PeacemakerJack 10,738 #1 Posted August 27, 2016 You guys will give me a hard time for this but the other brand of tractors that I'm partial to is IH vintage Cub Cadets (my dad was a service tech for IH back in the day!) My son wanted a dedicated plow tractor and he wanted something with twin vertical stacks. Cub didn't install a twin motor until 1979 with the intro of the KT-17 and the Onan on the red '82 series. Both are "closed engine compartment" tractors with really wide hoods. I don't know how they would look with twin stacks. WH has the transverse mounted twin which doesn't bode well for dual stacks on opposite sides of the hood. Anyway, someone built this beast out of a 1970 vintage CC 107. It has a late model 16hp Briggs Vanguard in it. It has the beefy Sundstrand hydro and AG tires already on it. I got it for less than the price of a used Vanguard. Here is Caleb with the previous owner Bryan. With no mufflers to speak of, it sounds like a small displacement Harley when running. The paint is nice although it has a few scratches and nicks from some years since it was restored which is fine for a plow tractor. I need to develop a rear lift system on it and tweak a few other items and it should be a good tractor for him. I will get a set of Tri ribs for the front and replace the plastic weights with steel ones... I'd like to find a chrome mesh that I can put around the front pipes and secure like the vintage IH 1468 big tractors. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jerry77 1,218 #2 Posted August 27, 2016 Nice tractor. ! I had the IH original 1962 cub cadet years ago - was a very sturdy tractor that I use for plowing - Ebay has a wide assortment of perforated ss metal that is easy to fashion into covers for the pipes....inexpensive too...good luck with that.. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KC9KAS 4,741 #3 Posted August 27, 2016 @PeacemakerJack OK, we will forgive you and your son! Looks like a very nice garden tractor and should do a really good job plowing. Hope your son enjoys his new machine! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PeacemakerJack 10,738 #4 Posted August 27, 2016 Thanks guys. I'll definitely pursue the lead for the perforated steel. The Original was a classic tractor capable of much more than its 7hp motor indicated. Do you still have it? The he biggest challenge with this tractor will be the rear lift. As I've studied it over further, I've come to realize that the well made aluminum fuel tank is under the seat right in the spot where the stock IH third arm would go to lift the Brinly adapter. . So, I'm gonna have to start from the ground up with that part of the lift system. I have lots of ideas floating around in my brain but we will see what is actually feasible. My leading idea yet the most complicated, would be to install the ported hydro that I have, run a remote hydraulic controller, then install female remotes just below the tank. Then fabricate a heavy hitch with mounting points for a short throw ram to lift the rear hitch attachments. I'll keep you posted on what I do... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jerry77 1,218 #5 Posted August 27, 2016 I traded the cub in on a new 1989 312-8 and then traded that in for a new 1996 314-8 ...wish I still had the cub for pushing snow - hard to believe it was only 7hp - but it had the skinny tires with chains and really did a good job....wasn't much for grass cutting tho - only thing I have now is a 1988 516h - real good shape and does all I need it to do - wanted to spruce it up, so I bought some ss sheet from ebay- 20 bucks and formed it around a 3 " pipe for the muffler - looks sharp . I wish I could remember how my cub was fabricated to use a brinley plow with but it has been too many years - had it done by a friend and best I remember it had a solid bar that attached to the lift handle and ran back over the rear axle to the plow - my 62 didn't have fenders , so it was easy for him to make..just had a guide at the rear to align it for picking up the plow..used it to plow my 1/4 acre garden and for plowing out potatos....be sure to post your progress...that will be a fun project and your son will learn a lot - especially how to make things and making do with what you have...important lessons for young men.... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PeacemakerJack 10,738 #6 Posted August 28, 2016 Jerry--that was a great post! There are so many good things there. First--sounds like you had several really nice gear slammers and now you have an awesome 516H. If you have checked my profile, you'll see that I have a 314-8. I really like that tractor. It is easily one of my favorites. My cousin has the legendary 520H and I've had the privilege of cutting with that a few times. Very nice machine. I'm going to hunt around the forum for a pic of your 516H. If I can find one great, if not, I'd love to have you post one here so I can see what you did with your muffler. Next--those old tractors did a LOT with a little! I owned a '62 original about 4 years ago. I got sidetracked on some other projects and ended up selling it to a guy who was going to restore it with his 14 year old son. I'm very familiar with those tractors. I can wait to own a little round hood someday. I think it will be quite similar to those original Cubs. Extremely durable yet simple machines. Do you have any old pictures of your cub working that garden? That would be sweet I'm sure. Finally--- ..be sure to post your progress...that will be a fun project and your son will learn a lot - especially how to make things and making do with what you have...important lessons for young men.... 14 hours ago, Jerry77 said: I can't say enough good about this last part of the post. This is exactly the reason that I have one tractor for each of my kids and we will restore their tractor when they are about 14. I want them to do much of the work themselves--not only to appreciate it more, but also to learn by getting their hands dirty. I also liked what you had to say about making do with what you have. We live in a commercialized society where it seems like no one is content with what they have... I'll be sure to keep the updates coming complete with photos! Thanks for the encouragement Jerry! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jerry77 1,218 #7 Posted August 28, 2016 Jack - I'm not very good with computers and pix- my son will visit in a few weeks and I'll have him help me post some pix- don't have one of the cub plowing - only one after painting etc..I'll get a good one of the muffler shroud on the 516 and a couple of other shots...appreciate your kind comments - raised my sons to know their way around tools and to use their imagination when repairing stuff - they are both capable of repairing just about anything - mostly I gave them guidance and had them do the stuff themselves - with the help of a lot of tools ( lol )..only thing I couldn't get them interested in was welding ..oh well...I really like your attitude about getting your kids heavily involved in their projects..that will pay off for them in time...enjoy your time with your son - it goes in a hurry 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wishin4a416 2,191 #8 Posted August 28, 2016 I like those older cubs Very nice!!!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
