Building a 1961 hot rod tractor

[cruisnblue48 835]

I picked up this, what was left of a 1961 model 551 Wheel Horse, out of a wooded lot about two years ago. This was a local c-list find for $75. She was pretty much a basket case left for dead in the woods but I really wanted the square pan seat for my dad's 1962 restoration project. The seat you see in the first pic is now on my dad's restored 1962 502 Wheel Horse that I have shown in my avatar. Everything was rust locked solid on this tractor. The transaxle/drive pulley/brake drum does not rotate even though the gear shift is in the neutral position and won't go into any gear.

 

 

Found a lot of issues to fix including three holes being busted out of the transaxle mounting flange on the back of the main frame...

 

 

 

I was pretty much undecided what to do with it until I saw a 1961 Wheel Horse hot rod tractor at the big show this past June. That was all the inspiration I needed. So, I have since started tearing the poor thing down and am building what will become my one-of-a-kind 1961 Wheel Horse hot rod tractor. I have been working on the front end and have painted everything so far in metallic black paint...

 

 

You can't see the metal flake in the black paint in the pics but up close, it really looks cool. I have mounted 10 x 4.5 x 5 quarter midget wheels/tires on front and installed a racing go-kart steering wheel so far...

 

 

Next, gotta work on disassembling the transaxle to figure out what the problem with this is...

 

Edited October 4, 2014 by cruisnblue48

[AMC RULES 37,125]

Dig the paint.  

[Geno 1,929]

This aughtta be cool. 

[19richie66 17,497]

I like the front wheel & tire set up and the black looks good.Nothing wrong with a hot rod!

[Sean Keys 57]

I just bought a 1960 that looks like that did. Its pretty rough. I don't know what I will do with it. Hopefully restore it.

[51Chevy 66]

This is my suburban rat rod I put a high and lo trans in it did a pully swap and I changed the exhaust since this picture. And I also put airhorns and cragars on it.

[AMC RULES 37,125]

  As seen here, opposite Dave's "Wildfire"...

which were both featured in Wild Bill's first annual, 2014   Crackle fest.  

 

Edited October 28, 2014 by AMC RULES

[Ken B 3,164]

Cool video Craig.. I saw my son on his Suburban hanging around the Crackle Fest.. Oh, and I caught Ole Stevebo ridin around on a cute little Lawn Ranger...

[AMC RULES 37,125]

Yep, and the little Stevebo(Brendon).      

I forgot our Neil, and Wallfish(John)were in there too. 

[Geno 1,929]

There's a lot of cool tractors in that vid.   

[AMC RULES 37,125]

Yeah...    

cuz they're all  . 

[cruisnblue48 835]

51chevy, I really like your suburban rat rod. For some reason, these Wheel Horse Suburbans really look sharp as hot rod versions. Another one that caught my eye at the Big Show was this purple Suburban...

 

 

I apologize for not remembering who owns this one, but I'm leaning towards painting the sheet metal on mine in candy apple red. Wonder what Cecil and Elmer Pond thought of their old horses being turned into hot rod tractors.   Does anyone know???

[neil 2,409]

Great vid Craig , & you managed to get me in the vid shaking your hand

[51Chevy 66]

Candy red would look cool, one day that's how I want to build one and with pearl white rims.... To now with my new exhaust it has a muffler but I want to put a chrome straight pipe on it. What are you doing for rear rims?

[Pullstart 62,734]

I like that onan powered round hood with the wide front!  anyone have any info on that creation?

[Jparkes43 329]

This wI'll be awesome

James

[squonk 41,010]

All I know is you guys were making so much noise that I had a tough time trying to buy a tractor!  Nothing like not being able to hear if the engine had a knock! 

[cruisnblue48 835]

Getting back on my 1961 hot rod tractor build. Just got the 5007 transaxle disassembled. Not pretty inside the case.  It's no wonder everything was locked up, lots of hardened gunk stuck in the gear teeth. This is my first transaxle tear down so I am hoping this will all clean up good with no major part failures discovered.

Edited June 11, 2015 by cruisnblue48

[AMC RULES 37,125]

  YUK! 

[mels 174]

Man, what are you talking about?  That'll buff right out!

[RedRanger 1,468]

Looks like the Titanic.

[cruisnblue48 835]

I know this is a year old thread, but I want to continue the rebuild history here rather than start a new topic thread. Ok, I am getting the itch to get back on my hot rod project after having it sit most of the summer. Going to look at some 14" Cragar wheels tomorrow. I have been seriously thinking about "stretching" this frame about 4". I am thinking that with larger than normal rear wheels and tires on my Suburban, I would have more space for a "larger" engine having more horse power   and also give it a cooler looking stance being when it gets transformed into a hot rod tractor.

So, my question is... Have any of you Wheel Horse junkies ever "stretched" the frame on a Suburban? What does yours look like? Where would be the best place to put the splice in the frame? Is 4" too much, not enough, just right? Need to know if anyone else had done this before I put a saw to frame rails.

Edited November 7, 2015 by cruisnblue48

[Brian01 481]

How big of a engine you wanting to out on it? I don't know bout suburbans, but I have an RJ58 that I put an 8hp Briggs on, fit right on and bolted up, no problem...if you're looking for "faster" just change your pulleys. I personally wouldnt stretch the frame on one, in case one day "someone" wants to take it back to original. 

Edited November 7, 2015 by Brian01

[cruisnblue48 835]

Thanks for the response, Brian. I'd like to get up to maybe 10-14 hp in there... haven't found the engine I want yet.  I wouldn't do this to a perfectly "good" 1961 Wheel Horse, of course. This particular tractor was left in the woods for dead and she was in really, really poor condition when I saved her. There was so much to "fix" with what I started with. It took me two years after I bought it to decide that I would rather rebuild it into something different "one of a kind" than your typical Suburban. Besides, after I get done with it, no one will ever dare to want to restore it to "original" condition, ha! 

Edited November 7, 2015 by cruisnblue48

[Brian01 481]

lol its your baby, you rock it. Can't wait to see all the pic's!