Jrblanke 857 #1 Posted July 8, 2013 Hello everyone, my name is James and I am new to Wheel Horses (and older lawn tractors in general). I was actually searching for gravely walk behind tractors when I ran accross a wheel horse and started reading about them. They are a pretty neat looking old tractor. I am trying to learn as much as I can before making a purchase (if I decide to make a purchase). I would use it mainly to cut grass, but it would also be nice to have blade to push around dirt and gravel. I am most interested in learning which tractors (if any) that I need to avoid. I am also interested in learning what items to look for when going to check out tractors that are for sale. I have found the following for sale locally and will be trying to research the differences between them as they seem to be the best priced tractors in my area. The 1057 on the left is $100 bucks, and the 800 Commando is $200. I talked with the owner of the 1057 and he stated that the tractor has run in the recent past, but lost interest when the drive belt shredded (probably from age I would guess). I am not sure if the Commando tractor comes with a mowing deck. If both tractors were in the same condition, which one would be the better tractor for mowing and general yard work? Anyways, I am looking forward to reading and learning more! Thanks, Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AMC RULES 37,130 #3 Posted July 8, 2013 Bet you could get your two hundred back from the hubcaps on the Commando. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sparky-(Admin) 21,323 #6 Posted July 8, 2013 Tough call on which would be better. The tractor on the left would have had a Kohler motor from the factory so the starter/gen Briggs is not correct for that machine and maybe a poor installation of the motor contributed to the shredded belt . The hood has been cut to squash the Briggs under it. The tractor on the right does not have the uni-drive transmission that helped make the Wheel Horse famous for its longevity. I know its an older machine and has survived this long but it would not be my first choice for hard work. If your thinking about resale value down the road....neither of them in their current condition would be desirable machines to the collector crowd (Craig is right about the set of chrome hubcaps being worth good money). Try looking for a "C" series machine from the 70's, they are good dependable machines that are easy to work on and the parts are still easy to come by. They also accept most attachments made from 1973 to the present. Just my opinions of course. Mike............ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 55,290 #7 Posted July 9, 2013 From one Tarheal to another. That 1057 has a lot to offer, the wheel weights alone are worth over $100 plus you have a deck, I would buy both of them and put the Kohler from the 800 on it, put those hub caps on Ebay and then sell the rest of the 800. The more tools you can get with the you buy the better, if you can find one with the snow plow and mower it would be worth a longer trip rather than buying a piece at a time. Good luck and keep us posted. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jrblanke 857 #8 Posted July 10, 2013 Thanks for the welcome guys! I appreciate it! Those responses were exactly what I was looking for. I think I need to sit back and learn some more before I make a purchase. There may be a few good deals that pass me by, but I think learning more about them is what I need to do in order to get the right horse for me. Just a quick follow up with the 1057: I talked with the guy who had the 1057 and he made it clear that the wheel weights were not included with the sale. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jay in nc 210 #9 Posted July 11, 2013 come on over to my house this week end & ill teach you some things about the horses.. you might be able to talk me out of one, or we can go pick one up in rockymount. i am only 20 min east of raleigh. pm me & welcome jay in nc Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jrblanke 857 #10 Posted July 15, 2013 Thanks for the offer Jay! I may take you up on that offer. Did you see the C161 that was for sale down in Sanford? It was advertised in an estate auction of a guy who owned a small engine shop. I went down to look at it. There was no deck and it was pretty much just a parts tractor. I think when I do pull the trigger on one, I will want one in running condition. I came to the realization that it would probably be a bad idea to start collecting parts tractors....before even purchasing a running one hahaha. The reason it was tempting is because it had the 16 hp engine and the 8 speed. Not sure what it sold for. James Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
