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cschannuth

Oddball C-161

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SylvanLakeWH

Nice looking!!! Good job keeping her clean!!!

 

I love my C105. Trying to get more interest in the black hoods as well. See my "A Modest Proposal..." post from yesterday in Non-Tractor Related Discussions...

 

Not sure why, but the black hoods do almost seem like second class citizens???... Checking out the pics from the Big Show for instance - very few black hoods...could just be focus on older models or the show theme - customs - or just fewer of them? but it struck me as pretty obvious.

 

No big deal to me - I think they are all pretty cool...

 

I will look forward to folks' thoughts...

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JERSEYHAWG /  Glenn

I like it. Clean looking, very nice. You do it justice.

 

Glenn

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userj8670

Those headlights and grille make it look like a transformer lol

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Horse46

They used to be my least favourite, but nowadays I just like them all.

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JPWH

Very nice looking tractor. I like the black hoods second to the round hoods. My favorite is the round hoods with the small fenders. The c 161 is next on my bucket list.

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Wheel-N-It

That's a nice example of a Block Hood Wheel Horse! Any more pics you can share with us???

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cschannuth
5 hours ago, Wheel-N-It said:

That's a nice example of a Block Hood Wheel Horse! Any more pics you can share with us???

 

Here's a few more. Sorry some are side ways. I'll send a few more in a bit. 

image.jpegimage.jpegimage.jpeg

 

 

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Racinbob

I believe that is a 1978. The first of the black hoods and my favorite. The black hoods that year were twins and they also had a 78 C-161 single with a square hood. The dash is the same as the square hoods of the era with a black hood. After that they went to the flat angled dash. You have a beautiful example. :)

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cschannuth
46 minutes ago, Racinbob said:

I believe that is a 1978. The first of the black hoods and my favorite. The black hoods that year were twins and they also had a 78 C-161 single with a square hood. The dash is the same as the square hoods of the era with a black hood. After that they went to the flat angled dash. You have a beautiful example. :)

 

Thanks.  It is a '78 and dad took very good care of it. The only down side is dad touched up a few areas of the paint with a rattle can over the years. Unfortunately (or fortunately since it's still in good shape), he was more concerned with protecting the metal than he was about a nice paint job. So the paint's a little blotchy but he did it so I'm going to leave it that way.  It's not perfect but from 20' with the new decals it's hard to tell. 

 

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Racinbob
12 minutes ago, cschannuth said:

 

Thanks.  It is a '78 and dad took very good care of it. The only down side is dad touched up a few areas of the paint with a rattle can over the years. Unfortunately (or fortunately since it's still in good shape), he was more concerned with protecting the metal than he was about a nice paint job. So the paint's a little blotchy but he did it so I'm going to leave it that way.  It's not perfect but from 20' with the new decals it's hard to tell. 

 

 

I think you're doing the right thing. Not blotchy but fond memories. :)

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WheelHorseNut
13 hours ago, Horse46 said:

They used to be my least favourite, but nowadays I just like them all.

 

I agree with you -- I wasn't a big fan but now I really like them.

 

cschannuth - You have a really nice tractor there.  Looks nice and mean!  Keeping the memories alive!

 

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elliot ness

Great looking tractor, I love the black hoods, I live north of you about 1hr. if you need a place to store it.:bow-blue:

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cschannuth
48 minutes ago, elliot ness said:

Great looking tractor, I love the black hoods, I live north of you about 1hr. if you need a place to store it.:bow-blue:

 

Haha. If I bring home another horse I might need to take you up on that "storage" offer. 

 

Craig

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kudzu3

Very nice! If you don't mind my asking, What was it used for? It obviously has been cared for.

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Wishin4a416

Very nice clean tractor!!

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Wheel-N-It

Thank you for sharing the extra pics. It looks to be very well cared for. Just the way I like it!

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cschannuth
1 hour ago, kudzu3 said:

Very nice! If you don't mind my asking, What was it used for? It obviously has been cared for.

 

Thanks. It mowed in the summer and pushed snow in the winter. Now I use it to tow a roller, spreader, aerator, and various trailers. They stay pretty clean when you don't cut grass. 

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Aldon

Not sure if this is what your looking for but there were issues with Kohler. I seem to recall that for some Q/A reason the engines had to be sourced from B&S. The metal hood did not fit properly so they did up fiberglass hood. Not sure why they did not use the same lens cover as the other black hoods...When issues at Kohler were resolved the resumed using them and metal hood. I happen to really like the twin Briggs c-161 I have. But sourcing parts for aging wheel horses is hard enough and these are harder yet. I may still tackle a restoration of sorts. Yours is in extremely nice condition.

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c-series don

Well I have to say I'm lucky enough to have inherited a C-161 twin automatic,and also have a C-161 automatic all original that I will mow with tomorrow and a fully restored C-161 8 speed. Gotta love those 78-79 's. Yours looks great! 

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cschannuth
8 hours ago, Aldon said:

Not sure if this is what your looking for but there were issues with Kohler. I seem to recall that for some Q/A reason the engines had to be sourced from B&S. The metal hood did not fit properly so they did up fiberglass hood. Not sure why they did not use the same lens cover as the other black hoods...When issues at Kohler were resolved the resumed using them and metal hood. I happen to really like the twin Briggs c-161 I have. But sourcing parts for aging wheel horses is hard enough and these are harder yet. I may still tackle a restoration of sorts. Yours is in extremely nice condition.

 

Thanks. That definitely explains some of the differences. 

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kudzu3

I always thought the black hood was to reduce glare from bright sunshine, but I have nothing to base that on, just seemed to make sense.

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wh500special

The glass hood was needed to provide enough space for the twin cylinder engine that was supposed to go into the planned 1978 c-171.  Unfortunately Kohler kind of blew it with the reliability of the KT-17 engine and wheel horse was fortunate enough to find out in advance.  Deere and simplicity and others weren't so lucky and had lots more engine failures than wheelhorse did by waiting two more years.  Hence the Briggs twin as a substitute.  

 

Somebody needs to ask Ed from toro next time the see him if he recalls whether the c-171 was supposed to have a steel hood of the black hood. style.   I bet it was ready but the exhaust on the Briggs required a short deadline redesign.  Just postulating.  

 

Briggs makes great engines.  They just don't have the popularity of the Kohler.  All the manufacturers have misses once in a while, kohler gave us the KV's, the KT series ones, and the Triads...

 

Eventually kohler claimed to have the problems resolved, so the c-175 debuted with the KT two years later.  By that time I guess they decided a full overhaul was needed so hung the bigger sheetmetal hood across the line. 

 

The glass hood was also used in a slightly modified version on the e-141 electric tractor.   

 

It crossed my mind just now that Wheel Horse had an history of introducing new styling gradually and on oddball models: the 1045, the C-161 twins, the 1980's Work Horses...

 

I think the twin cylinder c-161 is a real "milestone" model since it was the first twin cylinder tractor built on the classic chassis.   They're a nice machine.  And yours looks great.  I think you need another one.   :) 

 

Steve

 

 

Edited by wh500special
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cschannuth
2 hours ago, wh500special said:

The glass hood was needed to provide enough space for the twin cylinder engine that was supposed to go into the planned 1978 c-171.  Unfortunately Kohler kind of blew it with the reliability of the KT-17 engine and wheel horse was fortunate enough to find out in advance.  Deere and simplicity and others weren't so lucky and had lots more engine failures than wheelhorse did by waiting two more years.  Hence the Briggs twin as a substitute.  

 

Somebody needs to ask Ed from toro next time the see him if he recalls whether the c-171 was supposed to have a steel hood of the black hood. style.   I bet it was ready but the exhaust on the Briggs required a short deadline redesign.  Just postulating.  

 

Briggs makes great engines.  They just don't have the popularity of the Kohler.  All the manufacturers have misses once in a while, kohler gave us the KV's, the KT series ones, and the Triads...

 

Eventually kohler claimed to have the problems resolved, so the c-175 debuted with the KT two years later.  By that time I guess they decided a full overhaul was needed so hung the bigger sheetmetal hood across the line. 

 

The glass hood was also used in a slightly modified version on the e-141 electric tractor.   

 

It crossed my mind just now that Wheel Horse had an history of introducing new styling gradually and on oddball models: the 1045, the C-161 twins, the 1980's Work Horses...

 

I think the twin cylinder c-161 is a real "milestone" model since it was the first twin cylinder tractor built on the classic chassis.   They're a nice machine.  And yours looks great.  I think you need another one.   :) 

 

Steve

 

 

 

That's great insight, Steve. Thanks so much. As far as another, I hope someday to see what you might have in mind...

 

Thanks again,

Craig

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