after a couple of years, so I went back to using

the Lawnboy.

We just built a new house with 7 ac and new we needed something bigger to mow

with. Paid $280 for a really beat up 416-8 with a sold 48" deck. Will be refurbishing

the tractor engine this spring with the help of RS member "Buckrancher" who I

found out lives not too far away. Simple quality, that's why I've got Wheel Horses.

Jeff in Ithaca, NY

[nylyon-(Admin) 7,242]

I don't consider myself a collector eiher, but here's my story.

Once upon a time, growing up in NJ my dad bought a new home in 1968. He went to the local mower grave yard and bought a broken down old Springfield which he brought back to life. As finances allowed in 1974, he went and purchased a brand new C-160 Automatic (with arm rests) 36" rd deck, trailer, and a parker sweeper. I was old enough to use it at the time so it was my job to mow the lawn. I basically knew nothing else and loved to pop wheelies in the driveway (although dad wasn't as amused).

I bought my home in 1993 with 2 1/2 acres and needed a mower. I could only think of one brand, so I took out a Toro financing account (if anyone ever bought one of these new you know why) and picked up my 416-H, a 1994 model year tractor with a 42" RD deck and the recycler kit. It wasn't until 2006 that I had the hugh urge to get a snow blower or plow for the tractor. Those sure are expensive new too, so I started to look for used ones.

I found the Yahoo group and shortly there after Chris posted that he created a new site, so I joined (who whould have known huh?) Anyway, a short time later I found my plow on Craigs list, but it was attached to a 414-8. I got such a great deal with this. From there, I found a C-120 Automatic with hydraulic lift which I was going to restore with the kids. I bought an Electro to help with that.

It was a short time later when the unreal members, right here on RedSquare traded me the 120 and electro for my very nice C-160. I'm not sure I'll get any more at this time, as it's not as much about tractors than it is about friendship which makes these little tractors "collectable" to me, and I have a wealth of friends because of this.

[pbradley68 1]

I don't have an interesting story. I buy them to use mainly because they are inexpensive and reliable and it's cheaper to buy another whole tractor than to buy new replacement parts a lot of times. I plan on having one for each attachment I use (and a few organ donors). When they outlive their usefulness I'll just buy more (and have a demolition derby with friends ); I don't really get emotionally attached to material things.

[Ken B 3,164]

I've been into garden tractors for over 25 yrs now. I didn't collect Wheel Horse's at first. I've owned, Allis Chalmers, Bolens, Sears SS garden tractors, John Deere's and I collected Cub Cadets, all before I ever owned my first Wheel Horse. As a kid I always liked Wheel Horse because in my childs eye they looked like a firetruck! As a young teen I got too help a friend cut grass in the neighborhood with his dads like new B-80. Man I loved that tractor!

It wasn't until ten yrs. ago that I finally owned my first Wheel Horse and it was a 1965 1055. I can honestly say that I was hooked right then and there. The simplicity and parts availability was amazing but what really amazed me was how hard they can work compared to the other brands I've owned as the Wheel Horse had the least amount of shortcomings. I still don't really consider myself a collector as I try to keep the limit at 3 tractors. I have other hobbies as well that take up lots of room! I enjoy working on tractors for fun and the pride of a job well done when I'm fiinshed with a project. Its been about 7 yrs since my last show quality restoration and that was a Cub Cadet, for now I'm enjoying doing working class restorations. That is until the right one comes along! This great forum makes the Wheel Horse hobby that much more fun! Thanks too everyone that does all the work for the forum and thanks to Stevebo who introduced me to Redsquare this past summer. :thumbs:

[Stress Test Pullin 0]

my story isnt great nor long, but for as long as i can remember ive have been around my grandfathers wheel horse, a 79 c81, mom and dad have pictures of my on it and in the seat and all at 2 years old, my grandfather and i still have the c81 (im 17 now) alone with a couple others. when i turned 14, my grandfather got me a 69 raider 12 which i instantle fell in love with and have been hooked ever since. the raider 12 isnt completely stock anymore, but its still mine, and my favorite, it will always be mine, i always have the newer model puller i got about 2 years ago and the 1075 rat rod, i hope to continue and expand my collection in the future, wheel horse is indeed my favorite of all the toys we have :thumbs:

[rmaynard 15,418]

On Thursday evening, my brother and his family lost their home to a devastating fire that destroyed everything they owned. So in the process of looking for things to give them to help restore a 60 year old collection of memories, I found this picture of my brother and me on a tractor back in 1953.

I think maybe this is where the love of tractors all began. Since that time, both my brother and I have had a tractor of one sort or another.

That's me behind the wheel at age 3.

Bob

[rickv1957 72]

There are some very nice stories in this thread!,lots of history behind these great tractors, Rick

[formariz 11,987]

With us it all started the day of these first two photos in 2005. In the local mower repair shop, there was the 753 for sale. We were so happy that a few months later "Old Milly"

joined the stable. We even got Grandpa in on the happiness.

[cruisnblue48 835]

Why do I collect Wheel Horse tractors? My wife asks me that same question all the time!!! I tell her that I like to take crusty, old parts and make them look new again. But seriously, my story goes like this...

My dad purchased a new 552 Wheel Horse in 1962 when I was 6 years old. I remember riding on that tractor when I was very young. My dad sold it sometime in the 70's and I figured it was gone forever. Never thought much about Wheel Horse tractors then until last summer, (July 2011) when my uncle found out that the son of the guy who originally bought it from my dad had it. My uncle got it and asked me if I wanted it. It was in terrible condition, but what the heck, it was my dad's tractor a long time ago. So, I now I have it. I immediately started tearing it down with plans to do a full restoration job on it. As of now, 7 months later (February 2012) I have nearly all of the parts cleaned up and in primer paint. Just about ready to start finish paint and re-assembly. Still need some replacement parts such as a Lawson engine and a seat. However, the restoration project is coming along nicely and very much as I had expected. Since the acquisition of my dad's Wheel Horse tractor 7 months ago, I have since acquired another 552 Wheel Horse and an RJ-58 Wheel Horse tractor with the process already begun of restoring these two as well. I have found the early history of Wheel Horse tractors quite fascinating... love the early round hood models as they actually look like miniature, full size, real tractors and not "riding mowers". I will more than likely acquire a few more early round hoods as availability, time, and funds exist.

[Jake Kuhn 1,554]

I got into this hobby in 2009 when one of my dad's friend's knew I had been looking for a garden tractor and gave me my 401. The 401 is now restored and I have 6 other wheel horses in the barn with it.

[JMW 3]

Mine started about 6 yrs ago.My ex wife and I had just bought our home and I had an mtd at the time.Well it finally gave up and I needed a mower so a friend of mine had a c175 with a rotted fuel system...I traded him for a 4 wheeler plow I had.Since then I've had a gt14,2 raider 10's,c120,500 special and countless parts tractors.I'm down to my son's pulling tractor project(c160) but once I get a place with more space I WILL be getting a few more...

[can whlvr 993]

this is a great holiday read,(its family day up here)i thought i had posted in this thread but i guess not,mine started in 1986 when we needed a lawn mower for a few acres,went to my toro dealer,he sells other brands too,looked at canadianas,cheap and flimsy,saw this 308-8 with 42 deck,he gave us a deal and took it home with a stihl whipper snipper too,still have both,the 8hp long gone but the rest of the machine is my #1 choice for plowing and pulling,ya i have more powerful motors and stronger trannys(all wheel horses of coarse)but she just is my true worker,i have 8 tractors now and all of them run and move,i would like to get more but i dont have enough room,i dont like leaving them outside,and how many tractors does one man really need,i think 4-5 is all i really need,i might downsize and then i would love to get a 1965 one day,if that ever comes up aruond me i will have to buy it,other than that i only look for 50 dollar machines,gives me something to do getting them back on their feet.

[ricksrj58 273]

i got into this hobby because of my grandfather,he bought a brand new RJ-58 in late 1958 or early 1959 to mow and plow with.my dad grew up using it and then i grew up using it also.i loved going to my grandparents house so i could hop on the rj and mow or plow the drive or just pull my sisters around in the trailer.

after my grandfather passed away my dad gave me the tractor and i kept using it,overtime i decided i wanted to restore it,i am the third generation miller to own this tractor and would like to pass it on to the fourth generation.

we found out about the big wheelhorse show in pa and made plans to attend so we could find the parts to replace what has been damaged over the years.and i wanted to find another rj so i could have one for my father ride at the local shows that we had started going to.

my father and i spent over $4000 at the wh show and filled my truck and trailer with rj tractors and parts,we were flat broke and thought we would have to sell the trucks spare tire for gas money to get home.

now i have 6 rj58s and 1 rj35 and parts to build 2 more rjs,1 suburban,1 857,2 c81s,1 d-160 and more.