Ken B 3,164 #1 Posted March 6, 2012 I picked this RJ up a few months ago from Stevebo for my 9 yr. old son Cole. Cole used to have a real nice one that I restored for him a few yrs. ago. Well, he saw a go cart that he just had to have. I told him we had no room for one. (A Ford was taking up all of my storage space!) He insisted that we get rid of his RJ and that he didn't really care about it anyways. Well the RJ got sold and he could care less, at first. Then he began to miss it, like I knew he would. Things were a little diferent this time around, this time he wanted to help refresh this RJ and he wanted to help pay for it as well. Its not perfect, I didn't want to go over anything he helped do. Tonight we were looking at decals for it, he really wants the earlier decals that say Rideaway JR over the original type for this tractor. I mentioned they weren't correct for this yr. RJ but he doesn't care, neither do I, its his! Tonight Cole painted the rims black, just like they were on his old one. I will post some pics of the black rims on it tomm. All we need to do now is find a muffler pipe heat shield and some diamond plate footrests and take her for a ride! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VinsRJ 721 #2 Posted March 6, 2012 As always Ken, very nice work! Are you going to hit the local shows with it this year? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sparky-(Admin) 21,347 #3 Posted March 6, 2012 That one cleaned up real nice Ken (and Cole). So what became of the go-cart ? Mike...... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken B 3,164 #4 Posted March 6, 2012 The go cart is outside in the tent, the RJ will be kept in the garage, and the Ford is gone. The go cart will going as well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smoreau 658 #5 Posted March 6, 2012 I think he will appreciate this one a lot more! Looks like he has a good one to work with too! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken B 3,164 #6 Posted March 6, 2012 As always Ken, very nice work! Are you going to hit the local shows with it this year? Yes it and my restored Economy will be making the rounds at the shows this yr. I might go buy a new 6x8 trailer tomm. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebo-(Moderator) 8,331 #7 Posted March 6, 2012 Ken, I love it when you end up buying/trading etc one of my tractors because I know you will do it justice !! Looks great and I am sure Cole loves it too. Looking forward to seeing the rims painted black Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gene_S 93 #8 Posted March 6, 2012 Very nice refresh Ken... I'd be one 9 year old if I were your son... Hell I'd be one proud 40 year to have that!!! Good job Sir!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jake Kuhn 1,555 #9 Posted March 6, 2012 Looks good Ken! Jake Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wheelhorsec85 5 #11 Posted March 6, 2012 nice job :scared-eek: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grnlark 487 #12 Posted March 6, 2012 That's the best! I can't wait to start doing that stuff with my son. Of course he seems to have really staked his claim on the mini-dozer. I suppose it would look cool red too. Nice job! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken B 3,164 #13 Posted March 6, 2012 That's the best! I can't wait to start doing that stuff with my son. Of course he seems to have really staked his claim on the mini-dozer. I suppose it would look cool red too. Nice job! You know it Matt. Cole has been showing much more interest in what goes on in the garage these days. Once your son is able too handle a tractor safely on his own you will really get to having a real good time riding around with him at the shows. Cole has been riding since he was four so at 9 he is pretty good now. Two yrs. ago at seven he handled his RJ at the big show like a pro. He has driven the Economy with no troubles at all. He can't wait for the Colchester show, there is more open space there where he can wander off a little with the Economy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken B 3,164 #14 Posted March 6, 2012 Here are the two tractors my son Cole and myself will be bringing to the local shows, the 62 Economy I completely restored and Coles refreshed 58. If I'm able to make the BIG Show in Pa. I'm not too sure what I'll bring for myself. If you ask me, the 62 Economy and the RJ look like distant cousins. Maybe I can paint the Economy red, slap some Wheel Horse decals on it and sneek it in? We poured some gas in the RJ today, fired her up, dialed her in and Cole took er for a ride! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jake Kuhn 1,555 #15 Posted March 7, 2012 Turned out great,looks like he likes it too! Jake Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebo-(Moderator) 8,331 #16 Posted March 7, 2012 Ken, The look on Cole's face tells it all !! If you need a ride down at the show you can take your pick from my collection to use so long as you promise not to blow the motor like someone did 2 years ago.... . I plan on bringing 2-3 down myself (small ones). 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
speedyleedy 205 #17 Posted March 7, 2012 Great job ken ! You sure made cole a happy little boy & hopefully made him wheel horse crazy like the rest of us ! :handgestures-thumbupright: 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AMC RULES 37,132 #18 Posted March 7, 2012 Great job with you're RJ refresh Cole, have you decided which decals you'll be using on the hood yet? Saw these and thought they'd match your paint scheme rather well... http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pair-of-Wheel-Horse-Tractor-vinyl-decals-10-x-2-5-Each-/320824862003?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ab2a6e533 I thinking about getting a set mounted up on some magnetic sign backer, so they are interchangeable. Black background one day, white the next kinda thing. :popcorn: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken B 3,164 #19 Posted March 7, 2012 Great job with you're RJ refresh Cole, have you decided which decals you'll be using on the hood yet? Saw these and thought they'd match your paint scheme rather well... http://www.ebay.com/...=item4ab2a6e533 I thinking about getting a set mounted up on some magnetic sign backer, so they are interchangeable. Black background one day, white the next kinda thing. Cole really likes the earlier style Ride Away Jr. decals found on the RJ 35's but he hasn't made up his mind yet. I told him he'd have all of the correct cops tellin him they were wrong for his tractor. I had to explain to him what and who the correct cops are! LOL! When I had my 69 SS 396 Chevelle I decided to paint the big block red before puttin it back in after rebuilding it. You wouldn't believe how many people at the local car shows stopped by my car to tell me I painted the engine block the wrong color and that it should be orange. One guy would stop by every Saturday night to tell me this! It almost seemed liked he was pissed about this, I was more than happy to upset him. I later found out he drove a Ford, with of all things, a Chevy motor in it. I told him that he should be drivin a Chevy, not a Ford! I even went on to bust him that at least he did it half right. I told him every Saturday night that I saw him. Man, he didn't like me, but I was only having fun with him. Don't get me wrong Ford guys, I had a Shelby not too long ago. I was givin the magnetic sign backer some thought yesterday. I have plenty of it here at work. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AMC RULES 37,132 #20 Posted March 7, 2012 Is Cole a member here on the forum yet Ken? Just curious. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken B 3,164 #21 Posted March 7, 2012 I had some spare time at work today so I decided to make a heat shield for the RJ. Only problem is the RJ is now at home. I took a guess at the dimensions and fabbed this one up. It's not original but at least I guessed right on the dimensions. I welded on a few pipe straps, painted it up and took it home. I was happy to see that it actually don't look half bad! Here is a video link to see it in action. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grnlark 487 #22 Posted March 8, 2012 That video is the best! Those are the memories a kid will have forever and always remember the tractor his dad helped him restore. Awesome! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rooster 191 #23 Posted March 8, 2012 Did the RJ.s have the same heat shield as the Suburbans? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ken B 3,164 #24 Posted March 8, 2012 Did the RJ.s have the same heat shield as the Suburbans? From what I have seen i believe they are the same Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rooster 191 #25 Posted March 8, 2012 I am working on getting so re-pops made. I got my hands on an NOS piece and sent it to a local fab shop. He said they should not be a problem, waiting for pricing on them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
