800 Special ?

[Ed Kennell 39,286]

Looking at a couple horses at tomorrows auction.       One has an 8HP Briggs and a Peerless 4 speed.     I assume that makes it a 1971 800 special.

It has an electric PTO clutch,  the question is, were they factory on the 800 specials?      The other tractor is a 417 8speed.      Sorry, I didn't have a camera with me.

 

                Thanks

[JimmyJam 542]

Ed, that does sound like a 1971 800 Special. I believe the "Special"'s came with a electric PTO.

[Racinbob 11,315]

Yupper dupper, straight from the factory.

[stevasaurus 22,914]

No camera???      Ed, the shame of it. 

[Ed Kennell 39,286]

Thanks Jimmy and Bob.      Stay tuned Steve.....may have pics tomorrow.

[12 hp Kohler 1,014]

Is this action by chance at the Brad Smith Auction House in red lion if so here is a picture of the 417 8 off of there website. No pic of the 800 though, sorry.  

I want to go to that action tomorrow but have to many projects and would have to play hooky from school 

Edited January 30, 2018 by 12 hp Kohler

[JimmyJam 542]

Happy Bidding 2mor ED!!!!  

Edited January 30, 2018 by JimmyJam

[pfrederi 18,020]

Series II KT17 48" deck 8 spd ...whats not to like???  Almost as good a C-175!!

[squonk 41,664]

I would say a  " stout"  person has been on that 417 

[roadapples 6,983]

2 hours ago, squonk said:

I would say a  " stout"  person has been on that 417 

Had to be a man. No matter how "stout" a woman is, you dare not mention it..

[WHX?? 49,515]

Good luck Ed ...carry deep pockets and clean 'em out..... and please take yor camera just in case yer pockets got holes! 

......like mine!

Edited January 31, 2018 by WHX14

[wildman 205]

18 hours ago, Ed Kennell said:

Looking at a couple horses at tomorrows auction.       One has an 8HP Briggs and a Peerless 4 speed.     I assume that makes it a 1971 800 special.

It has an electric PTO clutch,  the question is, were they factory on the 800 specials?      The other tractor is a 417 8speed.      Sorry, I didn't have a camera with me.

 

                Thanks

They also built a A90 special in 1974 with the same set up only difference they used a hood from 1967 on the 1974 .Electric clutch was factory

[12 hp Kohler 1,014]

Ed were you able to wrangle either of the stallions at the auction today? 

[Ed Kennell 39,286]

OK, here's the auction update.    I knew the history on both these tractors thru a local  WH owner and a good friend.

After checking the engine numbers, @wildman had it right, It was a 1974 A90 Special.

My friend Bob had offered the PO $150 for it several weeks before the sale and he wanted $200.

So I agreed not to bid on the A90 unless Bob dropped out of the bidding.

There was a 42" dozer blade and frame that was sold before the tractor.   Bob said he was not bidding on the plow, so I bought it for $5.00.

Then the A90 was sold and  much to Bobs surprise, he bought it for $32.00.

We were celebrating our good buys and Bob asked if I would consider selling the plow as the peerless in the A90 had the special axle bracket required for mounting.

He offered me $20 and I told him I normally sell them for $100-$150, so I wouldn't sell it for $20, but he could have it for $10.

So, that's the story on the A90.     A good friend got the tractor and plow for $42, and I made $5.

 

Now for the 417-8.

 

When Bob was trying to buy the A90 prior to the sale, the PO stated it did run, but used 2 qt of oil to mow 2 acres.  The oil was black as tar and smelled of fuel.

  It turned over, but would not start the day of the sale.  I bid this one to $150 and left it go for $160.

 

So Robbie @12 hp Kohler, I didn't bring either one home, but I did help a friend  and made a new one by  loading an old cook stove for a handicapped fellow.  

He gave me a few deck parts that were laying on the cook stove he bought.

 

                 per Paul Harvey " and that's the rest of the story".

 

[WHX?? 49,515]

Question here Ed you said that A90 is a 74 but I think I see a S/G peeking out?

[Ed Kennell 39,286]

Yeah Jim, I was not at all familiar with these tractors.  That is why I started the thread.  It is a 8HP  Briggs with a S/G and the Peerless tranny.       Same set up as the 71  800 special.   I guess that is what makes it special.    It does have the newer 5 slot grill and not the 7 slot that you would expect to see on a S/G vintage engine.   I welcome any info anyone can supply to confirm the ID of this one.

[12 hp Kohler 1,014]

I didn’t know B and S were still using starter generators on there engines at that time. Do you know if it was just certain hp engines they still used them on or had they not converted yet? 

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,358]

Ed you did pretty good at the auction , made a new friend , got some free parts and an extra $5.00 in your pocket . I call that a good day.

[Ed Kennell 39,286]

Sorry Robbie, I really don't know anything about Briggs .    Both the tractors can be found in the Wheel Horse by years list and the engine numbers were a match to the 1974 A90 Special.

 

It was a good day Jim.

[WHX?? 49,515]

18 minutes ago, 12 hp Kohler said:

just certain hp engines

You got me there Robbie, I do know Kohler quit using them in mid-later '67 and 68 went to under the flywheel magnetos. One would have thought Briggs in that year would have had mags as they were considered the leader in small engine ignition/electrical methods in the day. Didn't look like a Kohler from the pic either ...engine tins wrong.  Must be the original motor if specs nos lined up? 

Perhaps @Racinbob can shed some light on it ...A-90 a "street" version of the 800?

Edited February 1, 2018 by WHX14
speeling

[Racinbob 11,315]

Sorry Jim, no can do. Every time I see a model starting with an 'A' I think vertical shaft. I had to look it up again in the manuals section. It strikes me odd that they built a, ummm, more cost effective model then slapped an electric clutch on it.

[12 hp Kohler 1,014]

   To tell the truth I didn’t know there were any of the A series that didn’t have vertical shaft engines in them.

 

 

[WHX?? 49,515]

9 minutes ago, Racinbob said:

'A' I think vertical shaft

Exactly what I thought Ed was looking at, a vertical. Was the 417 in running condition Ed?

14 minutes ago, Racinbob said:

more cost effective model

I dunno Bob had all the bells & whistles ...lights... cig lighter???

[Racinbob 11,315]

Very true. I'd be interested in seeing the retail pricing on it compared to the B-80 of the same year that had a Kohler and the Unidrive.

[Ed Kennell 39,286]

I'm with you guys.  Before I saw this tractor, Bob asked me if I was interested and described it to me as a Wheel Horse with a Briggs / Peerless. 

My comment was no, I don't deal with vertical engine tractors.

After I saw it was a horizontal shaft and had a square 5 slot hood, I became curious and got you guys involved.

The Briggs engine numbers do match up to the 1974  A90 Special  that is on the WH by years list.

I just noticed 1974 was the year AMC purchased WH and if you look at the models after that purchase, for several years,  there are a lot of odd combinations of drive trains.

Tecky, Kohler, Briggs, Vertical, Horizontal, and electric engines and I see about 12 different trannys used in 74 and 75.  

Looks like every AMC engineer had a project tractor.

 

I described the 417 above the picture Jim.   It had a rough life and the engine  was shot, but the electric lift did work and the deck was in fair shape.

  If it would have been a Hydro, I probably would have bought it.   But being an 8 speed and with a bad engine, I planned to part it out, so I stopped at $150.

  I would not be surprised if it shows up at the auction in the future. I still recall the 314 w/cab and dual thrower  that was sold 3 times in 2 years for $3600, $1800, and the last time for $1600.