Several years ago my dad gave me an spare garden tractor from his collection of misfit toys.
I spent some time sandblasting it and restoring it only to find the original 14hp kohler engine was shot.
I was pissed- but the whole thing was free- so how mad can one be?
So I sent the engine off to be rebuilt. I spent $$$$.
It worked for 10 minutes. It bogged. Then the case split.
I was so pissed off at it, the tractor sat for several years. I even tried to give it away to a friend but he wouldn't even take it for free.
So it sat... and sat.... Until I bought ANOTHER kohler k321 engine. Installed it and it finally worked!
One day while at work, I found this video on the internet:
and this random google search picture:
Inspired- I then I bought an old rusted snowblower
and restored it to this:
Here is a video of it working- I was going to post it in my "snow shovel" thread- but was embarrassed by the guys with real tractors and industrial snowblowers and such.
https://youtu.be/EiXsiEb1l3M
As one can see- it isn't really going all too fast. Reality is -the 14 hp can only do so much.
So I'm thinking of a repower. Found this on ebay:
Briggs Stratton Horizontal 23 HP Vanguard 1 1 8" x 3" 386447 0212 | eBay
I'm not too much of a Briggs fan, but it fits. Here is a similar install:
Repowered LGT 165 - MyTractorForum.com - The Friendliest Tractor Forum and Best Place for Tractor Information
I think I can do it better and cleaner than his install. The rational mind says "why?" "WTF?" "why waste time and $$$ on this?"
But as this whole tractor's history has been- It's not about practicality or whatnot- its about doing it because one can....waste time on pointless endeavors!
So I need some feedback and inspiration to hit the "buy" button... (or a better engine option!)
Thanks
Ron