How long have you been collecting Wheel Horses?

[Curmudgeon 28]

This is something that I've been curious about lately when the topic comes up. Just how long has this stuff been accumulating?

And I still can't say for sure. My first Wheel Horse was purchased in the mid 80's, but I wouldn't say I was collecting at that point. A few years later, I picked up my first "free" one, an RJ-58. The next one I believe to have been the 416-8, next a parts tractor I purchased at a local dealer along with an extra deck. These parts were to become the basis for my giant deck.

Now to my story. Been doing some remodeling in the house as some of you may know. Today I was shredding some old bills. Yeah, I keep receipts way beyond their useful lifespan. Among the utilities, credit cards, and Mother's Day flowers receipts for 1995, I came across another miscellaneous receipt. For a used Wheel Horse tractor with mower, and an extra 50" deck.

AHA. It's dated January 31, 1994. Still doesn't say when it all started, but this was my first big project. Almost 14 years ago, and stuff was already collecting then.

I remember hauling it out of a snow bank, the transaxle frozen solid. While it was purchased for parts, I did wind up using this tractor for some time, a 1267 named Georgette. She had a few upgrades, a muffler, a homebrewed front pulley system for the mower decks, etc.

Eventually, she was parted out, her engine now resides in Tall Girl, having never been opened up, just a new carb, tune up parts, and valve adjustments. 40 years old and ticks over good as new. NEVER been overhauled. Wonder why I like the old K-Series Kohlers. Parts of the transaxle are now in use in at least two other transaxles.

The rest as they say is history, and as I work out my own history, will try to share it here.

Dale, old, in Michigan

[Jim_M 178]

Dale,

Our stories are very similar. I bought my first Wheel Horse in 1984. A 753 with a 36" deck, (if I remember right) I mowed 2 acres with it at least once a week for 2 years until I found a C 160 with a 48" deck that I could afford. I sold the 753 because back then it was just an old lawn mower to me. I wish I would have known then what I know now.

Jim

[nylyon-(Admin) 7,294]

That is a tough question. I don't really consider myself a collector but I do have 3 so that is a small collection. In any event, there are several key dates. The first one would be October 1993 with the purchase of my 1994 416-H which served as my sole horse until November 2006 when the 414-8 came about, then the C-120 and there will be more.

I'm not sure that I am collecting at this point, although my wife would beg to differ but I do want more.

[Curmudgeon 28]

Close enough Karl, you got the bug, you want more.

Jim, how many do you have now? We started about the same time, and yes, I traded that first one, a Raider 10 with Kohler for the 416-8. Sure wish I wouldn't have now!!!!!!!!!!!

Dale

[CHARGER9AUTO 3]

The first Wheel Horse tractor I picked up was a round nose '64 854 with no attachments after that I aquired more tractors over the years . I ask myself

everyday why did I start collecting Wheel Horses . Ben

[Rollerman 290]

My first tractor that was my own was an 855 with a snow blade I bought in the mid 90's

Pushed snow with it & pulled my trailer out of a storage building I rented.

I grew up useing my dads 401 & neighbors "don't remember what model ?"

I've had several & will continue to buy more to swap & sell or add to my collection.

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,352]

I got my first, a 701, in 2000. Decided I needed a bigger one for plowin and that led me to a GT2500 with a Kohler 10hp where the Briggs used to be. Bought that one in 2001 and the fever got me good. I currently have 9 complete tractors and 2 parts machines and one 60's tractor without an engine, 6 mower decks, 2 snowchuckers, 3-42" plows, 1-48" plow and 1-54" plow. Also got a 2001 Craftsman GT-3000.

Mike.......

[Jim_M 178]

Dale,

I sold 6 D series tractors to a guy in MO in september so I have room for more now!

Right now I have a 416-H, 520-H, C-160 auto., 633, D 180, D 160, GT-14, The little Toro Wheel Horse 12/38 and a ton of misc. Wheel Horse attachments.

Then there are the oddballs... A Power King 2414, Yazoo YR-60, 1965 Toro 550, Frigidaire 18 horse automatic and a Simplicity 12LTH. I might have forgotten 1 or 2, if it's not red, it's not worth remembering.

Jim

[Rollerman 290]

A Frigid what? ....that cut grass or keep beer cool? :P

[TT-(Moderator) 1,131]

Can I tell my story too?

My first experience with my own Wheel Horse was 1991. I bought a 1984 GT1100 Workhorse from a guy at work who was fed up with it! The engine seized up on the flywheel side of the crank (good old all-aluminum Briggs!) and he sold it to me for $100 and that included the 42" SD deck and a 48" dozer blade. I pulled it apart, polished the crank (can I say that on here ?!?!? ) and cleaned up the bearing bore in the block. It served me well for three more years until I found a 1986 312A with only 243 hours on the meter! I bought it for $1500 and it had a 37" SD deck with mounted bagger, a snow thrower, chains, and wheel weights with it.

(I sold the GT to a friend and it seized up two more times for him before he finally sold it.)

I acquired a 1969 Raider 10 that was very nice (but wouldn't run) for $150 about 1995. After trying to start it one night, I saw spark jumping at the plug wire boot. The boot was removed and it started and ran like a top! That was my first "old" Wheel Horse until I bought my 400 Suburban in 2002.

Now the "herd" consists of:

1960 400 Suburban

1961 401 Suburban

1961 701 X2

1962 502

1963 633

1963 753

1964 854

1966 1056

1967 L-107 Lawn Ranger

1968 Charger 12 (tricycle front)

1968 Raider 12

1974 B-80

1979 C-161 "puller"

1990 416H

In the last few years I have sold 2 Raider 10's, a 1983 GT1142, a 1986 312A, 857, 876, 1973 12 8 speed, 1990 520 8 speed, 1970 Commando 7, 1.5 1961 551's, and a 1985 312 8 speed.

I also have a bunch of "carcasses", parts and pieces to a bunch more tractors, plus a stack of mower decks, 5 dozer blades, 1 thrower, 1 rototiller, 1 SMS 425 sickle bar mower, cultivators & MM grader blade (home built), a stash of Kohlers and parts, Including a K-90 with a schnacke recoil, 2 K-91's, a B-1290 Clinton, and.....

a partridge in a pear tree.

Forgive me if I took up too much space!

Mr. Robinson ? (so as not to get confused with the other Terry R.)

[Jim_M 178]

Stephen,

It cuts grass, but it does a better job if you're holding a cold beer.

Jim

[T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,507]

My first Wheel Horse was my C-141 Automatic which I got in July, '07. Then in August '07 I bought a 314-8. That's it so far, though I can get a free 753 if I go to Arkansas to get it.

Before then I was into JDs which having 9 at one time (I have 4 currently).

[kpinnc 12,175]

Wow, some of you have quite a few tractors!

I got my first Wheel Horse, a 310-8, in 1997. That style of tractor was the only WH I had ever paid any attention to at the time, and I had wanted one for years. I remember pricing a few new ones in the early 90's, and they were WAY out of my price range.

I found the 310 under a barn shed. It hadn't run in years, and the owner had given up on it. He had replaced the starter, battery, and the solenoid, and still couldn't get it to crank. He sold it to me for $50.

I brought it home, and cleaned the battery cables up with a wire brush. It cranked on the first try, and I mowed with it that day. I took the tractor apart, and restored it, including re-building the engine. I guess I spent 400-500 bucks in all on it. I put decals from a newer tractor on it, because the dealer I spoke with said the originals were no longer available. It's the tractor on my avatar.

A few years later, my neighbor said his son had a WH tractor he'd like to get rid of. He brought it home a few days later, and wanted $25 bucks for it. It's an 867, and I have just about finished the restore on it now as well.

My 867 was the first "older" WH I had ever seen. The quest for parts on that machine is what introduced me to all of the older tractors, and the history that is now so much fun for all of us.

Next was the 551, then the 701, then the GT1142, the Bronco 14, and finally, the Charger 10, which I picked up for my father-in-law. It seems they all came at once after the 867, but it has been a blast.

Kevin

[Brrly1 1,146]

Hello to everyone, I am going to throw my little story out there. My first experience began back in 1972 when my Dad bought his first Wheel Horse Tractor. It just happen to be a GT14, that came with a deck , snow blower, blade, 3 point with roto-tiller and a roller. It was one heck of a tractor. I would go to push the snow it just didn't know how to stop . Go out to till up the garden just turn that dirt into fine black soil just right for planting in the heart of Iowa what more could you ask for. As far as the snow blower went it was never used until I brought it home here to Ohio. The 48" deck was great mow with a lot of grass with that ol' girl even here at home. I boogied off to California in 75' but Dad kept her around and I brought it home and since then I guess my collecting started around 2002 and since then It's just been non-stop since. Right now the collection somewhat looks like this, 4-GT's -Running, 1-no motor but soon to change hopefully 16hp with maybe a loader, 3-57rj's, 2-58rj's,502 , 633, 655, 854, 3-875 1 with hyd., 1276, C-120, C-160, 500 special right now is a parts tractor but that might change plus I know I have a couple others just don't remember right now.That's my story. I just have alot of fun doing what I do and enjoy meeting the people that I have met and am looking forward to meeting more of the guys here in this group.Thanks and Have a Great Day John :D

[kj4kicks 152]

Collecting ?? Oh I don't know.... maybe 5 or 6 months. This was a one Horse town since I bought the 1077 8 years ago. It always did what I asked of it. Mowing in the summer, snow blowing in the winter. That old 1968 model year blower has been dead and revived more times than I care to remember. The one thing that always killed it was the piled up snow along the road. So I started looking for a plow. Couldn't find one nearby, so I ended up with the C160 FEL (don't ask how I justified that one) . Figured that would be good for moving snow. Then Karl convinced me (LOL) that a 520 would be an even better FEL machine, so I found a 520 about an hour from here. Now I'm up to three, so is that a collection yet? No ? OK, cuz I'm picking up a C series this week or next week that needs a motor. I found a home for the K341 from the parts tractor. My dealer also has a couple that were trade-ins. Thinking about buying those to work on, and sell at the big show.

I really liked my 1077 from the first time I fired it up. It was a well preserved original, that was in nearly new condition. From then on, I was hooked on the Horse, but never really "needed" more than one.

I was raised on a Massey Ferguson 7 that was in my family from as long ago as I can remember, until 1989. Dad rebuilt the engine (I probably wasn't much help, but I tried) when I was about 6 or 7 years old, and I've been fascinated with mechanical things ever since. It had a mower deck and a snow blade. I got in trouble a couple of times when I was a kid, for being WAY too far away from the house riding that thing around town, plowing driveways.

Ahh... memory lane......

Eldon.

[Curmudgeon 28]

Personal opinion here, with the ease of changing attachments, save for maybe the front end loader, you really don't need more than one Wheel Horse. So two represents a collection.

I also think all of us should have our wives read this thread. Each and every one of us could then say, "See!!!! You could have it worse, you could be married to HIM!"

Dale, smartin off in Michigan before he leaves for work.

[refracman 167]

Hi, my name is Steve and i am a Wheelaholic.

I guess it started with my brother who bougth a GT14 in 82. We used and abused it on his property and it showed me just how durable these beasts were.

I bougth my first WH, a C120 in 95 from my neighbor. When that finally blew up in 03 i bougth the 417xt and sold the 120. I though nothing of it and happily useing it. Until seen a gt14 at a garage sale in the spring of 04 that needed some help. Since then i have not been able to stop and have been addited to these great machines ever since.

Thanks for listening Steve