Rear End Question among others.

[6bg6ga 272]

Is there any model of Wheel Horse Tractor that has a conventional type setup like you would find in an automobile in which the engine has its crankshaft that runs front to back?  The crank drives a small transmission and has a drive shaft like a 60's automobiles which connects to a cut down miniaturized  type of Ford rear end?

 

What am I wanting to do?  I would like to find a wheel horse if they made a model that I could stretch the frame and install a straight 4 cylinder or possibly a small 6 cylinder like the old Buick Aluminum V6 they made a long time ago.

 

Practical? Probably not but I am gearing up projects for my retirement. This is one I would like to do. If they didn't make a wheel horse model is there a model that would accept a cut down narrowed Ford 9" rear?

[EricF 589]

The 5xi series was shaft driven to the axle, with the drive shaft connected to the flywheel side of the engine. I suspect the 5xi series frame might present more of a challenge to stretch, though -- it's not the simple angle-iron style of the "classic" Wheel Horse frame. Sounds like quite the project!

[Howie 892]

If I am not mistaken the V6 was cast iron and the V8 was aluminum as was the Olds 8 cylinder engine.

Used to be a pulling tractor around here with the Olds engine in it. Engines probably a little harder to

find today.

[6bg6ga 272]

The first engine in this family was introduced in 1961 for the 1962 model year Buick Special with Buick's 198 cu in (3.2 L) engine, the first V6 in an American car. Because it was derived from Buick's 215 cu in (3.5 L) aluminum V8, it has a 90° bank between cylinders and an uneven firing pattern due to the crankshaft having only three crank pins set at 120° apart, with opposing cylinders (1-2, 3-4 and 5-6) sharing a crank pin in, as do many V8 engines. The uneven firing pattern was often perceived as roughness, leading a former American Motors executive to describe it as "Rougher than a cob."

 

 

You may be right. I have seen a aluminum V6 Buick block from that era but I cannot find proof in print.  Back then there was some experimental stuff out there.

Edited May 18, 2017 by 6bg6ga

[midpack 892]

It's not Wheel Horse, but my 59 Panzer has a 46 Chrysler rear end in it...they scrounged j/y's for them when they were making them.

 

I know it's a 46 because I needed a seal for the axle. found an original out of Chicago for it. the seal is actually made of leather

[Achto 27,820]

If you can find one, a  D250 might be a good candidate. The engine sits lengthwise in them from the factory.

[stevasaurus 22,881]

The Pond Seniors are drive shaft with old model "T" or "A" rear ends.  I know the Panzers are, and maybe (not sure) Cub Cadets. 

[WVHillbilly520H 10,374]

Cub Cadets have the Farmall rear transaxle exactly like what's found on the IH Farmall Cub, the "Original" was a belt driven clutch to drive shaft before going to the direct flywheel clutch/shaft set-up, then in the 80s MTD bought them out and went aluminum vs cast iron for the housing then of course even cheaper recently, Jeff.

[Howie 892]

I had looked at the V6 years ago, thought about putting one in a Vega. I know the one I saw was cast iron. At that time did not see many of the 215ci V8's setting

around. Kind of a unique idea and I like the aluminum engine for the lower weight.

[953 nut 55,873]

Member @gulftane has a project going involving a "D" and a flathead Ford V8