1975 Wheelhorse C-100 Restoration

[LengerichKA88 1,883]

34 minutes ago, DevonianHorse said:

Thanks! I am really happy with how it came out

I’m actually kinda liking the black frame, makes it pop kinda like the black hoods do. 

[DevonianHorse 271]

6 minutes ago, KyleLengerich said:

I’m actually kinda liking the black frame, makes it pop kinda like the black hoods do. 

Thanks- when I first repainted the Wheelhorse, I didn't actually know that Wheelhorses had red frames, this is when I was a teenager and before I used the internet much, and I got most of my lawn tractor news from brochures from the garden machinery shop where I got the Wheelhorse from. I got on well with the owner and he knew I liked to read them. And ever since, it has kind of stuck in these colours. I like that it makes it unique 

[DevonianHorse 271]

I was going through some old photo albums and I found some more photographs from 2004   

 

Edited February 14, 2019 by DevonianHorse

[Pullstart 62,878]

What does the number set on the front axle mean?

[PeacemakerJack 10,738]

Good job on the restoration!  I love the old pictures and reading the history of this tractor as it is connected to you.  The old pictures of it all blacked out reminds me of my plow tractor and @Stormin‘s plow tractor. The black frame is a cool touch and sets of the red sheet metal. I like it

 

Well done and thanks for sharing!

[DevonianHorse 271]

6 hours ago, pullstart said:

What does the number set on the front axle mean?

This photo is from when I was in secondary school/high school, and my friend made me faux licence/number plates for the Wheelhorse, it is based on an in-joke from the time from Italian class (none of us were very good at learning other languages)  So it's nothing technical- there was one on the back differential done in the style of a US number plate with some of the Wheelhorse's info on, too. I think I still have them somewhere. 

 

2 hours ago, PeacemakerJack said:

Good job on the restoration!  I love the old pictures and reading the history of this tractor as it is connected to you.  The old pictures of it all blacked out reminds me of my plow tractor and @Stormin‘s plow tractor. The black frame is a cool touch and sets of the red sheet metal. I like it

 

Well done and thanks for sharing!

Thanks! I agree about your tractor and Stormin's  It's fun revisiting old memories of the Wheelhorse  I used to spend my pocket money on petrol, and so many summer's days as a kid were spent with my friends (and border collie who is now 15 ) doing convoys with the Wheelhorse and my grandfather's Lawnflite.

 

[DevonianHorse 271]

Hi all, I hope everyone is well here. There are some updates with the Wheelhorse. Firstly my grandfather got me some rear chevrons as a birthday/Christmas present Living on Dartmoor in England it is very damp especially this time of year, and getting stuck can be easy so the new "shoes" help the Horse a lot

Also my friend West and I fabricated a custom bracket for a front LED light. I have never actually had front lights other than a side-light that was once on it, and wanted to keep the original Wheelhorse look but be able to drive back to the garage in the dark after bonfires or cutting logs etc in the woods. I am really happy with the results and it throws out plenty of light.

I also installed the rear light which I used to have on the Wheelhorse over a decade ago.

Finally the Horse was used to get some furnature to the house when the driveway was too slippery for a delivery van earlier this year.

 

[Stormin 9,981]

 Looks very nice and I like the light mod.

 

Is the Land Rover in the back ground a Stage 1 V8?

[DevonianHorse 271]

37 minutes ago, Stormin said:

 Looks very nice and I like the light mod.

 

Is the Land Rover in the back ground a Stage 1 V8?

Thank you!

Almost- it's known as a Stage 2 by Land Rover enthusiasts (1983 and 84 model), it's technically a 110 County but still has Series windows and doors, and the same 4 speed gearbox as an early Range Rover. My one in the photo is called the Brownie and is being refurbished soon

[Stormin 9,981]

42 minutes ago, DevonianHorse said:

 it's known as a Stage 2 by Land Rover enthusiasts (1983 and 84 model), it's technically a 110 County but still has Series windows and doors, and the same 4 speed gearbox as an early Range Rover. My one in the photo is called the Brownie and is being refurbished soon

 

Thought it was. I've had several Landies. All the series ones upto 90. Last LR was a Td5 Discovery.

[DevonianHorse 271]

Ok I found this photo of my friend on the Horse and couldn't resist posting it here  

 

[DevonianHorse 271]

My Grandfather who was an influence in me getting the Wheelhorse and a massive part of my interest in mechanics and lawn tractors sadly passed away peacefully a couple of months ago at almost 90. He always had photos of all his grandchildren above his fireplace, and my mother gave me the photo he had of me- taken back when I was 14 in 2005 (earlier in the thread I said I was 15 when I got the Horse but I must have actually been 14). 

 

 

I should probably put up a couple of more recent pictures of me and the Horse, so here's some taken around February this year:

 

 

The last gift he ever gave me were the chevron tyres in the photo. I'll certainly miss him, he was such a kind guy, but he's with my grandmother now who passed away in 2012. Hope the post isn't too morbid- I don't intend it to be, just my way of saying thanks, I'll always be grateful for all he did for me and taught me. Hope everyone reading is well! 

Edited June 15, 2021 by DevonianHorse

[DevonianHorse 271]

Hi all, I wondered if anyone could help me out with the age of the Wheelhorse. Recently I was told C-100's had a tool box in 1975, however mine does not have one. I am not sure how to work out the date from the serial code. I always believed this was 1975, but maybe I am wrong!  

 

http://image_50402561 by Jonathan Saxon, on Flickr

 

[Blasterdad 2,692]

71- stands for 1977

According to this list 71-10K801 is listed as a 1977 B-100. ( yours doesn't have 01 after the 8 ).

I don't think that is correct though, the ones made in Belgium are probably different from this list. ( American list ) ?

 

[Blasterdad 2,692]

Just a thought, the "B" series had 10 inch back wheels, whereas the "C" series had 12 inch back wheels, what size are yours?

[DevonianHorse 271]

5 minutes ago, Blasterdad said:

71- stands for 1977

According to this list 71-10K801 is listed as a 1977 B-100. ( yours doesn't have 01 after the 8 ).

I don't think that is correct though, the ones made in Belgium are probably different from this list. ( American list ) ?

 

 

Thank you for the information. I would be quite surprised if it was a B-100, since it had original C-100 decals (they were painted over in black as in some pictures on this thread, but I did manage to see that they said C-100 on them when I restored it). I think the year could well be 1977, as I did read that the first number in a serial number is the model year. It would also explain the lack of a tool box. Thus the title of this thread is incorrect haha. But I wonder if the Belgium numbers are different. I think the lack of a "0" at the end of the list means it wasn't produced in the US, which makes sense.

[Pullstart 62,878]

On 1/22/2023 at 11:21 AM, DevonianHorse said:

Thus the title of this thread is incorrect haha

It’s far too late for you to edit your own topic.  You may be able to have @admin update the title to reflect how you’d like however.  

[Lee1977 6,659]

On 1/22/2023 at 11:15 AM, Blasterdad said:

Just a thought, the "B" series had 10 inch back wheels, whereas the "C" series had 12 inch back wheels, what size are yours?

Not in 1976 and 1977 the B had 12" rear wheels with and 8 speed transmission. There was some odd things doing on in 1973 and 1974 with the B's. 

Edited January 30, 2023 by Lee1977

[Blasterdad 2,692]

10 minutes ago, Lee1977 said:

Not in 1976 and 1977 the B had 12" rear wheels with and 8 speed transmission. There was some odd things doing on in 1973 and 1974 with the B's. 

Good to know, thanks...

[DevonianHorse 271]

Seems that I will just have to go by the decals which did seem to be completely original and said C-100, and assume it is C series. Doesn't matter either way though, I have so many memories with this one that it will always be my favourite

[ebinmaine 67,498]

On 2/23/2023 at 4:16 PM, DevonianHorse said:

it will always be my favourite

Just meandered  through this thread. 

Good read. 

Thanks for sharing your times and mods on this tractor. 

It was my Grampa that got me the most involved with Garden tractors as well. 

 

I'll be looking forward to more....

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,498]

On 1/22/2023 at 11:15 AM, Blasterdad said:

Just a thought, the "B" series had 10 inch back wheels, whereas the "C" series had 12 inch back wheels, what size are yours?

 

On 1/30/2023 at 8:36 AM, Lee1977 said:

Not in 1976 and 1977 the B had 12" rear wheels with and 8 speed transmission. There was some odd things doing on in 1973 and 1974 with the B's. 

 

On 1/30/2023 at 8:47 AM, Blasterdad said:

Good to know, thanks...

 

The 73 "No name" 8 and 10 HP tractor could have either 10" or 12" rear wheels depending on original owner and/or dealer options. 

4 speed or 8 speed transmissions were available. 

 

74 and 75 were the years Wheelhorse used a slightly shorter "mid-length" frame  on the B series and they ONLY had 4 speed manual transmissions available as factory. 

 

76 and 77 the B and C Series were the 12" rear wheel, same Long frame, same 8 speed transmission. Differences were in lighting, seating and steering wheel options. 

 

78 and later the B series was a lawn mower. Not a Garden Tractor. 

[Lee1977 6,659]

 Wheel base  41.5",for the short frame RJ and number series. 43.5" wheel base for the mid length frame some models 1973,1974 and maybe 1975, my guess is they were 4 speeds.. The wheel base on the long frame is 45.5"  I haven't see frame lengths posted any where.

Wheel Horse made one run of 1975 C-100 8 speeds.

[ebinmaine 67,498]

26 minutes ago, Lee1977 said:

43.5" wheel base for the mid length frame some models 1973,1974 and maybe 1975, MY GUESS IS THEY WERE 4 SPEEDS

 

Agreed. 

 

Those would have been the 1974 and 1975 B80 4 speeds. 

 

I don't know the models in 73. 

[DevonianHorse 271]

On 2/26/2023 at 12:27 PM, ebinmaine said:

 

 

 

The 73 "No name" 8 and 10 HP tractor could have either 10" or 12" rear wheels depending on original owner and/or dealer options. 

4 speed or 8 speed transmissions were available. 

 

74 and 75 were the years Wheelhorse used a slightly shorter "mid-length" frame  on the B series and they ONLY had 4 speed manual transmissions available as factory. 

 

76 and 77 the B and C Series were the 12" rear wheel, same Long frame, same 8 speed transmission. Differences were in lighting, seating and steering wheel options. 

 

78 and later the B series was a lawn mower. Not a Garden Tractor. 

 

Super late (sorry didn't see your replies before) but thanks, this is really interesting!

 

It has inspired me to do some research and it seems that the Belgium made Wheelhorses frequently used "71-10K8" for tractors branded as a "C-100" in 1977, even though as far as I understand the C-100 was no longer produced in the US in 1977. I have also heard of this serial number being used for Raider 10s in 1977, as well. I could be wrong but from what I have read in previous posts here and on My Old Machine forum is that my Wheelhorse is by specs a 1977 Wheelhorse B-100, but it was sold as a C-100 in the UK.