Wheel Horse lawn tractors
Wheel Horse 500 Special
The Wheel Horse 500 Special is a 1968 garden tractor built by Wheel Horse in South Bend, Indiana, USA. It was a special edition tractor to commemorate the Indianapolis 500, celebrating Wheel Horse's role as pit tractors provider for the race, although the 500 Special tractors were not actually used at the race. It features a 6 hp Tecumseh H60 221cc 1-cylinder air-cooled gasoline engine with manual recoil start, a 3-speed gear transmission (Wheel Horse Uni-Drive 5053) with 3 forward and 1 reverse gears, two-wheel drive, manual steering, and an open operator station. The tractor rides on 4.00-8 front and 6.00-12 rear lawn/turf tires. Attachments include a 32" mid-mount mower deck with a cutting width of 32 inches (81 cm). The original price was $600 in 1968.
Power-
Founded-
Model500 Special
Technical Specifications
Detailed specifications and technical data for Wheel Horse 500 Special
Engine
| Type | gasoline |
|---|---|
| Model | Tecumseh H60 |
| Notes | Existing documentation indicates that a recoil-start H60 was the only engine offered in the 500 Special by the factory. A number of 500s have been found with electric-start Kohlers, suggesting that it was a popular swap, either by the original dealer or early in the tractor's life. |
| Power | 6 hp (4.5 kW) |
| Cooling | air-cooled |
| Cylinders | 1-cylinder |
| Bore/Stroke | 2.625x2.50 inches (67 x 64 mm) |
| Displacement | 221 cc (13.53 ci) |
| Starter type | manual recoil |
Dimensions
| Rear tire | 6.00-12 |
|---|---|
| Front tire | 4.00-8 |
| Tires type | Lawn/turf front and rear |
Mechanical
| Drive | Two-wheel drive |
|---|---|
| Steering | manual |
| Operator station | Open operator station |
Production
| Type | Garden tractor |
|---|---|
| Year | 1968 |
| Notes | The Wheel Horse 500 Special was special edition tractor to commemorate the Indianapolis 500. Wheel Horse has provided tractors to the Indy 500 as pit tractors for a number of years. The 500 Special was built to celebrate this; they were not actually used at the race. |
| Built in | South Bend, Indiana, USA |
| Manufacturer | Wheel Horse |
| Original price | $600 in 1968 |
Attachments
| Mower deck | 32" mid-mount mower deck |
|---|---|
| Cutting width | 32 inches (81 cm) |
| Mower deck type | mid-mount Wheel Horse |
Transmission
| Type | gear |
|---|---|
| Gears | 3 forward and 1 reverse |
| Model | Wheel Horse Uni-Drive 5053 |
Serial Numbers
| Year | 1968 |
|---|---|
| Range | 1-3631 (model code) |