It's a small world... really it is

[cruisnblue48 835]

I have been restoring my dad's 1962 552 Wheel Horse for almost the past two years now. Been a slow process but enjoying every stage of the rebuild. So far from this...

to most recently this...

 

Anyway, had a bit of trouble getting the lift lever/hood stand assembly disassembled. Soaked with PB Blaster for a long time. Still no results getting it apart.

Figured that I needed to take it to a "professional" who had more powerful persuasion tools than what I had. Took it a local Cub Cadet dealer just a couple miles from my home. Once I mentioned it was off of an old Wheel Horse tractor, he said he wouldn't touch it... wouldn't even look at it. Well, that ended our conversation rather quickly. Took it then to a farm implement dealer, specifically Wertz Farm and Power Equipment located near Lineboro, Maryland which is about 30 miles from my house. Now this area is where I grew up as a child when my dad originally purchased the 552. The technician there took it immediately and got it apart within 30 minutes. Got to talking to the old guy and he said that he lived in the area all his life and has worked at Wertz's since about 1965. I told him I grew up near there also and started talking about how I acquired my dad's tractor just a couple years ago when I had not seen it for nearly 40 years. My uncle found it two years ago and gave it to me. Well, seems this guy knew my uncle and said my uncle lives in that house over there... and he pointed across the street. I honestly did not know that. Anyway, seems this guy also worked on my grandparents farm near there when he was a lot younger like way back in the '50's. Not knowing exactly where my dad bought this Wheel Horse tractor, I asked Fred if there were any Wheel Horse dealers in this area in the early '60's. He said that this company he worked for, Wertz Farm and Power Equipment, was once a Wheel Horse dealer when the company had their location in the town of Lineboro, Md. He smiled when I showed him pics of my RJ58 and 552 and said he really liked working on the old Kohler engines but didn't care much for the Techy's as they were generally hard to start. Although, Fred said he was pretty sure that they no longer had any purchase records from the old Wheel Horse tractor sales, I am now convinced that my dad bought my 552 tractor from Wertz in Lineboro which was just a few miles from my childhood home.

 

That's my story from my little corner of the world and I'm sticking to it.

 

So, back to my resto project, just got done painting the original rear wheels off of my 552 and a couple of front wheels for my RJ58.They actually came out looking like new...

 

I was able to save the original rear tires from the 552... BF Goodrich Silvertown 6-12 turfs...

There is some cracking on these tires, but they are generally in pretty good condition considering how bad the whole tractor looked when I got her a few years ago. Got new inner tubes for it and a bottle of that black tire paint from m.e. Miller Tire Co, so we'll give it a try and see how they come out.

[KC9KAS 4,741]

Good looking restore job, and thanks for the history behind the tractor.

Oh, thanks for the photos!

[6wheeler 603]

Great story. That is going to be a nice tractor when you are done.

[AMC RULES 37,127]

Nice story, tractor looks great so far.    

So...how did Fred get the lift lever apart for you? 

[dclarke 4,032]

Nice job on your Dad's 552!   What brand are the front tires? They look good. Be sure to keep posting pics of all your progress, good luck with it.

[Tankman 3,518]

Great story, pic's and work!

Keep us posted, progress is wonderful! Looks great to date! :smile:

[Jake Kuhn 1,554]

Thats a very cool story, the 552 is looking awesome too!

[Ken B 3,164]

Nice story. Its nice to be able to know some history on our tractors, it makes them even more interesting. Fred sounds like a real cool guy, the Cub Cadet guy, not so much!

 

Your doing a great job on Dads tractor, I'm sure he is proud.

[rmaynard 15,425]

Very nice job so far. Keep us posted on your progress.

 

Looks like you had the same issue on the lift as I did on my 701. Mine took two hours of labor, an acetylene torch, and a 40 ton press.

 

While you were at Wertz's, did they let you walk around through the bone yard? They didn't have much of a selection of old horses the last time I was there, but there were a few in the back.

[JackC 617]

Great history and restoration so far.  What prep did you do and what paint did you use to get the wheels looking like new?

[VinsRJ 721]

Thanks for the read.. looks like you are on the path to a great tractor!

[Wishin4a416 2,191]

Very nice job. Lookin good.

[Lane Ranger 10,943]

The stories that with the Wheel Horse tractors are an great "EXTRA ITEM" at no cost!  Great job on restore and we are all awaiting more of your postings and pictures!

 

 

PS:  The Miller black tire paint works great and will surprise you when you see the finished job on the tires!

Edited May 10, 2013 by Lane Ranger

[WheelHorse79 271]

Those front tires look like "turf glides" that I recently put on my 854 restoration.  They are similar to the old GoodYear "All Weather" tractor tires that are no longer available, which is the reason I picked them.  Those tires have the appropriate look for '50's and early '60's LGTs.

[953 nut 55,045]

Nice story, thanks for sharing it, just having your Dad's   is great, but having an additional back story during the restoration is special!

 

[papaglide 542]

Very cool story! I enjoy hearing stories like that.....oldtimers sharing their history is very cool!

Edited May 11, 2013 by papaglide

[608KEB 795]

Great story! gonna have a nice tractor.

[cruisnblue48 835]

Ok, been busy with work and all, my pulling tractor, and other projects I am working on. So I have not had time to reply to some of the questions that were asked. I apologize. So, here goes...

 

The new front tires on my 552 I purchased about about a year ago from M.E. Miller Tire off of ebay. They are Firestone Turf Guides. Not sure if Miller still sells them... did not see them on their web site the other day. The tread is quite similar to the original tires that were on the 552 tractor. I liked the fact that they were Firestone branded and that's why I bought them because my dad liked Firestone tires. He even had one of those Firestone rubber tire ash trays that he always kept near his seat at the dinner table.

 

The lift lever was finally disassembled with torch heat and a heavy duty press which I don't have in my garage. Fred did say that the shaft was swelled from the end down about an inch or so... probably from me pounding on the end of the shaft trying to get it pushed out of the sleeve. I think I understand that instead of twisting the shaft loose to get it out, by pounding on the end I was probably making the fit of the shaft in the sleeve more and more a tighter press fit. So, the more I tried to pound or push it out, I was only making it tighter.

 

I did not ask if I could go through their bone yard to look for any old Wheel Horse tractors. I will have to do that next time I get down there.

 

Wheel prep and paint... sandblasting, a lot of hand sanding to smooth out rough spots, Rust-o-leum spray bomb primer and paint. I chose to use Rust-o-eum spray cans instead of a professional automotive paint job due to relatively low cost of spray cans at the local Wal-mart stores. I am quite comfortable and adept at using spray cans I have spray bombed lots of other projects all my life including spray painting those plastic models cars when I was a lot younger than I am today. I also use one of those squeeze trigger handle attachments that you can place on the top of spray cans, so it kind of feels like I am using a "professional" sprayer. I find using spray cans can do a really nice job if the spray technique is done properly... start and end the sweeps off of the parts being painted and allow several light coats to dry some between each coat instead of spaying on one heavy coat that has the chance to cause runs. Takes some time and lots of patience but I am proof that a spray bomb paint job can be done successfully. Besides, as long as my paint job looks good to me and lasts maybe another 20-30 years, I will be pleased.

 

And finally, I can only hope my dad would be proud of my restoration project. He passed away 20 years ago and I still miss him dearly. I do know he would probably smile some but wouldn't have much to say as he always was. When I was about 15-16 years old, he had a 1940 Dodge pick up truck that we used on the farm I grew up on. The old truck was pretty beat up but one day I asked him if I could have it and fix it up. He told me not to waste my money on the truck. He said it was junk and he wouldn't let me have it. Today, I now wish I would have stolen that old truck or taken it anyway. Sometimes, when I just sit down and look at his old Wheel Horse now and think about how beat up it was a couple years ago when I got it, I wonder if he would kick my ass for putting lots of my time and money into fixing it up. But I can honestly say that even though I have spent a lot of time and money in this project and eventually the resale value will ever only be several hundred dollars, this tractor is worth a fortune to me personally. They say everything has a price, however I wouldn't ever sell this tractor for any obscene offer... at least while I am alive to enjoy it.

 

Thanks to all you RedSquare members here on this fantastic Wheel Horse forum. I enjoy reading about your projects as well and will promise to keep you informed as I bring my dad's 1962 552 WH tractor back to its second life. Still can't wait for the day I saddle up and ride her again.

[cruisnblue48 835]

Finally got the rear tires and wheels mounted... at least I now have a roller.

 

 

 

 

The m.e. Miller tire paint came out real nice on the old rear tires... very pleased with the results. Mounted the engine last week but didn't get to take pics yet. Working now on refinishing the hood stand. The gas tank and steering wheel are ready for assembly once I get the hood stand finished. Hoping to be painting the hood stand, lift lever, hood/grill, fenders, seat, belt guard, and left side shield withing the next two weeks. The target date for me to saddle up and ride this pony for the first time in nearly 40 years is being planned on July 10, 2013.

 

 

[Lane Ranger 10,943]

Looking great!  That M.E. Miller tire paint is great stuff for those real old tires you want to keep looking good!   Great that you are taking time on this 552 project.

[Tankman 3,518]

Thanks a bunch for sharing "history." Wonderful! The restoration is nothing less than excellent!

My boys always talk 'bout the Wheel Horses they drove when they were teens. They're now in their 40's and will never ever forget. The fun and the work.

Grandsons and sons are now, always, makin' plans for my (our) next project. :smile:

[Wheel-N-It 2,968]

Good story, and thanks for the updates. Its good to keep our old iron alive, to keep us connected to where we came from. I think that connection helps us decide where we want to take ourselves in the future. I found myself to be much happier after incorporating that method of operation into my own personal life.

[Jake Kuhn 1,554]

Looks great!

[Wheel Horse Kid 105]

Awesome work! Keep going and you will have it done in no time!

[Jack Fate 7]

how much to do my wheels ? yours sure came out nice !

 

how'd you do it ?