My latest challange.

[vhgmcbuddy]

This is keeping me out of mischief at the moment bought as spares or repair, so far new fuel pipe, robbed a battery from my W H 512 D, cleaned the carb, the key was rusted in the starter switch, WD and a lot of gental persuasion the key came out. Cleaned it up put it back in gave it a turn nothing. I was thinking new switch, checked the wire from the switch to the solenoid to find bad connection cleaned that up few turns and it fired up. Engine sounds OK bit of backfire then shutting back from about 3/4 throttle, all gears appears Ok but I will have to drive it around a bit. I got it on that site but it was local so I went to view it first to see what was involved. On seeing it my first thoughts was to break it but yesterday when it barked away I’m not so sure, you can see the bonnet is rusty but only seems on the surface. There’s no identification tractor or engine but I think the engine is 14 hp K321 that would make the tractor a C145. Is there any external differences between a Kohler 14hp and 16hp. Thanks.

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[will-haggle]

Hi Owen nice find, good to see you’ve made it on here, I’m sure the bugs will get ironed out soon!

[vhgmcbuddy]

Thank Alan, Good to be here, It’s a bit like when I took a chance and moved from Cornwall to Devon. But I mastered that in the end, I’m going to give Frankie a tidy up, that’s the name it came with apparently it spent most of it’s time in the RAF towing planes about.

[will-haggle]

Bleddy ‘ell, bey, you’m up-country now aren’t ‘ee? Do they do things dreckly up there?

[vhgmcbuddy]

You got it bey, Ivadood that avore, wan. etc. I remember you Adge Cutler. I found out the Wheel Horse is a 14 HP, the kohler K321 14 hp has 9 cylinder head bolts and the K341 16 hp has 10 bolts.

[vhgmcbuddy]

Rub down tin work treated any rust spots and sprayed with primer. I will have to invest in a new exhaust, I liked the tin wrap around but it’s past it’s sell buy. Any advice on best places to obtain one would be helpful. Thanks Owen.

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[vhgmcbuddy]

There is a guy in wiltshire that breaks wheelhorse tractors , he often sells stuff of that auction site beginning with E & ending in Bay , he is bound to be able to help you out on parts , although he can be a bit on the pricey side

[vhgmcbuddy]

Thanks Neil. I was thinking new but he might have a good second hand one, yes I have noticed his Kohler engines are pricy. Owen.

[vhgmcbuddy]

Getting on with panels, I find Hammerite stonechip shield spray can works well for inside panels, under foot rest and under rear fender. It can be over painted with most paints although I don’t bother. When I took the panels off underneath was in good order so not to much work needed.

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[sidevalve44]

Reminds me of when I worked at Handy Garden Machinery (Swindon) back in the late 70s. WE had a Wheel Horse come in that only needed a re-spray to make it saleable. The fitters were too busy so, the depot manager took the job on. We had no fume extraction then, so the red mist settled everywhere. Unfortunately, the manager had silver gray hair and when he had finsished the job he came out of the workshop with a lovely pink tint to his hair ! Boy, did he get the mickey taken over that !

[vhgmcbuddy]

Hello sidevalve. I’m afraid my spraying facility’s are basic so I see the red mist, I try opening the garage doors and spray outside then the weathers suitable. But it’s getting past going outside now, I’ve only got the bonnet to final coat, so it’s getting their. I am waiting for an exhaust I ordered from USA. I will put a photo on hear when it arrives,

[vhgmcbuddy]

owen,good to see you getting on with the new project. will it ever tow aircraft again ? it must have come from a private airfield as most equipment used on military sites are painted bright yellow

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[vhgmcbuddy]

John. Not a bad looking tug but bit square and uninteresting, I think a WH has a lot more caricature. I don’t think Frankie will be pulling planes again. I will try to find out more as to where Frankie was working it would be a few years ago. I have received the exhaust from USA more to follow on that. Bellow the hitch Frankie came with, easy to obtain a wheelie I would think.

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[vhgmcbuddy]

I received the new exhaust 13 days form USA.Then another 13 days to fit it, only joking it wasn’t that bad I had to cut a piece of pipe off the old exhaust to make it fit also the bottom fixing bracket was off angel and needed a extra strip of metal made up to secure it. So needed a bit of playing around with but now it’s tempery in place looks OK. Short piece of flexi pipe would have made fitting quicker and I recon it could be fitted along the side. Cost including carriage and import duty was £42.03. Frankie’s beginning to look a bit smarter.

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[vhgmcbuddy]

your getting on better than I thought. the replacement from the states was a steal,you would nearly have to pay twice that here. just noticed on the photo of the old exhaust, that stacked on top of each other there is two catering sized cans as a repair. possibly Heinz ? one of there 57 variations

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