502 restoration

[DerekMorrissey 18]

So I had acquired a 502 a couple of years ago in what appeared to be near perfect condition but through later inspection I found it had been repainted and seems to have a different engine the tag reads ht55a instead of ht55c and my throttle cable does not reach to the factory location, Would anyone know where I can get a new throttle cable and tell me why it would be a ht55a?

[WHX?? 48,721]

 Derek

 

My sources say a HT55C-3088 should have been correct from the factory for a 502 but in 56 years who know what could have been done and nobody but God and a PO knows why a different motor has been put in. Most likely might have been a dealer motor swap given Tecumseh's reputation in the day.

The 502 should have the small style non locking cables mounted on the dash. To stay close to original take a look at these cables. https://www.kaiserwillys.com/engraved-throttle-cable-assembly-in-black-fits-46-66-cj-2a-3a-3b-5

I have never gotten them but other fellas say it is close.

 

Other wise there are these http://www.psep.biz/store/toro_mower_cables.htm which is what I used on a 702. these are the same cables used on mid 60's models with the larger locking knobs.

 

 

[DerekMorrissey 18]

8 minutes ago, WHX20 said:

 Derek

 

My sources say a HT55C-3088 should have been correct from the factory for a 502 but in 56 years who know what could have been done and nobody but God and a PO knows why a different motor has been put in. Most likely might have been a dealer motor swap given Tecumseh's reputation in the day.

The 502 should have the small style non locking cables mounted on the dash. To stay close to original take a look at these cables. https://www.kaiserwillys.com/engraved-throttle-cable-assembly-in-black-fits-46-66-cj-2a-3a-3b-5

I have never gotten them but other fellas say it is close.

 

Other wise there are these http://www.psep.biz/store/toro_mower_cables.htm which is what I used on a 702. these are the same cables used on mid 60's models with the larger locking knobs.

 

 

Thanks yea the fella that has seem to "restored" it last must have been one of those guys that thought he new everything about being a mechanic and I'm wondering if he got a replacement engine tag and told them the wrong numbers or something, but I'll definitely check out those cables.

[RandyLittrell 3,877]

You have to remember, most people that "restore" things take them apart and paint them and call it restored. A true restoration means taking it to the condition it was when it left the assemble line or the dealership. Most "restorations" are far nicer than when it was new! 

 

The person you bought it from probably thought he was doing just that. 

 

 

 

 

 

Randy

[DerekMorrissey 18]

6 minutes ago, RandyLittrell said:

You have to remember, most people that "restore" things take them apart and paint them and call it restored. A true restoration means taking it to the condition it was when it left the assemble line or the dealership. Most "restorations" are far nicer than when it was new! 

 

The person you bought it from probably thought he was doing just that. 

 

 

 

 

 

Randy

Yeah I actually got it for free luckily, my uncle bought a cabin in Indiana and it was sitting in the basement of the cabin with an old fruit box on top filled with old documents like the receipt, price sheet, and original service manual, it also included a few magazines and advertisements from the late 60s and a replacement air filter in box replacement recoil starter spring in box and a new head gasket 

 

So I was never able to meet the original owner

Edited August 14, 2018 by DerekMorrissey

[DerekMorrissey 18]

Oh and I neglected to mention the fact that I have an original wheelhorse umbrella and I'm also trying to find where to mount it does it mount to the side of the tank? Or is it the bolts under the tank? Or does it mount somewhere else?

[Pullstart 62,721]

4 minutes ago, DerekMorrissey said:

Oh and I neglected to mention the fact that I have an original wheelhorse umbrella and I'm also trying to find where to mount it does it mount to the side of the tank? Or is it the bolts under the tank? Or does it mount somewhere else?

Welcome to RedSquare!  502 is my favorite model, we need pics of your little gem!

[DerekMorrissey 18]

I think its probably the best looking 502 I've seen in a while especially with the documentation I have

[CasualObserver 3,408]

18 minutes ago, DerekMorrissey said:

Oh and I neglected to mention the fact that I have an original wheelhorse umbrella and I'm also trying to find where to mount it does it mount to the side of the tank? Or is it the bolts under the tank? Or does it mount somewhere else?

 

It mounts under the seat, same as the backrest.

[CasualObserver 3,408]

images clipped from the 1961 brochure.

[DerekMorrissey 18]

8 minutes ago, CasualObserver said:

 

It mounts under the seat, same as the backrest.

Thanks but my umbrella had a different stand to it I dont have a picture of it currently but it might be from a later model I'm not sure

[DerekMorrissey 18]

Theres the engine tag like I said it says ht55a 3088 but I'm not sure what the p and 11L8 mean

[KC9KAS 4,741]

@DerekMorrissey  to 

[rjg854 11,336]

Yeah what he just posted 

[DerekMorrissey 18]

48 minutes ago, KC9KAS said:

@DerekMorrissey  to 

Thank you! Happy to be here 

[DerekMorrissey 18]

I know it's been a while but I'd like to post an update I've been continuing the tear down process and have been learning a lot. I just got finished with taking the mower deck apart and have found some interesting patch jobs in the metal, could anyone let me now when these could have been used? I think that it possibly looks like fiberglass but who knows.

Edited December 20, 2018 by DerekMorrissey

[Elkskin's mower junkyard 1,117]

9 minutes ago, DerekMorrissey said:

I know it's been a while but I'd like to post an update I've been continuing the tear down process and have been learning a lot. I just got finished with taking the mower deck apart and have found some interesting patch jobs in the metal, could anyone let me now when these could have been used? I think that it possibly looks like fiberglass but who knows.

Sand it down to bare metal. Go from there. If it was me I would cut out bad sections weld in new. Take ur time get it flat. Do you live in Indiana?

[DerekMorrissey 18]

Just now, craftsmanmowerfreak said:

Sand it down to bare metal. Go from there. If it was me I would cut out bad sections weld in new. Take ur time get it flat. Do you live in Indiana?

Yeah that's probably what I'm going to do, I'm in ohio but the tractor came from Indiana 

[Elkskin's mower junkyard 1,117]

4 minutes ago, DerekMorrissey said:

Yeah that's probably what I'm going to do, I'm in ohio but the tractor came from Indiana 

I got 2 62 models a 502 and 552 neither have original engines one was my dads and its a show tractor. The 552 has gotten a kohler transplant and will be repainted in spring and labeled has a 702

[DerekMorrissey 18]

2 minutes ago, craftsmanmowerfreak said:

I got 2 62 models a 502 and 552 neither have original engines one was my dads and its a show tractor. The 552 has gotten a kohler transplant and will be repainted in spring and labeled has a 702

Sounds great yeah one of the funny things I noticed was that this guy had a price sheet and if you look closely he checked 552 but then erased it and went back to a 502

[Elkskin's mower junkyard 1,117]

8 minutes ago, DerekMorrissey said:

Sounds great yeah one of the funny things I noticed was that this guy had a price sheet and if you look closely he checked 552 but then erased it and went back to a 502

That's odd. Sometimes I only seen it maybe once or twice but 502s were taken back to dealer to have electric start put on. I was going to transfer electric start to the h70 I stuck on 552 but looked into the charging system and decided against it due to chance of overcharging battery. That and lack of governor response compared to a kohler. Pretty bad when a 1958 k160 kohler that smokes on my 753 over powers a 7hp Tec. Those were my 2 reasons I swapped in a kohler. Now the 502 on other hand I got a 8hp Kohler magnum pull start engine and stuck it on it my dad loved it.

[WHX?? 48,721]

Thinking out loud here a PO may have not been a welding type of guy so patched it however he knew. Freak hit tho cut it out and shape and weld in new metal. UNLESS this is just going to be show, then fill in with epoxy, lots of sanding and paint. Do that right and nobody will know but us and we ain't talking.

[oliver2-44 9,638]

I recently bought cables from this place. Called them with some questions and they were very helpful and nice looking cable sand knobs.

On 8/14/2018 at 9:16 AM, WHX21 said:

 Derek

 

My sources say a HT55C-3088 should have been correct from the factory for a 502 but in 56 years who know what could have been done and nobody but God and a PO knows why a different motor has been put in. Most likely might have been a dealer motor swap given Tecumseh's reputation in the day.

The 502 should have the small style non locking cables mounted on the dash. To stay close to original take a look at these cables. https://www.kaiserwillys.com/engraved-throttle-cable-assembly-in-black-fits-46-66-cj-2a-3a-3b-5

I have never gotten them but other fellas say it is close.

 

 

 

 

 

[DerekMorrissey 18]

So on my tractor the owner had a 32' rotary motor [parts number 3262] and I'm trying to get these bevel gears off and cant for the life of me, anyone know how to get these off or could steer me in the right direction?

[formariz 11,987]

On 8/14/2018 at 9:43 AM, DerekMorrissey said:

So I had acquired a 502 a couple of years ago in what appeared to be near perfect condition but through later inspection I found it had been repainted and seems to have a different engine the tag reads ht55a instead of ht55c and my throttle cable does not reach to the factory location, Would anyone know where I can get a new throttle cable and tell me why it would be a ht55a?

 

As far as I can determine from my literature here, a letter or number suffix on a Lauson name plate from that era ,designates a variation of the same engine. In this case that letter would designate the carburetor engine was originally supplied with. A is for Walbro, C is for Carter. A more unusual one usually not supplied with H55s is S for Marvel Schleber. Your engine may not necessarily be original to that tractor although it is the correct one.

Edited February 15, 2019 by formariz