1962 B-673ST Mack working restoration:

[1693TA]

I was a Grasshopper dealer at one time. Those 72" diesels are quite the machine, he got a good one there. The Woods trade in, well, I am not so sure about that. I am not sure about who was building their mowers in 2011. Grasshopper quit building for Woods in the mid to late 90's. Since then, Woods tried building their own machines, then had Gravely build them, then had possible Ransomes Bobcat build them. It is hard to tell who built them in 2011. Also not sure where you will find parts for that Woods. hopefully, you have a good Woods dealer near you. At least you have a great engine to run the thing.

Thanks, the same dealer has Woods, Gravely, Simplicity, Dixie Chopper, Troy-bilt, and another lesser brand I cannot remember also. They did have SCAG, but let that one go as not very popular in this area for some reason. I was under the impression they built it after the Grasshopper contract expired? Can't claim to know however. This one is quite clean and the former owner wanted another, (larger) but the Grasshopper was a better deal as in stock where the Woods would have needed to be ordered. This one has that power jackscrew to elevate the deck too which is kind of nice for pressure washing underneath. This one is 25hp and the Grasshopper is 29hp but the larger deck is what he was after as he purchased the neighboring property.

I've about worn my Woods RD-7200 mower deck out I purchased new in 1999. I've had to do quite a bit of welding on it over the past couple of years but I mow almost three acres, (rough) weekly and have since it was new. I'm wanting the zero turn as it's so much easier to trim with the deck out front now that my wife has decided to start planting trees.

I'm under three bills for this one so not hurting even if it needs some work although it doesn't appear to need anything.

 

[mowingman]

You did get a nice deal on that Woods. Woods did try building their own machines for a while. However, they almost got into a lawsuit over patent rights with Grasshopper. Sometime after that, say 2006 +or-, they got someone else to build their machines.

 

[1693TA]

When you look at the layout of this machine and the grasshopper you can see they are near identical in equipment placement and such. Minor differences is about all. I was really wanting a used Grasshopper, (900 series) but by the time they come around reasonably priced they are practically worn out from what I've seen. I'm not one that rotates equipment very much and purchase for the long term as generally the next owner is a scrapyard. I told my buddy, (the dealer) about three years ago I was wanting one of these and he assured me when he got a good one in he'd do me right. So far this looks to be what I was after. They've serviced it every year since new, with new blades every two years and I have the log book that was kept. The belts and blades along with the magnetic clutch were all new this spring and it mowed twice this year before I got it. Looks pretty clean to me and I'll post a photo tomorrow for your opinion.

Thanks,

 

[1693TA]

Got a call they are finished "touching up", (reblasting) my rear drums and spokes so will retrieve them later today. I need to paint strip and refinish the rear brake spiders and then push the new bronze bushings into them so I can build up the brakes.

Broke out both of my tumble blasters the other day and started working the brake hardware over to remove the rust on these items. It works well with glass beads and 15 - 20 minute cycles turns rusty/corroded parts in something a bit different:

As example of before:



After:




BB0 Blasters from Empire:



These little machines save one hell of a lot of work dressing up small parts. I usually paint the parts afterward but am considering sending them out to be cadmium plated, or black phosphate. I don't need the EPA on my ass so won't bring those processes into the shop.

Here is a link to another blaster I have, (same one) but have never used. It requires my screw compressor to run but I don't have everything in place to use it at this writing:

All three of the blasters came out of medical appliance manufacturer in Wisconsin a few years ago when they replaced with automated machinery. These were actually working the day before I loaded them onto my trailer and brought them back to the shop. As they came out, their replacements were installed in the same spaces.

 

[1693TA]

My old Worthington "Blue Brute" 250cfm compressor:



This has a Continental B-427 gas engine and really makes the air. Not an oil burner but does like gasoline. Runs really well but the carburetor needs a good refresh so another project. It was used by a truck body builder to paint there products and was replaced by an electric driven unit. They, as I, used this compressor to start their operation(s). I have a 300# pressure blast pot but probably won't do blasting as it leaves such a mess; sometimes best left to specialist(s) in their respective areas.

I craned the compressor off the flat bed that delivered it and installed new tires to drag it back to the shop. Both sidewalls on the former tires were split badly and I wasn't going to trust them the seven miles back to the shop.

 

[1693TA]

Woods:






Runs perfect and mows nice. Needs new foam on the right steering handle as he caught it on a tool belt ripping it last year and never replaced. Machine has 372 hours on the meter and the oil filter has 340 hours written on it. It was always kept inside and will be during my tenure but it got caught in the snow last evening at the shop prior to bringing it in this afternoon. Now that it's in the shop I'll make a hole for it to reside.

 

[RZucker]

What ever happened to the 6V92 IH, It running good?

 

[1693TA]

What ever happened to the 6V92 IH, It running good?

Yes, runs very well and I use it for my yard horse. Really haven't done anything else to it since we spoke last. Easy starting thing and cranks easily when cold with a pair of group 29 cells installed. Need to rebuild the alternator as has a shorted diode trio and will pull them flat in a couple of weeks. I disconnect them when the truck is not in use. Not going to put the truck back on the road as far too rough, but it serves a good purpose now.

My 96 black Dodge one ton, (Krusty) finally *hit the bed, (rust thinned frame broke) so going to get one of my Macks active for it's replacement. Thought serious about shoehorning that 6V92 into this B-61, but have several Mack engines in the shop so elected to stay that way. Truck is a 1957 I've had since 1979 and it now sports an 82 E6-350 engine and double over triplex I'd built up almost 20 years ago installed. This is the one I re railed and installed an air ride under:



The intercooler, or more correctly "charge air cooler" on the deck is to be chin mounted and I'll fabricate the front bumper to incorporate this feature.

Kinda hard doing a lot of this by myself but I do tend to get along pretty well with all three of my personalities depending upon the time of day. Also rely upon my skid steer a lot.....

 

[1693TA]

Named him "Nestor". I pulled all the 9A90 injectors out and apart, soaked them in a heated solvent bath, reassembled and all seems to be fine. I have a fresh reman set of 9B90 series, but these work well so never installed them except for a short spell till cleaning the originals. Took a while to get the governor calibrated correctly, (and it really does need rebuilt) but the idle is smooth and power is very good for the duty he assumes.



Lots easier to work on them when not all greasy and nasty:




Very little electrical worked thanks to all the years of setting and rodents. I did finally rid the pungency with the help of gutting the interior, bleach in a yard sprayer, then ammonia a couple weeks later and it finally subsided. Wiring is bad at terminations of the main junction block behind dash as the area was solid encased in rodent nest. Exterior lighting and signals work, but need additional effort applied which I may or may not do. The interior panels were so chewed up they've not been reinstalled, and the cab is bare aluminum of which I found several cracks in the supporting structure.

Setting in this same spot for one month shy of 35 years was conducive to the rodent problem:



That tree did not exist when the truck was parked.

 

[Joel59]

I like your shop! Looks like a great space to work. What size is it? It seems set up pretty well.

 

[1693TA]

The building itself is 70'X100' with 18' sidewalls. The office area is 18'X26', and employee bath and storerooms take another 13'X22'. The spray room is about 18' deep and 12' wide. Car wash bar at the rear is about 9'X18' deep. There is also a wash bay out back. It was setup to be an auto body shop but I happen to like large trucks so figured I'd build it big enough for both.

There is a 50'X100' "lean to" section never erected out back but they've hit me pretty good on taxes, (citing industrial zoning) so that won't be erected here.

Thanks,

 

[Joel59]

very nice. I'd be interested in seeing how the wash bays are set up. I am looking to build something in the 50x100 size and always appreciate new ideas and pictures. Great job with the old Mack's. I love old trucks and equipment. Thanks for taking the time to post up all the pics!

 

[mowingman]

Nice looking mower. Nice trucks too and a great shop to work on them.

 

[1693TA]

The inside wash bay is just a steel lined stall with a 36" square bar grate in the center. I did depress the floor so it drains toward the center of the stall 3/4" from the outside. It's not sloped enough you can really feel it but it does make the water flow towards the drain. The outer stall is set up the same way except the center is depressed 1-1/2" and the grating is actually a traffic rated unit like you see in a public street. You can literally drive a truck over it and it won't bend. This stall is open and it's an extension to the approach apron.

Both sumps under the grates for the wash bays are 48" deep and formed concrete which I did myself. The building is on a septic system and I didn't want to fill it with mud so built these pits as to allow the dirt and grime to settle out before discharging to the oil/water separator, (buried outside) and then onto the septic field. It all works pretty well. I laid everything out myself and purchased a transit to ensure all the slopes were correct for the drains before they were buried under 8" of concrete.....

 

[1693TA]

Boat owner and I decided, (at my insistence) he put the boat in the water to ensure the water tight integrity has been restored before I paint it all up. I'm just going with a matte black finish so he can apply a scheme to his liking. This way if it still leaks it's easy to facilitate additional repairs without absorbing more in paint costs.

I picked up four gallons of paint stripper this morning so am going to submerge the drive axle brake spiders tomorrow to get them cleaned. Another buddy has offered to push and fit the bushings/seals into the same after they are painted up. Hope to get that done the first of next week to finally get the brakes and wheels back on after the paint work is finished.....

Been raining and snowing here the past couple of days so still haven't picked up the rear spokes and drums yet either. Probably get that done tomorrow.

 

[1693TA]

Boat rode the waves placing decoys and hunting over nine hours today without a drop of water entering the hull. Going to bring it back in mid week and get it painted up.

Did paint strip a few parts including the brake spiders and they are at another friends shop to have the bushings pressed in. After that they'll be painted in the same red most of the other brake hardware is. Running a bit low on paint activator so not going to run shy on a mix and have to throw it out. Should finish with tumble blasting parts tomorrow and will get to thread chasing all the fasteners to ensure the hardware will go back together as it should.

 

[doublewide]

Good to hear of your progress.

I'd be interested in a little more info on that oil/ water separator.....

 

[1693TA]

Good to hear of your progress.

I'd be interested in a little more info on that oil/ water separator.....

It is a commercial unit I'd dug up from an auto dealership teardown several years ago. I cut the side out of this one, (30" square hole) leaving a bare 600 gallon tank with two top access ports , (manways) to gut the rusted internals. I then basically fabricated sets of tracks to replace the original framework allowing for easy servicing from the top. Here is a link: https://www.ecologixsystems.com/product-oil-water-separators-below-ground/ I think the brand is the same but I was poised to purchase new till running across a former dealership being torn down and knew one of these was in the ground. I've never had to pump or clean this one yet but the sludge is readily removed when it's time. The discharge water feeds right into the septic and it's not oily so the unit must be working.....

 

[doublewide]

Thanks.

 

[1693TA]

Got the boat painted today. Went with a simple Rust-Oleum brand matte finish black. Simple job but being low gloss goes with blending into the blinds and such.

Did nothing with the B67 today as was cleaning/organizing on the shop.