Leaderboard

As a few of you know Alan and i have been clearing a friends collection. As all the ride-on tractors have gone we've been useing a Wheelhorse B115 to tow a trailer and move stuff about. Last weekend while at Ringmer i sold the tractor so needed to find something else for Alan to use and this will fit the bill. It came from Johns collection months ago and was reputed to be one of his favourites, it had a duff gearbox but luckily i found a replacement not far away. Its got a John type hitch on the front and will help Alan to put the trailer where we need it instead of trying to reverse it and twist his neck. ive fitted a pair of AGs on the back to aid getting around and cleaned the seat. Forgot to say its a 1974 Wheelhorse 800 3 speed but as it was made in Belgium its listed as B80 4 speed.

Latest little build. I needed more hight and reach for cutting a high hedge and this is what I came up with. The old sweeper was past it as the bearings had seized and spun in the chassis. I can stand on the plarform at the very back and not have the steering wheels lift. The front tyres have also been replaced to make them more puncture proof.

As the chassis was getting close to needing a proving run before proceeding further, a seat of some sort was needed. A sheet of 3/16" alloy was marked and cut using a length of channel as a guide for the saw. Holes were drilled and a piece cut out to clear the gearbox. The test runs were made with bits of wood for footrests. Various positions were tried but it was difficult to sit in comfort. Sitting as far back as possible, the best option, resulted in the front wheels lifting. A roll of lead tied under the chassis cured this. I also tried kneeling on the platform, one hand on the engine to steady myself, and the other operating the steering tiller and throttle. All very awkward especially while bouncing over the rough ground. The runs were successful with just enough engine speed for the centrifugal clutch to engage and in first and then second gear. As camera man Mr Sutton wasn't available at the time, no video made. This was rectified on later test runs. I then set the steering and throttle and watched it run around in circles. Easier than trying to stop myself being thrown off.

Seems there is a new addition to the herd As far as I know this is one of the earliest Westwoods. If you look at the foot rests they are very different from the later ones which rise up near the front of the mower, and have some pretty nice sharp angles The gear selector is in the same sort of place in front of the seat as a classic Wheelhorse instead of being column shift. The whole mower also seems to sit a couple of inches lower than my other Gazelle. It is basically exactly the same as my other one but everything is slightly different. As far as I know this is from the late 1970s, but I shall check tomorrow, and get some better photos. It does not run currently, the carb needs some attention and the deck needs a new belt to mow with. I plan on keeping this Gazelle as original as possible, I have rarely seen ones of this age about, and it isn't in bad condition at all, only some surface rust. It needs some TLC but overall is very solid. I think it would be a shame to repaint it but I wouldn't want it to eventually rust away, is there any product I can use to preserve it whilst keeping it with an original look?

Take it with you Harry. I bet someone there will by it. Especially at Biddenden.

Planet jr cultivator, an older restoration and also has the small plough. Overall not bad condition, can take to biddenden or rpt if anybody is interested. Don't really know much about it as not my type of thing, feel it has got to be worth £30. Thanks

Hi all My next door neighbour asked me to look at his lawnmower as it was running very slow I think it was running at a snails pace HA HA

They look like quad tyres ?

I like those front tyres. What and from where?

I need them for a tractor i'm restoring, sorry

Top colour has been decided. That should make The Showman a happy chappie.

Ask the showman I just sold him a pair

They're stated as Footrests in the Parts Manual Part number 4421. You can search using that Toro Wheel Horse number online.

You may be best using clean fuel then, as I've never tried carb cleaner I don't know what it can damage (certainly some electronic & switch cleaner sprays can damage plastics or cause other problems with vintage electronics). Be careful the power output shaft doesn't slide out & let the tiny bearing rollers fall out, if you take the induction housing apart and nothing is attached to it. The only adjustment for the timing is the contact breaker gap (should be listed on the starter decal along with the spark plug gap). The flywheel position is fixed with a key. David

Well that's it folks. Fini! Primed and undercoated. Top coat colour to be decided.

Fantastic job Norm, I happened to make one the other day for my RJ using measurements from Chris' at Newby.

Finished off the bosses this morning. Skimming the bores. and finished. Next my attention went on the side plates. Using the pipe bender to shape them. Nicely bent. In the jig ready to tack side plates to bosses. After tack welding as seen, the sides were removed and turned over and tacked t'other side, then fully welded up. From this point, taking photo's went out the window. Two more hitches are now tacked up ready to fully weld.

Looks good Chris. Are you sure that's the same seat, looks too clean. The front hitch's are handy even though I was starting to get the hang of reversing a trailer. A not very flexible neck doesn't help. A few years ago John and I often had a loaded trailer front and rear. Something different. A trailer being towed is a trailer. What is a trailer called while being pushed.