RJ-59 ID Assistance

[supercharged65 1]

I just picked up this tractor today locally. Vintage Wheel Horse tractors are extreamly rare out west. I'm in Colorado. The gentleman i purchased it from has had it since 1961. He only used it to snow plow his drive. Best I can tell, it is an RJ-59 model based on some of the later features. Serial number is 20,3xx (can't read the last 2 #'s). It has the clinton motor in it, which the block is painted a blue/gray color and the cover is red.

See attached pictures.

[Rooster 191]

Great Find!

But I am going to guess...it is an RJ 58

[AMC RULES 37,130]

Who knew we have horses a mile high in the sky.

That's a really nice score right there.

:WRS:

[can whlvr 993]

nice find,sounds like here with the real old horses,few and far between

[Jake Kuhn 1,555]

:WRS: That is a nice horse you bought! Jake

[wallfish 17,014]

Nice score! Uncut hood and a Clinton

That's not quite the smoking gun but getting close. The theory out there is that all RJ-59s used the 58 serial tags. This would explain why a 59 tag has not been confirmed yet. Being over 20,000 for the serial number should make it a 59 along with the solid seat pan. You can also check the numbers cast into the trans. Of coarse, there will always be some doubt because who knows what could have been changed, added or replaced over the years.

[VinsRJ 721]

Looks like a very nice RJ. I'm with Wallfish on this one. Your tag indicates that its a RJ58 so we have to go with that. Your tractor does have a lot of the later 58-9 model aspects like the seat pan and front rims.

BTW the Clinton is not the original. It may of had a Clinton on it... just not that one.

[supercharged65 1]

Here's the casting that I found in the trans. Reads "F19-8"

I'm just learning more about these little tractors. They are a neat piece of history.

[wallfish 17,014]

June 19, 1958

It sounds like the guy you bought it from could be the original owner. Did you ask if he had any paperwork for it?

[supercharged65 1]

He was 86 year old. He said he bought it used in 1961 and it was 2 years old. He did say that he had never replaced anything on it over the years, just kept it serviced and parked in a shed.

[stevebo-(Moderator) 8,330]

If you decide to do any clean up on it I would only paint the seat and the wheels. Keep that one original ! Nice one-

[speedyleedy 205]

Nice little rj you got there ! :WRS:

[bowtiebutler956 650]

Very very nice find! Congratulations, and

Matt :flags-texas:

[Monkalunka 7]

Good lookin RJ.... ...ya thinking about doing a resto or going to leave it as is? Either way very cool!!

[Pilot78 7]

Nice find....glad to know I am not the only one out West looking for Wheel Horses. Nice plow....that's what I need here in Utah for the winters.

Brian

[stevebo-(Moderator) 8,330]

Interesting... I did not even look at the plow until you mentioned it. My RJ58 has a much different plow set up. Yours is a plow for a Suburban. Can anyone chime in on th type of plow on this? If you have a close up pic of the plow attachment that would be helpful.

[wallfish 17,014]

It just uses a different mount to attach to an RJ. Everything else is the same. I have one around somewhere.

[grnlark 487]

This reminds me of the '90's when scoffing up Chevelles, GTO's, LeManns' and Cutlasses was hot. It seemed like every day someone else on the forum(s) was posting pictures of their new finds. Now they've pretty much all been discovered and stripped, sold or eBay'd. Lord knows my brother and I cut up our fair share. And its cool to see on a daily/weekly basis here that the RJ's and Suburbans are being discovered and saved - thankfully not hacked and stripped.

Great find!

[AMC RULES 37,130]

That's good to know.

[MikesRJ 552]

Great find! :bow-blue:

[Eriks Red horse herd 107]

And another Horse saved from the glue factory ( junk yard) ! Keeping up the preservation, one horse at a time. Great save by the way! Your on your way to a life long addiction. You can't just stop at one.

[supercharged65 1]

My plans are for it are to get it running and operational, then do a full restoration on it later (probably over the winter).

It's missing a few parts that I can tell. Original throttle linkage, carb air cleaner, belt cover, and exhaust cover. Also could use a set of front tires. If anyone has a lead on any of these parts, let me know.

Thanks!