Jaymon74 84 #1 Posted April 9, 2022 What determines the series of a tractor? I have a 1968 Wheelhorse Charger 12. Does it have a designated series? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevasaurus 22,738 #2 Posted April 9, 2022 You're looking at a lot of typing here to answer this question...so here is the short answer. It has to do with Wheel Horse being sold a couple of times and who is running the company. Your Charger is from an era when they named them according to the AFC football teams of the day. Then they leaned toward the "B", "C", & "D" series...these became the 300, 400, & 500 series. The "B" is the 300, the "C" is the 400 and so on. That is the easy answer. 3 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,487 #3 Posted April 9, 2022 1 hour ago, stevasaurus said: Your Charger is from an era when they named them according to the AFC football teams of the day New information!! So what was Electro? 3 hours ago, Jaymon74 said: 1968 Wheelhorse Charger 12 If ya wanted a rough comparison idea to a series... The 68 Charger 12 was ~ I believe ~ Always a long frame... So the mid 70s C120 or a later model 312... Etc etc. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 41,104 #4 Posted April 9, 2022 55 minutes ago, ebinmaine said: New information!! So what was Electro? They were the Saints. Back then, every one was "shocked" when they won a game! 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kpinnc 12,026 #5 Posted April 9, 2022 (edited) 2 hours ago, stevasaurus said: You're looking at a lot of typing here to answer this question...so here is the short answer. It has to do with Wheel Horse being sold a couple of times and who is running the company. Your Charger is from an era when they named them according to the AFC football teams of the day. Then they leaned toward the "B", "C", & "D" series...these became the 300, 400, & 500 series. The "B" is the 300, the "C" is the 400 and so on. That is the easy answer. Yeah that's a pretty good explanation. All I would add is the year ranges. There are exceptions to ALL rules with Wheel Horse, but it generally goes like this: Pre 1960: Ride Away Senior (RS-XX), Ride AwayJunior (RJ-5X), and Walk Away two wheel tractors. 1960-65: models by hp, starter type, last digit of the year. Several models broke the rule (like 701), but generally like 401- 4hp, recoil start, 1961. 854- 8hp, electric start, 1964. 1054- 10hp, electric start, 1964. Also introduced see Lawn Rangers during this period. 1966: the starter type was dropped for some models in favor of transmission type: 867- 8hp, 6 speed, 1967. 877- 8hp, hydrostatic, 1967. 1046- 10hp, 4 speed, 1966. 1968-72: Commando, Raider, Electro, Charger, Bronco. 1973- no name tractors. HP and tranny type. Ex. "12 Automatic" was 12 hp and hydro. 1974-84: Several revisions of A, B, C, and D series. 1981 changed the body style to black hoods. 1985-2007: 300, 400, 500 series, ending with the "classic" label the last couple years. Edited April 9, 2022 by kpinnc 5 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Horse Newbie 7,069 #6 Posted April 10, 2022 4 hours ago, kpinnc said: Yeah that's a pretty good explanation. All I would add is the year ranges. There are exceptions to ALL rules with Wheel Horse, but it generally goes like this: Pre 1960: Ride Away Senior (RS-XX), Ride AwayJunior (RJ-5X), and Walk Away two wheel tractors. 1960-65: models by hp, starter type, last digit of the year. Several models broke the rule (like 701), but generally like 401- 4hp, recoil start, 1961. 854- 8hp, electric start, 1964. 1054- 10hp, electric start, 1964. Also introduced see Lawn Rangers during this period. 1966: the starter type was dropped for some models in favor of transmission type: 867- 8hp, 6 speed, 1967. 877- 8hp, hydrostatic, 1967. 1046- 10hp, 4 speed, 1966. 1968-72: Commando, Raider, Electro, Charger, Bronco. 1973- no name tractors. HP and tranny type. Ex. "12 Automatic" was 12 hp and hydro. 1974-84: Several revisions of A, B, C, and D series. 1981 changed the body style to black hoods. 1985-2007: 300, 400, 500 series, ending with the "classic" label the last couple years. So what series is ( let me just pull one out of the air ) a 1984 Work Horse GT-1600 ? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kpinnc 12,026 #7 Posted April 10, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, Horse Newbie said: So what series is ( let me just pull one out of the air ) a 1984 Work Horse GT-1600 ? I would compare the Work Horse as nearly identical to the 310-8 or 312-H. There was no 16hp 300 series produced in this side of the pond, so that's as close as I can think of. The Work Horses had less bells and whistles, but mechanically the same machine with Briggs engines instead of Kohler. Interestingly enough, the Work Horses were the line that introduced the "modern" body style of the 300/400/500 series two years before they came out. Edited April 10, 2022 by kpinnc 2 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 25,557 #8 Posted April 10, 2022 (edited) @Horse Newbie Do a search for “munn” on the site search bar and you will get a bunch of history… Munn Investment Group bought WH from AMC in 1982 and sold to Toro in 1986… Edited April 10, 2022 by SylvanLakeWH 2 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
