56 years later !

[formariz 11,988]

I realized while sitting on the old girl for all of these hours this year, how much more enjoyable mowing the lawn is with her. Although I have other tractors and a professional mower that do it much faster, i like this one more. Call me crazy but somehow doing it this slow with her, it gives me a feeling of calm and peacefulness that I don't get with others. Perhaps because she is from a very different time period when life was much simpler and not so hurried, while using her it brings me back to that period and state of mind. I think while mowing of that Wheelhorse Suburban advertisement with the happy guy mowing and waving to the onlooking neighbors. That is pretty much what is going on here.

Edited June 2, 2017 by formariz

[WHX?? 49,116]

Your either gonna make me or put a deck back on the 401

[AMC RULES 37,134]

 Is that you Cas?  

[formariz 11,988]

Actually this one, right model, greener grass and better looking neighbor.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 3, 2017 by formariz

[rdeanrj58 68]

I know exactly what you mean formariz .  Slower,simpler times suit me better too . Mowing with the 653 takes much longer and doesn't do as good a job as my Ford but it is so much more relaxing.  Yeah, Wheelhorses take me back to a much simpler time.   I guess that's why I like them 

[Texas Todd 1,025]

On 5/24/2017 at 11:03 AM, formariz said:

Thanks Ken and everyone for the nice comments. She is sweet and tough. One acre of lawn every three days! Some guy believed in her so much he even signed his name on it.

I decided to give your tractor a rest this year since I missed the old girl so much and she was just jealous looking at the stud having all the fun.

It's not everyday you see a Cecil Pond autographed edition!  

[hm12460 53]

Even the $10,000 and above garden tractor's aren't built to last 50 years.

[formariz 11,988]

So she is still going strong mowing about one acre twice per week. Had to do some maintenance and improvements and she is better than ever.

 

Old original tires finally succumbed to age and the effects of being filled with calcium early in her life and had to be replaced. I had the RJ wheels on her for a week and actually liked them better than the flat top tires so I got Firestone Turf guides and they look and work great. Had to do substantial welding on wheels to plug all the rust holes from the calcium. Liked the black color from the RJ so black they are. Sealed bearings so no more greasing of wheels.

 

Fuel starvation once tank was at half way was a constant problem on my hilly place, so I installed a Facett fuel pump and filter. Now she can mow to last drop and engine much more consistently. Pump can be switched on and off and this one will allow fuel through in the off position also. Fits perfectly on HL-5 mounting bolts.

 

 

Already some time back I added a simple and adjustable fuel tank support so tank can be filled to capacity without bowing and eventually cracking hood.

 

 

Front wheels were really all over the place from the worn tie rod bar and also the greaseable bolts with it. So instead of just making a new bar and having same problem eventually, I tacked sealed ball bearings to bar and used a grade 8 bolt with Teflon washers in between everything. No more greasing this area and wheels ride solid and straight.

 

 

 

Found a good supply of NOS blades really cheap so I wiped the guy's supply clean.

 

 

Original and correct air filters are hard to come by but I discovered that the more commonly available Clinton air filter is a perfect fit for it so I got a good supply of those and just save the originals .

 

 

Added an extension to oil draining plug pretty much like on Black hoods so draining oil is easy even with deck on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next improvements will be an additional heat shield to direct hot air flow from engine away from my right leg and a simple compact umbrella for sunny days.